Texas Summit on Implementing Mexican American Studies in Texas K-12 Education

The National Association for Chicana & Chicano Studies (NACCS) Tejas Foco Committee on Mexican American Studies (MAS) Pre-K-12 will host a one-day statewide Texas Summit on Implementing Mexican American Studies in Texas Schools from Pre-K-12th Grade on Saturday, June 18, 2016, from 9:00am-5:00pm, at the San Antonio College McAllister Theatre Auditorium,1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, Texas, 78212. This summit is free and open to all educators and people who are interested in instituting Mexican American Studies into their schools and communities in Texas to better prepare students for the future.

The event is free but the organizers would like you to pre-register so that they can plan the day better.

Mexican American and Latinos students comprise 51.3% of school-aged children in the state of Texas and this demographic is expected to grow to 67% by 2050 according to the Hobby Center. Educational research has shown that students who take Mexican American, and other Ethnic Studies courses are more academically engaged, graduate from high school at higher rates, score better on standardized tests, and achieve higher grades in all of their courses. The Texas State Board of Education allows individual school districts and schools the option of implementing Mexican American and other Ethnic Studies courses. Textbooks and instructional materials focusing on Mexican American, Native American, African American and Asian American Studies are currently in development.

The goals of the Texas Summit on Implementing MAS in Public Schools are to identify institutional barriers, establish priorities, and develop plan of action for the implementation of Mexican American Studies in Texas schools from Pre-K to 12th grade and for increasing access to MAS courses and content within the broader community.
Teachers and experts in the field of Mexican American Studies will facilitate workshops and breakout sessions on various topics, including: Information & Data Collection, Media/Promotions, Political/Legislative, Community-Based MAS Programs, and developing curriculum, textbooks, teacher training, and other in-school programs for Elementary/Pre-K-5th grade, Middle and High Schools.

The Texas Summit on Implementing MAS in Texas Schools is hosted by San Antonio College & co-sponsored by the Palo Alto College Center for Mexican American Studies, the Center for Mexican American Studies at UT-San Antonio, Somos MAS/Mexican American Studies San Antonio, the Center for Mexican American Studies and Research at Our Lady of the Lake University, MAS Unidxs, the Mexican American Studies Program at UT Rio Grande Valley, the Rio Grande Valley Coalition for Mexican American Studies in K-12 Education, and MAS for the Masses.

Schedule of Events
Opening Reception and Check-In: 9:00–10:00am
Check in and registration with light breakfast.

General Assembly: 10:00am–12:00pm
– Goals/History
– Introductions
– Orientation/Breakout Sessions

Lunch- 12:00–1:00pm
– Lunch will be provided.

Working Breakout Sessions: 1:00–4:00pm (Classrooms)
– Information & Data Collection
– Media/Promotions
– Political/Legislative
– Community
– Elementary Pre-K-5th Grade
– Middle School
– High School

General Assembly: 4:00-5:30pm (Auditorium)
– Breakout Session Reports
– Action Plans

Closing Reception: 5:30-6:30pm
Light Food & drinks will be provided.