Indiana Latino Institute 2022-23 Foundational Positions on Education Policy

Ili Will Advocate And Support The Following

ILI will advocate and support polices that positively impact access to higher education and a more equitable Indiana k-12 education system Below are areas in which ILI will advocate and support ILI will not limit itself to the list below if other policy areas arise regarding supporting Indiana students of color

Diversify the Teaching Profession and Increase Teacher Pay: With Latino students comprising 13% of Indiana’s K-12 students, Latino teachers make up less than 2% of the teaching force. Research shows that students of color do better when taught by educators from similar backgrounds, but in 2019 more than 40% of Latino students in Indiana attended a school with no Latino teachers. We echo the Education Trust and TeachPlus in calling for Indiana to more effectively and intentionally recruit and retain teachers of color by improving compensation packages and implementing other proven talent recruitment strategies

Increase Completion of Advanced Coursework: Completion of advanced coursework during high school increases the chances a student will enroll in college and be successful once enrolled. Advanced coursework that carries dual credit also saves students money by allowing them to complete college credits without being charged college tuition rates. Indiana has made great strides over the last decade to close equity gaps in advanced coursework, but in 2018 only 50% of Latino and Hispanic high school students earned dual credit, compared to the statewide average of 64%. ILI encourages schools to institute policies that enroll more Latino and Hispanic students in advanced coursework, and call on the State to provide necessary funding to attract qualified teachers and expand the capacity of advanced courses

FAFSA Completion: Every qualifying high school graduate can see how much they would be eligible to receive in federal financial aid by filing the FAFSA However, without the necessary information and support, many Indiana students do not file the FAFSA During the 2021/2022 cycle, only about one third of Indianapolis Public School students filed the FAFSA according to the US Department of Education To ensure that Latino students and families fully understand their options for financing higher education, ILI urges Indiana to implement policies proven to increase FAFSA completion rates and dedicate more resources to provide guidance in English and Spanish

Incentives Plan for Postsecondary Institutions: Quality certificates and degrees improve employment and other opportunities for the Latino community. As Indiana colleges are expected to enroll more Latino students, ILI calls on the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the General Assembly to develop financial incentives for institutions that implement effective programming with higher completion rates for Latino students.