Abstract
Problem and purpose. Economists predict that a better educated workforce will be necessary as the economy changes from the production of goods to the delivery of services. African Americans and Hispanics represent nearly a third of the population and are currently under represented in higher education. The purpose of this study was to identify intervention programs instituted by high school staffs to prepare African American and Hispanic students for university eligibility. Methodology. This study involved descriptive research based on nine intervention programs considered to increase the eligibility of minority students. Survey data were collected from seventy-one high schools whose 1991 U.C. eligible graduates represented California ethnic proportions within $\\\\pm$15 percent. Schools had graduating classes of one hundred or more students. Principals identified interventions offered at their schools and indicated (1) frequency, (2) whether interventions were offered to all students or targeted to African American and/or Hispanic students; and (3) rated the effectiveness of the interventions for each group. Mean scores were computed for frequency and perceived effectiveness. Correlations were computed to determine whether relationships existed between (a) the frequency of use; (b) the perceived effectiveness and the mean percentages of graduating African American, Hispanic, and combined minority students eligible for the University of California. Findings and conclusions. This study found that interventions were offered to all students. Principals perceived academic enrichment, academic advising, and college advising as most effective and targeted them to African American and Hispanic students. Positive relationships at the.05 confidence level were found between the perceived effectiveness of personal counseling and mentor programs and the percentage of African Americans who were college eligible. Inverse relationships, significant at the.05 confidence level, were found between the frequency of parent involvement, the perceived effectiveness of mentor programs, and the percentage of Hispanics who were college eligible. Recommendations. High school staffs should evaluate the efficacy of interventions designed to prepare minority students for college eligibility. Staffs should target effective college preparation activities to African American and Hispanic students whose environments may lack appropriate supports. Furthermore, school staffs should be trained to understand the cultural dimensions and values of minority parents and seek actively to involve them in making educational decisions for their children.