Mexican American Education Study. Report 1: Employment, Enrollment, and School Success of Mexican Americans.

In this report data were patterned after the first two of a series of reports made by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the educational status of Mexican Americans in the Southwest. Data relative to the enrollment, employment, and school success of Mexican Americans in the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) were reported (1972-73). Data were gathered from 27 elementary, 6 middle, and 3 high schools of at least 10 percent Mexican American enrollment. Some findings were: (1) Chicano enrollment was proportionately less in FWISD than in Texas or the Southwest; (2) differences between proportions of Chicano students and Chicano teachers were similar, but somewhat larger than those in Texas or the Southwest; (3) Chicano teachers were not assigned primarily to schools of large Chicano enrollment; (4) Chicano student academic achievement was low, decreasing with grade level increase; and (5) larger proportions of Chicano high school students dropped out of school than did Anglos. Basic principles relative to all specific recommendations governing Chicano educational reform were: (1) incorporation of Chicano language, history, and culture as integral parts of the educational process; (2) full representation in decision making positions which determine or influence educational policy; and (3) reordering of all government budget priorities for recommended implementations. (JC)