Statement by Roger W. Gomez, Legislative Assistant, LULAC National Education Service Centers, Accompanied by Helena A. Grady, Director of Research, LULAC National Education Service Centers before the Committee on Education and Labor, Select Subcommittee on Education on Reauthorization of the National Institute of Education, November 4, 1975.

Overview & Synopsis

A non-profit, non-partisan educational organization, the League of United Latin American Citizens National Education Service Centers (LNESC) is engaged in the field of higher education, with primary emphasis on Hispanic Americans. One of LNESC's objectives is to make institutions of higher education, foundations, corporations, and Federal agencies more aware of the educational problems faced by Hispanic Americans, with intent to bring about an increased concentration of resources on the problems. However, due to the lack of research data available, it is difficult to remedy the serious educational problems confronting Hispanics. This void reflects the need for educational research efforts on Hispanics in the various organizational components of the National Institute of Education (NIE) in addition to its current research efforts. Therefore, it is indispensable that the Hispanic American community and its educational problems be understood by NIE. With a more positive relationship between Hispanics and NIE, there will be a more meaningful utilization of our mutual resources, a greater possibility for quality education through research, and the development of long and short range plans to complement and benefit one another. Therefore, LNESC firmly supports the concept of NIE to assist this country in providing equal educational opportunity by taking on a vigorous leadership with regard to conducting the overall research and development efforts in education. (NQ)