CA Study Predicts Increased Latino Education, Voter Turnout

The coming years will see increases in education levels, the use of English and voter participation among members of California's Latino community, according to a University of Southern California study released Tuesday. The "California Demographic Futures" forecast covers the period of 1980 to 2030 and focuses on the growth and changes of the foreign-born population, as well as its native-born children -- the "second generation." "It's almost impossible to think about population and California without also thinking about immigration," said USC senior research associate John Pitkin, a co-author of the study. "Our projections are the first to reveal the immigrant dimensions that are hidden in the totals of previous projections." The study predicts that the growth of the immigrant population will continue to slow, and immigrants will continue to settle for longer periods of time, leading to gains in graduation rates, health insurance access, voting and English use [more]