Civil rights group, the League of United Latin American Citizens, released its STEM Education: A Bridge for Latinos to Opportunity and Success white paper at the 85th National Convention in New York on Friday.

"Leaders in education have long emphasized the need for high school graduates to have improved knowledge and skills in the field of science, technology and engineering and mathematics (STEM)," Luis Torres, LULAC's Director of Policy and Legislation told reporters. "Given the immense impact of STEM fields on both the domestic job market and the global economy in the 21st century, STEM preparation will be critical to successful academic careers and further professional development, allowing well-prepared students the skills needed to pursue careers in cutting-edge fields."

The 32-page report follows a 2011 National Academies paper, Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads which found minorities seriously underrepresented in science and engineering, and while identifiying minorities are the most rapidly growing segment of the population saw the gap of employment in the STEM filed as in the long term costing the nation, and its ability to compete globally. 

LULAC's report finds that "26 million jobs in the United States require specialized STEM knowledge, and by 2020 this figure will grow to 35 million."  Despite being 17 percent of the population, with an expected growth of .7 percent annually, the report's authors found that Latinos made up only 7 percent of the STEM workforce which means a loss in salary, and long term economic security. They found that STEM jobs tend to be higher paying, and those cities where the jobs are concentrated such as Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, San Francisco tend to be more affluent. The report found, "a median salary in the STEM field is $77,000."

The report says one of the reasons for Latinos lack of representation in the growing field of STEM is attributed to lack of student preparation, with students in all ethnic groups arriving at college without sufficient preparation in algebra, math and science.  The report refers to a study by The National Math and Science Initiative which found in 2013, only 44 percent of US high school graduates were prepared for college-level math, and 36 percent did not receive the necessary instruction for college-level science.

The report says "underrepresentation can also be attributed to a lack of STEM network and career opportunities in formal and informal spaces (both inside and outside school).  ...Latinos have a more challenging time meeting STEM mentors and acquiring social capital that will ease them into a job."

According to the paper, women are severely underrepresented in the STEM fields, "women make up 50.8 percent of the nation's population" but occupy "only 26 percent of STEM field jobs in 2011, while men at 74 percent of the STEM workforce." Additionallly, "women in STEM jobs earn 61.5 percent more than their female counterparts in non-STEM occupations..." But Latinas are the most underrepresented STEM group according to the report referring to a study by the Center for American Progress with "Only 3 percent of Latina women are occupied in the STEM fields."

Further statistics from the National Math and Science Initiative show "only 4 percent of US Bachelor's degrees were awarded in engineering; by contrast, to 31 percent of Bachelor's degrees equivalent were awarded in engineering in China."

The report has six recommendations for improving the opportunities and lessening the disparities for Latinos to participate in the growing global field of STEM that LULAC can help support:

"Using councils to develop programs in test preparation, not taking, analytical reading and writing to prepare students of Advance Placement Tests;

Developing mentorships in the STEM field for students;

Develop networking opportunities by providing funding for students to attend tech conferences and leadership programs;

Involve parents to become knowledge about STEM careers and advocate on behalf of their children;

Community access to computers so students can develop technical skills;

Increase scholarships for colleges and universities to offset decreasing financial aid resources."

"We are focusing on STEM because our economy is changing," LULAC's executive director, Brent Wilkes told reporters. "If we are not careful this could become the divide for communities across the country - those who have technology backgrounds and those that don't.  We can't allow that to happen.  We are not going to stand by, we are going to partner with Time Warner Cable, we're going to partner with Ford Motor Company Fund and we are going to work with many other partners to say that's where the jobs are going, we are going to be ready to take those and that's what it is all about."