This study describes the results of the Oregon Latino Youth Survey, which was designed to identify factors that promote or hinder academic success for Latino middle- and high-school youngsters. The study samples included 278 Latino youth, 162 non-Latino youth, 73 Latino parents, and 51 non-Latino parents. Descriptive and comparative analyses showed that Latino students reported a high frequency of discriminatory experiences and institutional barriers at school. Further, Latino students and parents were more likely to experience barriers to participation at school than non-Latino students and parents. Latino students and parents reported that they/their youngsters were more likely to dropout of school than did non-Latino parents and youngsters. Structural equations path models showed greater acculturation and more institutional barriers were related to less academic success for Latino students. More parent academic encouragement and school staff extracurricular encouragement was associated with better academic outcomes for Latino students. Finally, family socioeconomic disadvantage had an indirect effect on Latino youngster academic success, through effects on parent monitoring and school involvement.
