2023 Dissertation

Allison Box

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Stephen Glass

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how leaders in educational organizations cultivate positive school culture through culturally responsive leadership practices while building teacher and administrator efficacy. Data collected from this study (a) highlighted how classroom teachers at the school sites promote culturally responsive learning environments and (b) identified school administrators’ efforts in building culturally responsive school cultures. This single-district case study identified and described culturally responsive practices of 14 educators in one southern California school district. This study used purposive sampling because the six schools (i.e., two elementary, two middle, and two high schools) were not picked at random but rather for their high English Learner student population enrollment and Title I status. The researcher gathered data from interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Furthermore, the data collected were examined and coded, and various themes were determined for future recommendations. Findings from this study indicated five major themes along with nine subthemes. First, culturally responsive leaders fostered inclusive environments by building positive relationships that create a sense of belonging and worth. While amplifying student voice, educators helped build student agency. Next, culturally responsive leaders modeled cultural responsiveness as evidenced by having high expectations of students, employing culturally relevant curriculum, and providing targeted professional development. Additionally, culturally responsive leaders demonstrated culturally relevant instructional strategies to heighten the awareness of their English Learner students’ needs. Personal background, educational experiences, and levels of cultural competency influenced practice. Furthermore, this study found culturally responsive leaders cultivated positive community relationships that transformed parent involvement to family engagement. Conclusions were made that provide greater understanding of culturally responsive teaching and school leadership practices and how they impact English Learner students. The significant role teachers and school site administrators play in creating culturally responsive schools was supported by and based on the research findings of this study and connected to the literature, along with Khalifa et al.’s (2016) culturally responsive school leadership framework. Future research is recommended in an effort to improve the understanding and knowledge of culturally responsive leadership strategies employed by school administrators and teachers in school districts supporting English Learner students.

Kortnee Burrell

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Don Haviland

Abstract

A report from Open Doors (2021) noted that for the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic years, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there was a -15% decline in enrollment for students from China who attended U.S. postsecondary institutions.  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this drop in Chinese students exacerbated significantly. When Chinese students do not persist through college and dropout, these students lose out on the opportunity to obtain an education beneficial to their needs, and the community college system will lose revenue as well as the unique global perspectives these students bring to the educational environment. A decline in enrollment could indicate negative consequences for the community college system which already struggles with enrollment management (Neault & Piland, 2014).

Using Tinto’s academic and social integration theory as a theoretical framework, this basic qualitative study explored the perspectives of 20 international student personnel at California community colleges regarding the academic and social challenges experienced by Chinese international students. The study also sought to understand the role of the community college in supporting Chinese international students prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and since transitioning to an online learning environment. The results of the interviews demonstrated Chinese students, in some instances have a difficult time integrating academically and socially at the community college resulting from challenges.

Particularly, language barriers, challenges interacting with faculty, and plagiarism are the main academic challenges Chinese students have experienced. Participants reported culture shock, closed social circles, isolation, parents as decision makers, and perceived social awkwardness as the social challenges Chinese students have encountered. Despite these academic and social challenges, California community colleges have supported Chinese students with their academic and social integration through counseling, providing the course English as a second language (ESL), and connecting them to on-campus resources (e.g., Student Health Center and tutoring center). As a result of the study’s findings, recommendations for practice, policy, and future research are presented to inform the California Community College system.

Chris Carr

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Stephen Glass

Abstract

The educational system in the United States was designed to maintain white supremacy, and sustain the continual dehumanization of Black Americans (Dumas, 2016).  The institutionalized racially subtractive and oppressive processes experienced by Black students represent operationalized antiblackness.  Antiblackness can be defined as an “antagonistic relationship between blackness and (the possibility of) humanity” (Dumas & ross, 2016, p. 429).  As a response to these grim realities of the educational system, it is of moral and critical social importance that schools establish racially-affirming spaces for Black elementary students.

It is for these reasons that the fundamental purpose of this study was to explore how Black elementary students constructed their racial and academic identities through experiencing a racially-affirming space that was created by the implementation of an Afrocentric curriculum.

To complete this research, a qualitative case study was conducted utilizing Black Critical Theory (BlackCrit) as the main framework to directly influence the design of the study and development of research questions, because this framework both identifies antiblackness and creates spaces to imagine liberatory experiences for Black individuals (Dumas & ross, 2016).  Although, BlackCrit was the primary framework guiding the design of this study, Black Education Spaces (BES) academic self-concept as secondary frameworks, also influenced the design of the study (Cokley et al., 2011; Coles & Warren, 2020).   The instruments developed and used for this study were protocols for semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis.

