Latino Dropouts in Rural America: Realities and Possibilities

This book affords Latino high school dropouts from rural communities in Idaho the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words. It candidly reveals students' school experiences, explores why students leave school, and looks at the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001). Four of the nine students interviewed for the book passed NCLB-mandated state graduation tests, two others passed two of three sections, and all were capable of achieving success in school. The decision to leave school was connected with students' seeking personal satisfaction and to reduce the social-psychological pain of schooling. In certain cases principals and teachers blamed the Latino students for disadvantaging the school. Latino Dropouts in Rural America presents a systematic approach for addressing the main problem: a lack of cultural responsiveness in school curriculum, instruction, policies, and practices. The leadership plan recommended by the authors will help educators to understand the lives of rural Latino youth and to critique their own schools.