Written in the social context of the United States in the 1980s and based on information about Hispanic students, parents, teachers, and schools contained in the national High School and Beyond data set, this book addresses critical issues regarding the status of Hispanic education of interest to Hispanics, policymakers, and academicians. Part I offers a brief historical review and describes the data set. Part II considers the cultural deprivation perspective, focusing on high-achieving Hispanic language minority students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The two chapters in this part question whether it is necessary to strip Hispanic disadvantaged students of their language and cultural identity in order to promote academic achievement and examine the assertion that Hispanic parents have low educational aspirations for their children and do not exhibit interest in and/or encouragement of their children's education. Part III probes issues relating to the structural perspective: characteristics of high density ethnic minority barrio schools and bias on the part of both Anglo and Hispanic teachers toward Hispanic students. Part IV examines issues emerging in the early 1980s: impact of language of instruction on educational achievement; whether language minority background or low socioeconomic status is more important in explaining Hispanic educational attainment; and consequences of cutbacks in financial aid programs on the college-going behavior of Hispanic students. Part V contains a concluding chapter drawing together the implications of the study. (NEC)