The school selected for the study was given the pseudonym,  Ketanji Brown Jackson Academy (KBJA).  This is an elementary school located in south Los Angeles, and is an outlier for Black student academic achievement.   The experiences of 7 Black students during the implementation of the Afrocentric curriculum were investigated. 

During this study three central themes emerged, which were students having a positive perception of their Black racial identities (“We gon be alright”), students demonstrating positive perceptions of their academic identities ("I know I can, Be what I wanna be”), and students’ possessing an understanding of and having experiences with antiblackness (“How does it feel to be a problem?”).  A variety of instructional, social-emotional, and environmental factors contributed to these themes. Overall, while experiencing the implementation of the Afrocentric curriculum, students expressed positive perceptions of their Black racial identities and academic identities.    

Recommendations for practice and policy include school sites using these findings to develop or recreate similar racially-affirming programs for their Black students.  Additionally, there are policy recommendations for leveraging existing legal precedents to provide equity protections for Black students.  Lastly, future researchers need to utilize these findings to incorporate BlackCrit into study designs and methodologies, deconstruct whiteness in frameworks used for studying students’ perceptions of their academic identities, and expand BlackCrit-centered studies by using additional supporting frameworks or methodologies.

Keywords: Black Critical Theory, Black Education Spaces, Academic Self-Concept, antiblackness

Allison Carr

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: William Vega

Abstract

While college campuses have improved access to mental health services, engagement from the international student community is still lacking. There has been a 62% increase in the number of international students studying in the United States since the 1980s with a majority of these students coming from East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam) and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines).  The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a global shutdown and exacerbated existing stressors for Asian students due to racism and Anti-Asian sentiments blaming Asian students, and Chinese students in particular, for causing the virus (Anandavalli et al., 2020). The purpose of this qualitative interview study is to better understand how Asian international students in California colleges perceive their own mental health and the mental health services the campus offers. Themes that emerged included the feeling of safety that participants experienced when in environments that had other Asians, the impact and influence of the pandemic on their mental health and academic growth, and the impact of stress related to racism, financial concerns, and self-stigma against help-seeking. Recommendations in policy and practice include adjusting F-1 visa policies, faculty support and training in recognizing signs of mental health crises, and training support staff in culturally competent practices. 

Zahraa Charara

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Maiyoua Vang

Abstract

Culturally responsive school counseling (CRSC) is the current call of action for school counselors, aimed at meeting the needs of underrepresented groups. CRSC is often described as an approach that serves all students, but definitions fail to mention and center the populations that are underrepresented, students of color. Literature includes varying interpretations of CRSC but its definition remains vague, lacking identifiers or a set of best practices for practitioners to pursue. School counselors are left to interpret the ambiguity of CRSC, which impacts the services they provide Minoritized students and their outcomes. Using a conceptual framework based on critical race theory and culturally relevant pedagogy this qualitative study examined the presence and invisibility of whiteness in school counseling through the perspectives of 17 practicing high school counselors in the state of California. One-on-one interviews elucidated how counselors make meaning of CRSC in their practice and its use in supporting Minoritized students and their families. Interviews indicated that counselors are generally unfamiliar with CRSC as a concept, described it as a lens for self-evaluation, and could not clearly identify practices in its alignment. Findings were used to make recommendations for policy, practice, and further research.

Anita Chatterjee

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Charles Slater

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between students’ social–emotional learning (SEL), as demonstrated by the competencies of grit, growth mindset, and self-management, and students’ academic achievement, measured by their proficiency in reading, language usage, and mathematics. The second purpose of this study was to measure the academic outcomes of English language learners (ELLs) in comparison with the outcomes of their English-only peers (EOs). Social-emotional learning data were sourced from the Panorama SEL Surveys administered in the fall term of the 2022-23 school year. Academic achievement data were sourced from the Northwest Evaluation Association’s (NWEA) local assessments administered in the fall term of the 2022–23 school year. Data were collected from students enrolled in Grades 3–5 during the 2022–23 school year at an elementary school in a large suburban district located in Los Angeles. A significant positive relationship was found between students’ self-management scores and their academic assessments. Data analysis revealed no significant relationship between grit and academic achievement. The results showed that growth mindset was significant and negatively related to reading and language but not significantly related to math.  Another finding of this study was that there was little or no difference between ELLs and English-only students with respect to the variables examined. The independent t tests showed insignificant differences in the mean for the SEL values of grit, growth mindset and self-management between ELLs and EOs. The independent t tests also showed insignificant differences between the means with respect to academic achievement in reading, language and math, between ELLs and EOs. I recommend that additional research be conducted, such as by replicating this study in other districts; in addition, to obtain more diverse data, other measures of student achievement should be used, such as state assessments.

