Pressing matters often overshadow important ones. Nowhere is this more evident than the current state of education in the U.S.

Three days after officially moving into the White House, President George W. Bush announced his No Child Left Behind Act, calling it “the cornerstone of my administration.” Of course, no one could foresee the horrific events that only nine months later would rob America of its utopian dreams, making the War on Terror the
new cornerstone of Bush’s administration and demoting the NCLB Act into the pesky pebble in his shoe.

The act, since muddled by partisan debate, remains a noble proposition that seeks accountability and gives rewards to schools and states based on student achievement, while at the same time guaranteeing that every child receives a basic level of education. In practice, however, the results have been less than encouraging. Dropout rates are alarmingly high, academic results show no signs of improving, and schools are struggling with overflowing student populations.

In our Education Spotlight, guest columnist Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón, president of the Miami Dade College, looks at the state of education in the country (P. 13). We also examine the DREAM Act, a proposal that may have decisive consequences for thousands of undocumented children currently attending schools in the U.S. (P. 60). And, like every year, we bring you a list of the top 25 colleges for Hispanics.

If, like us, you’ve already caught World Cup fever, check out our pitch-perfect soccer special featuring U.S. national soccer team captain Claudio Reyna (p. 48), who talked to Hispanic Magazine about the team’s challenges ahead, and don’t miss our guide to the most spectacular cities and stadiums where the World Cup will be played (p. 32).

For our fashion preview, we bring you the inside scoop on the trends of the season, given exclusively to Hispanic Magazine by some of the best designers in the world (p.
16), including a talk on shoes with Edmundo Castillo, senior designer for Italian powerhouse Sergio Rossi.

Enjoy the issue!

Daniel Eilemberg, Editor