Research and Policy
Since 2004, Excelencia has been the national leader in developing strategic research guided by the experiences and realities of today's Latino and other post-traditional students to inform action by community and institutional leaders and policy makers that facilitates institutional change.
Excelencia uses a Latino lens to bring to the forefront what we know about Latino student success, what works to improve it, and what decision makers can do.
Excelencia in Education’s Policy Priorities: 2025
Now is a pivotal moment for our country, our students, and our institutions of higher education. Higher education remains a key driver of economic growth, civic engagement, and social mobility. For Latino students—and all students—to achieve economic prosperity, institutional, state, and federal policies must center on their realities: their needs, educational pathways, and contributions to the country’s workforce and economy.
Excelencia’s policy agenda advocates for accelerating Latino student success to close gaps in degree attainment based on the current profile of Latinos in higher education. Four policy issues were continually raised among leading institutions committed to supporting Latino student success: 1) workforce, 2) institutional capacity, 3) college affordability, and 4) retention and transfer.
Research Library
Excelencia in Education accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement and informing educational policies with a Latino lens. Since the organization’s founding, Excelencia has been the leading information source on Latinos in higher education, making our research and policy priorities available for the public to inform and compel action on Latino enrollment, completion, and workforce nationally.
Find information on Latinos and education pathways, financial aid, institutional practices, student success, workforce, HSI related research, and more.
Refine your search of Excelencia’s research by using the filters on the right.
From Capacity to Success: HSIs, Title V, and Latino Students
May 2016
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) enroll over 60 percent of Latino undergraduates and generally enroll a high enrollment of needy students with relatively limited resources. The federal government has funded the development of HSIs since 1995 to expand and enhance their capacity, quality, and the educational achievement of their Latinos and other low-income students. This brief examines the impact of 20 years of investment in HSIs and the link of this support on Latino student success.
From Selectivity to Success: Latinos at Selective Institutions
May 2016
From Selectivity to Success: Latinos at Selective Institutions examines the profile of Latino students at the most selective institutions and reviews the institutional efforts at four universities in California to frame a better understanding of factors that might explicitly and intentionally support Latino student success.
HSIs, Title V, and Latino Students
May 2016
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) enroll over 60 percent of Latino undergraduates and generally enroll a high enrollment of needy students with relatively limited resources. The federal government has funded the development of HSIs since 1995 to expand and enhance their capacity, quality, and the educational achievement of their Latinos and other low-income students. Is there evidence after 20 years of funding that this purpose is being met?
The Reimagining Aid Design and Delivery (RADD) Consortium for the Reform of Federal Student Aid Grants and Work-Study
May 2015
The Reimagining Aid Design and Delivery (RADD) Consortium for the Reform of Federal Student Aid Grants and Work-Study: Our Agenda for Reform provides policy recommendations to the federal student aid and work-study programs that improve college access and support retention and completion for post-traditional students.
College Counseling for Latino and Underrepresented Students
April 2015
This report provides recommendations on how high school counselors can work to increase the visibility of higher education options and include families in the application process to increase college access and success for Latino students.