This brief reveals that occupations, earnings, home ownership, and overall wealth have not increased for later generations of Mexican Americans. Furthermore, the retreat of economic progress among those in the latest generation surveyed is the direct result of their significant educational disadvantage.

Latino Policy & Issues Briefs numbers 17-21 were generated by the Mexican American Study Project (MASP), a research project based at UCLA. In 1965–66, MASP project teams interviewed Mexican Americans living in Los Angeles and San Antonio; in 1997–2000, Professors Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz re-interviewed the original participants, plus two of their adult children. The two surveys provide data for a systematic analysis of how well Mexican Americans are being absorbed into the predominant culture.