As the Mexican American student population in U.S. public schools climbs to over 8 million, the establishment of policies that promote equity and respect have never been more crucial. In Mexican Americans and Education, Estela Godinez Ballón provides an overview of the relationship between Mexican Americans and all levels of U.S. public schooling.

Mexican Americans and Education begins with a brief overview of historical educational conditions that have impacted the experiences and opportunities of Mexican American students, and moves into an examination of major contemporary institutional barriers to academic success, including segregation, high-stakes testing, and curriculum tracking. Ballón also explores the status of Mexican American students in higher education and introduces theories and pedagogies that aim to understand and improve school conditions. Through her extensive examination of the major issues impacting Mexican American students, Ballón provides a broad introduction to an increasingly relevant topic.

Ballón uses understandable and accessible language to examine institutional and ideological factors that have negatively impacted Mexican Americans’ public school experiences, while also focusing on their strengths and possibilities for future action. This unique overview serves as a foundation for both education and Chicana/o studies courses, as well as in teacher and professional development.

Estela Godinez Ballón is a professor in the Liberal Studies Department at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Her research appears in the Journal of Latinos and Education, Sociological Methods and Research, and Women’s Studies, among others. Her research focuses on Chicano/a education, curriculum tracking, and women of color in academia.

“[Mexican Americans and Education offers] pedagogical solutions based in a ‘funds of knowledge’ approach, which values the culture of Mexican American students while using it to enhance their educational opportunities.” —Julio Cammarota, co-editor of Raza Studies: The Public Option for Educational Revolution

“This book is needed. It deals with an important topic that must be given attention, especially as more and more Mexican American students continue to make up the majority of the school-aged population across the United States.” —Luis Urrieta, author of Working from Within: Chicana and Chicano Activist Educators in Whitestream Schools