Community Impact

The Challenge

The Latino population is the fastest-growing population in Arizona,¹ and Latino students make up the largest racial/ethnic demographic group in the state’s K-12 public schools.² Latino students lag behind their White peers in academic achievement across the K-12 education system, and are underrepresented in postsecondary degree achievement. As early as elementary school, many Latino students begin to fall behind in math and reading while White students are more likely to reach proficiency. Unfortunately, the story that develops in elementary and middle school remains consistent throughout high school, with Latino students trailing behind their White peers in college readiness.

The cumulative effects of these gaps in educational achievement have limited Arizona’s overall postsecondary degree attainment rate. Nationally, 43 percent of the working-age population has an associate degree or higher, compared with 38 percent in Arizona.⁵ The biggest reason for this discrepancy can be attributed to the large degree achievement gap for Arizona’s Latino students.

A Focus on the Continuum

Helios is working to ensure that more children transition from preschool to the K-12 environment prepared to succeed and are reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade. We are working to ensure that all children benefit from high-quality early childhood systems, that early learning professionals are trained on emergent literacy and language acquisition skills, and we are working to bridge early childhood and K-3 education systems. Early grade preparedness is essential, but that preparedness falls short unless students transition to middle and high school environments that foster high -expectations, provide a college-going culture, and challenge them with academic rigor and relevance. Helios’ work on the postsecondary end of the continuum includes a focus on systemic supports, guidance, and scholarships toward persistence and degree completion.