COLUMBIA, Mo. – Only 57 percent of Mexican-American students
graduate from high school, and 11 percent receive college
degrees, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In a new study, a
University of Missouri researcher found that perceived
educational barriers significantly predicted Mexican-American
students' educational aspirations more than the influences of
gender, generation level and parents' education level.
Identifying what students perceive they need may assist school
professionals and counselors in helping students develop skills
and confidence needed to achieve their goals. "By better
understanding the perceived barriers toward education,
professionals may be able to determine the best way to help
Mexican-American students climb the academic ladder," said Lisa
Flores, associate professor of educational, school and
counseling psychology in the MU College of Education. "Career
counselors should examine Mexican-American high school students'
beliefs concerning what resources they need and help them deve