In seven pages the dropout rates that exist between grades 7 through 12 are discussed in terms of cultural stereotypes and language deficiency implications. Ten sources are cited in the bibliography.
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their white counterparts. This perceived testing arena, where individuals are forced to perform at a certain level expectant to their social status, punctuates this skewed perception, with some studies
indicating that "differences in measured achievement may result from cumulative differences in life experiences" (Chin et al, 2002). African-Americans and Latinos in grades 7-12, for example, often realize a
sense of inadequacy when placed within certain circumstances indicative of stereotype vulnerability, thereby significantly hampering their ability to work beyond the psychological hindrance toward a more realistic test result (Jencks
et al, 1998), with a substantial number of these situations directly related to language deficiency. II. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Firestone (2001),
the psychological element of test performance is no myth; myriad people crumble under the pressure of being tested on their knowledge of a given subject, even if they are fully
cognizant of the material in question. The stress that culminates from this often unfounded perception of pressure often leads students in grades 7-12 to perform at significantly lower levels
of capability, ultimately compromising their final marks. What is being looked at much more closely, however, is the related issues of race and test performance, inasmuch as stereotype vulnerability
has proven to predispose ethnic populations to related test anxiety. "From grade school to graduate study, the one constant in a students life is the standardized test" (Firestone, 2002,
p. PG). It is not uncommon to find a high dropout rate among Latinos who cannot establish themselves within the English language, thereby elevating the pressure of stereotype vulnerability
even more. Eventually, many disillusioned kids "join the ranks of so many other Hispanic children" (Kurylo, 1998, p. C01) by becoming involved in undesirable activities and getting themselves in