Latino population growth, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and implications for educational attainment

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics indicate that Latinos lag behind non-Latinos in education and in other socioeconomic characteristics. Although there are some positive indications such as the decrease of individuals and children living in poverty and an increase in the number of individuals working in the technical, sales, and administrative support sectors, the increases have been small. Current census population estimates indicate that the Latino population will continue its very rapid rate of growth for the foreseeable future. An overview of salient sociodemographic characteristics of the Latino population, including educational attainment, poverty, immigration, family income, family size, family type, and language status is provided. The steady increase of this very youthful population makes it imperative that it receive an education that will provide it with the skills to make it a productive citizenry.