2008 - 2009 University of Michigan Poverty Research Grants
Funded research
Daniela Pineda, University of Michigan
Exploring the Role of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in Improving Latino Access to Higher Education: Evidence from the Title V Program, 1986–2006
Description
It is well documented that low-income Latinos are underserved in higher education. Latinos are less likely to complete high school, enroll in a four-year college and attain a B.A. degree than their White peers. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and African American students in higher education, Latinos have the lowest transfer rates from 2-year to 4-year colleges and the highest B.A. attrition rates making them the least-educated major minority group in the U.S. The odds of receiving any postsecondary training are even lower for Latinos living in poverty than for their peers who come from more privileged backgrounds. Higher education has long been considered the primary tool for mobility out of poverty for low-income Latinos. As the low-income Latino population continues to grow, access to higher education will continue to be a major challenge for the postsecondary system. Policymakers and educators have recognized that steps must be taken to increase access and retention of low-income Latinos in higher education. The recognition of a unique type of minority-serving institution, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), is a crucial component of these efforts.
This project aims to investigate the effect of the Developing HSIs program (Title V) funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of this program is to improve Latino postsecondary educational attainment. Because of the youth of the Title V program and of the HSI designation, there has been virtually no analysis of whether receipt of a planning or development grant is associated with improvements in Latino educational attainment at HSIs. This project aims to evaluate the effect of the Title V intervention by compiling a longitudinal database of HSIs from 1986 to 2006. To measure the effect of the Title V program we will examine institutional trends over time before and after the program intervention. We will use using multiple regression techniques to model treatment effects. The proposed study will provide the first empirical information on a relatively new federal intervention aimed at improving the postsecondary educational attainment rates of low-income Latino students. This project will contribute to the development of a broader research agenda aimed at promoting Latino educational attainment and social mobility.
