UCLA School of Education and Information Studies

Historically, scholars have researched and discussed Central Americans in fields such as sociology, migration studies, and anthropology. However, there is a limited amount of literature in the field of education and more so in higher education, that addresses the unique experiences of Central Americans in the U.S. educational system (Torres, 2004). As an part of a larger study, this paper documents and analyzes the testimonios of thirty-five first and second generation Central American youth who have attended high school and college in the U.S. By applying a Critical Race Theory (CRT) analysis (in conjunction with other frameworks) to the testimonios of the thirty-five youth, we find that amidst severe class, race, and gender discrimination in schools, the youth are able to be extremely resilient. Through their testimonios, we also argue that it is important for education systems to pay closer to attention to the heterogeneity of the Latinx population in the U.S. to not further marginalization already marginalized communities.

Guided by a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study examines the resilience and cultural wealth of Latino men as they navigate the transfer process at a two-year community college. This study conducted four semi-structured interviews to highlight how, despite facing difficult circumstances, individual factors along with their aspirational and navigational capital positively impact Latino men in higher education. Ultimately, this study aims for four things (a) to add to the limited amount of research of Latino men in community college (b) to display the success of Latino men in higher education (c) to challenge deficit notions of Latino men in higher education and (d) to provide findings that will inform the community college sector of the Latino men transfer experience.

U.S. Central Americans: Reconstructing Memories, Struggles, and Communities of Resistance is a critical anthology focusing on the narratives, experiences, and complexities of the Central American diaspora. Historically, scholarly work has addressed Central Americans through the eyes of “outsiders”, trauma, war, and violence; while this anthology highlights those very real and traumatic histories, it also centralizes the histories of Central American resilience and resistance. At a time when Central American youth are migrating to the U.S. alone and the presidential administration sees Central American youth and their families as bargaining chips in immigration policy, this anthology presents us with a critical examination of the U.S. interventions that have propelled migration to the U.S. Within a U.S. context, the contributing authors examine questions of identity, cultural production, gendered experiences, and transnationalism. Although the anthology is not grounded in the field of education, it is a valuable contribution to any scholar who is invested in Latinx student success and equity by providing the language and analysis necessary to understand the complexities and heterogeneity of Latinxs in the U.S.

EDUCACIÓN is a piece that brings my work as an artist, educator, activist, and scholar together. It is a re-interpretation of the original border crossing sign displayed on the Interstate 5 near the San Diego-Tijuana border.

Through in-depth archival research, David G. García offers a historical narrative on the educational inequalities in Oxnard, CA in between 1903 and 1974.

Daily living skills (DLS) predict adult success for autistic individuals. However, most research on DLS in autism relies on cross-sectional data and DLS summary scores, limiting understanding of how specific skills across development relate to adult outcomes. Using longitudinal data from autistic adults (n = 232, 19% female, 69% White) followed from early childhood into their early thirties (m_age = 32.6 years, SD = 7.58, range 19-35), this study used machine learning techniques to identify item-level DLS from ages 5 (n = 123), 9 (n = 152), 14 (n = 154), and 18 (n = 143) that predicted adult employment, residential status, social relationships, and well-being. DLS items demonstrated predictive utility for employment (age 9 model R² = .557) and social relationships (age 14 model ROC AUC = .839). Notably, DLS measured at age 5 explained a large proportion of variance in adult vocational outcomes (R² = .507). Predictive strength for residential status increased across development (age 18 model ROC AUC = .906), whereas DLS showed limited association with subjective well-being (age 14 model R² = .096). Community-based skills (e.g., money use, telephone skills) consistently emerged as top predictors. Findings are interpreted within a developmental cascade framework, highlighting how DLS competencies in childhood and adolescence may inform experiences for autistic adults.

Successful transitions to kindergarten improve children’s short- and long-term outcomes. Autistic children are more likely than their typically developing peers to face challenges during these transitions. There are no standard transition planning practices for autistic students; therefore, decisions about classroom placement and supports rely primarily on caregiver and teacher perceptions. No published studies examine the predictive validity of caregiver and teacher perspectives or how to incorporate them into decision-making. We examined whether caregivers and preschool teachers could predict children’s adjustment to kindergarten, and whether caregiver-teacher communication and teachers’ autism experience moderated prediction accuracy. The sample included 93 caregiver-child dyads, 68 preschool teachers, and 54 kindergarten teachers. All children had either a medical diagnosis or educational classification of autism. Caregivers and preschool teachers completed a survey, predicting the success of their student/child in kindergarten. Preschool teachers’ prediction of children’s successful adjustment was positively associated with children’s positive affect, like contentedness or excitement, in kindergarten. Caregivers’ prediction of children’s successful adjustment was negatively associated with children’s interfering behavior. Neither caregiver-teacher communication nor teacher autism experience moderated the association between predictions and child outcomes. Findings suggest that teachers and caregivers offer complementary insights that should be included in transition planning to better support autistic children’s transitions to kindergarten.

This report proposes a conceptual framework for measuring lifelong learning (LLL) aimed at improving policy design and evaluation. Lifelong learning is understood as learning across the life course and diverse contexts. The report identifies key limitations in current data systems, including narrow age coverage, lack of longitudinal tracking, overemphasis on labour-market outcomes, and insufficient measurement of informal learning. To address these gaps, the framework is structured around three interconnected pillars: demand, supply, and coordination. Demand captures learning needs at individual, organisational, and societal levels; supply maps opportunities across formal education, workplaces, welfare systems, and communities; and coordination focuses on mechanisms that align needs with provision. The framework also redefines learning by introducing a two dimensional model based on formalisation and digitalisation, better capturing hybrid and emerging forms. Finally, it outlines practical steps for implementation, including improved surveys, longitudinal data linkages, administrative data integration, skills passports, and advanced analytics to support more comprehensive and effective lifelong learning systems. The report will be of interest to education policy makers, whether interested in formal education or adult learning, to statisticians as well as other education stakeholders.