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Press Release

Department of Education Cuts Millions to Centers Benefiting Hispanic Students Nationwide.
Organization vows to take message to Congress and the White House to Save LNESC.

August 4, 2006

Contact: Lizette Jenness Olmos,
(202) 365-4553
ljolmos@lulac.org

Washington, DC — LULAC National President Rosa Rosales and LNESC National Chair Roman Palomares are appalled today at having received official notification from the Department of Education that the LULAC National Education Service Centers (LNESC) would not be funded after 33 years of operation.

“If these centers are forced to close their doors over 12,000 students will be left behind. We are shocked with the announcement and we are moving quickly to challenge the process, which was clearly unfair to our centers,” said LULAC National President Rosales.

“LNESC has a tremendous track record of serving nearly a half a million students,” said LNESC Board Chair Roman Palomares. “This is shocking news to everyone given our great track record over the last 3 decades. We must meet with the Secretary of Education on this important matter and find a positive resolution as soon as possible.”

LULAC is asking the community to call their U.S. Representatives and Senators and let them know that these important services for Latino youth are about to dry up. Without these centers, well over 12,000 disadvantaged Latino students will be left without the assistance and the counseling they need to effectively navigate the road from high school to college. “Our community is outraged and we must work with the Secretary and Congress to find a solution to this situation,” President Rosales stated, making the organization’s position quite clear. Saving these centers by any means necessary is the top priority.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

Founded in 1973 LNESC has served more than half a million Latino students, many of whom have gone on to university and become leaders in their communities. We have recently been informed that the LNESC Talent Search funding had been cut after demonstrating success since they were first funded in 1979.

Please visit our web site at www.lulac.org and click on the Save LNESC link for more information on how you can get involved in our campaign to save the centers.

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