According to the most recent New York State report of scores on Common Core-aligned tests, released in August, only 23% of Hispanic students meet math standards and only 19% meet literacy standards.

The report shows that only 37.2 percent of students across the board were ready for college at the end of their fourth year. This is in stark contrast to the 74.9% who graduated in June of 2013 under current standards.

The New York Board of Regents adopted the standards in 2010 and is phasing in Common Core requirements over 12 years.

Peggy McLeod, National Council of La Raza deputy vice president of Education and Workforce Development, responded that the standards aren’t the problem and it will take time to see results.

She also said that the initiative has the potential to close the achievement gap, but that additional language support should be offered to Latino students who need it.

Falling Behind
There are a number of complex factors as to why certain children fall behind in school. Many are socioeconomic.

In response to criticisms that the requirements focus on low-income minority students at the expense of middle-class children, the developers of the Common Core standards have repeatedly said that their intent is to level the playing field for students who come from low-income backgrounds and may not have the same support systems as middle-class white students.

Other students may suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or similar learning difficulties. Approximately 5.2 million American children between the ages of three and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Latino children are diagnosed with ADHD at much lower rates than white and black children are, but it is difficult to say whether this has to do with the real problems faced by the children or varying cultural standards of evaluation.

Without treatment or support, these challenges can cause significant problems when it comes to paying attention and completing schoolwork.