Latino School Dropout and Popular Culture: Envisioning Solutions to a Pervasive Problem

Abstract

The richest nation of the world, the United States still struggles to graduate 50% of its Latina/o high school students. Nominal policy attention on this issue begs the need for bolder and more creative initiatives that call attention to this crisis. States, districts, and schools need to reconfigure this pedagogical crisis by leveraging all venues of potential support, including popular culture. The author calls for courageous leadership that moves beyond the traditional teaching and learning dynamic to address this problem impacting the future of the Latino community's health and mobility.