Careers in the sciences, in teaching or in many creative fields begin with a college education. However, to access college, students must be ready to contend. Hispanic students are not: While 83 percent of Hispanic students aspire to earn a postsecondary degree, less than one-quarter are academically prepared to meet that goal, says a joint report released by ACT and Excelencia in Education.

"The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2013: Hispanic Students," published June 12, shows that only 24 percent of ACT-tested Hispanic students who graduated from high school in 2013 met at least three of the four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. That's compared to 39 percent of all ACT-tested 2013 graduates. Also, nearly half (46 percent) of Hispanic students met none of the benchmarks, compared to 31 percent of all students.

This lack of preparedness is more concerning considering that the U.S. Hispanic population is growing. It hit 53 million in 2012, representing 17 percent of all Americans. Since 2009, the number of Hispanic students taking the ACT has nearly doubled, increasing by approximately 126,000. But that's not translating into college success: Hispanics would have to earn 5.5 million more college degrees by 2020 for America to regain its worldwide lead in college degree attainment, said Deborah Santiago, Excelencia in Education's chief operating officer and vice president for policy.

"This report makes it clear that our education system must match the high aspirations Hispanic families have for their children with high quality K-12 programs that ensure career and college readiness," Santiago said.

Hispanic graduates take the ACT-recommended core curriculum about as often as do all graduates (72 percent and 74 percent). The curriculum consists of four years of English and three years each of mathematics, social studies and science. In spite of this, almost half of Hispanic students aren't meeting any ACT benchmarks.

"Through their course selection, most Hispanic students are following the recommended path to be prepared for postsecondary education," said Scott Montgomery, ACT vice president of policy, advocacy and government relations. "But the gap between the classes they take and their actual preparation levels is still too wide. We urgently need to better understand the reasons behind this disconnect and work to implement additional strategies to help Hispanic students better prepare for life after high school."

Hispanic students who meet ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are more likely to enroll and stay in college than are those who do not meet the benchmarks. Sixty-two percent of Hispanic graduates enroll in postsecondary education following high school, compared to 71 percent of all students. Also, only 73 percent of Hispanic students who complete their first year of postsecondary education continue into the second year.

Encouraging Latino students to take core curriculum and high-level coursework, particularly in mathematics and sciences, is among the recommendations laid out in the report. The report also highlights the need to review and evaluate the rigor and content of English, math and science courses; establish high expectations for Latino students while monitoring their progress as they ready for college; provide student guidance; and evaluate and align curricula with high school standards and college and workplace readiness standards.

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