Educational Toolkit Helps Spanish-Speaking Families Gain Access to College and Careers
The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) has released free bilingual online resources to help Hispanic families prepare for college. The new set of multi-media resources will help people unfamiliar with navigating the U.S. college system gain access and information necessary for preparing and succeeding in college and beyond.
“Parents are a key to our nation reaching its educational goals,” said Sharon Darling, president & founder of NCFL. “We need to ensure that more nontraditional adults are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and that parents are well prepared to inform and nurture the educational aspirations of their children.”
The bilingual resource, En Camino: Herramientas educativas para familias, produced with support from MetLife Foundation, is available free of charge at www.famlit.org/myfamilygoestocollege. The Spanish and English-language toolkit includes five online modules with activities for Spanish-speaking families to help increase their investment in and pursuit of educational opportunities. The tools assist with making education a family goal and ensuring parent involvement in education.
Independent research validates the need for the materials. A 2010 national study found a single year of parental education has a greater impact on the likelihood of a child attending a postsecondary institution than an extra $50,000 in parental income (Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario). In addition, the recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Preparing Students for College and Careers reveals that many parents and students feel a pressing need for more information about how to access and pay for college.
NCFL advocates a systematic approach for using family literacy programs as a bridge to community colleges. Family literacy programs can be more efficient and effective in preparing students for college because they reach two generations simultaneously. Other English-only resources developed for literacy program staff and community colleges include:
- On Our Way: Educational Toolkit for Families, a program instructional guide
- Turning Points: A Case Study of Family Literacy – Community College Partnerships
- Promoting Postsecondary Educational Success for Adults and Families—A Practical Partnership Guide
- Family Literacy: A Valuable Gateway to Postsecondary Education
To learn more about these resources or to download En Camino for free, please visit www.famlit.org/myfamilygoestocollege.