College proves obstacle for many

By Carey King

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all children can enroll in the nation's elementary and high schools, regardless of immigration status.

Denying a child an education not only blocks the path to achieving the American dream, but punishes children for circumstances beyond their control, the court decided.

From kindergarten to senior year in high school, immigrant children now learn side-by-side with their American public school peers. But that equal opportunity ends on graduation night: For most immigrants, the majority of whom are Latino, going to college or university is a unlikely dream.

"We have kids right now that I'd like to see finish and go on to college," said Paul Strop, the ESL coordinator for county schools. "But what are the chances? They're pretty slim. Talk about having three strikes against you."

With high levels of vocabulary to master, high tuition to pay, and very little financial aid available, Strop said, students new to this country are often forced to opt out of going to college and search for jobs instead.

Recognizing early on that destiny, many drop out of public schools before they get their diploma, Strop said.

Latinos older than 16 are more than twice as likely to drop out of school than African-Americans, and four times more likely to drop out than white students, according to a study by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee.

Among Latinos born in the United States, the drop-out rate is 21 percent. For Latino immigrants, that number jumps to 44 percent, states data provided by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

That difference is in part due to a 1996 federal immigration law that says states can't provide post-secondary education benefits to undocumented students. Most states have interpreted the law to mean that public universities can admit such students under one condition only - by charging them out-of-state tuition.

For a family living in North Carolina, in-state tuition at Western Carolina University next year will be $7,200. If that same family is charged the out-of-state rate, the price tag bumps up to $16,000, said Matthew Chadwick, assistant director for undergraduate admissions.

"I know one migrant family with both parents working to bring in a total of $14,000 a year," Strop said. "They don't have extra money to spend on tuition."

Undocumented students don't qualify for the government programs that provide need-based financial aid, so they're usually limited to academic scholarships or private aid from churches, Strop said.

"We have two or three scholarships for those who qualify as international students, but they would not even touch the cost of tuition," Chadwick said.

According to the Urban Institute, each year approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools and then find themselves entangled in immigration law.

While some choose to work through the community college system, where tuition for out-of-state students is lower, attendance at a major college or university is almost impossible.

Recognizing the need for more bilingual adults in the workforce, and trying to create incentives to keep the drop-out rate down, some states - such as California, Texas and New York - have passed legislation that grants undocumented students in-state tuition. In California, students can pay the reduced rate if they have attended a California high school for at least three years, graduate from a California high school and sign an affidavit pledging to apply for permanent residency as soon as they become eligible.

Efforts to pass similar laws in North Carolina haven't taken hold, but the U.S. Senate is currently considering legislation called the Dream Act, otherwise known as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. That law would grant in-state tuition to undocumented students nationwide and provide them the opportunity to become legal residents.

Approved by the Judiciary Committee last fall, the bill has yet to come before the Senate for a final vote. President Bush has indicated that, if passed, he will sign the act into law.

"Some of the best students in Western North Carolina are coming to us out of Mexico," said Ray Douthitt, principal of Blue Ridge School, where Latinos make up 7 percent of the student body, the highest percentage of all county schools.

"These students are very, very dedicated to learning English as quickly as they can, and their grade-point averages and classroom work show it," he said. "What we're hoping for is some kind of flexibility to help these students succeed."

(Editor's note: These articles are part of a series of stories on the community's response to the growing Latino population in Jackson County. Those with contacts or stories related to this issue may contact reporter Carey King at 586-2611 or by e-mail at cking@thesylvaherald.com.)

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