Lisa Fascia

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Nina Flores

Abstract

Women outnumber men in assistant professor positions at four-year colleges and universities, but the story changes at the higher ranks. There are more men in associate professor positions and twice as many men than women at the full professor rank, the pinnacle of the faculty career and gateway to leadership and decision-making roles. Ample research documents the myriad challenges women faculty face, but most studies emphasize the early, pre-tenure career stage and/or concentrate on doctoral research-intensive institutions. Thus, more information is needed about the experiences of mid-career women faculty who are working in comprehensive universities, historically teaching-focused institutions that are shifting priorities while continuing to serve diverse students.

To fill this gap in the literature, this qualitative case study explored the critical influences on the career progression of women faculty from associate to full professorship at one comprehensive university. Drawing from a conceptual framework based on Joan Acker’s theory of gendered organizations (1990) and concept of inequality regimes (2006), this study looked at how institutional policies, practices, and climates can create gendered experiences for women associate professors. The aim of this study was to understand the current barriers to career advancement facing women faculty, evaluate effective strategies to support women associate professors in reaching full professorship, and identify any gaps in institutional support.

Interviews with women faculty, review of relevant policies and reports, and observations of workshops and meetings revealed gendered processes related to service work, work-life conflict, access to resources to support research productivity, and messaging that reflects patriarchal ideals of faculty performance at the comprehensive university. Moreover, there is evidence of inequality subregimes based on gender and race/ethnicity in academic units, most evident in the cultural and identity taxation experienced by mid-career women faculty. The findings from this study informed recommendations for policy, practice, and future research that can assist policymakers and administrators in creating more equitable systems to ensure women faculty are progressing toward full professorship and integrating into the leadership structure of the institution.

Kelly Clark-Holt

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Paul Ratanasiripong

Abstract

Higher education research supports that diverse faculty reflecting the students’ ethnic and gender diversity is best practice to facilitate students of color academic success (Cross & Carman, 2022; Bensimon, 2007; Figueroa & Rodriguez, 2015; Harper & Hurtado, 2007; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Museus, 2014; Umbach, 2006). Yet regrettably the underrepresentation of faculty of color in higher education is a historic and ongoing problem.  Further, may scholars point to college senior leaders as key to diversifying faculty (Fujii, 2014; Fujimoto, 2012; Lara, 2019). Using the theory of racialized organization as the theoretical framework, this quantitative study investigated the change in faculty ethnic diversity when educational administrators were female or people of color.

This study used descriptive and correlational methods to analyze secondary gender and ethnicity data of 20 California community colleges’ educational administrators and tenured/tenure-track faculty. The data were collected from 2017 and 2022. Several comparisons were done to understand the changes in the percentage of employees of color at the districts. An exploratory analysis also compared the educational administrators, tenured/tenure-track faculty and students’ ethnicities for the sample districts.

The results found an increase in the percentage of diverse faculty between 2017 and 2022 across the 20 districts examined. However, not to a statistically significant level of increase for districts with superintendents/presidents who are female or a person of Color . Additionally, the exploratory analysis discovered districts with a higher percentage of tenured/tenure-track faculty of color have a strong and significant positive correlation with a higher percentage of students of color enrolled. Findings revealed that institutional efforts to diversity faculty at the Board of Governors and State of California Chancellor’s level is having a mixed impact at the local district level depending on the employee group. Based on these findings, Boards of Trustees need to strengthen hiring policy to better implement Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) plans and accountability. Board of Trustees, other senior administrators and faculty leaders need to develop common understanding of the problem by hearing from those being affected by the underrepresentation of faculty of Color to implement an equity-minded faculty selection process that centers the needs of the underserved and underrepresented students.  

Ryan Howard

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Anna Ortiz

Abstract

This qualitative case study utilized interviews, classroom observations, and course syllabi to investigate the classroom experiences of Black male students at a community college. Applying a conceptual framework, Dumas’s Antiblackness (2016) and Paris’s Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (2012), provided a lens to understand how Black men experience classroom spaces on campus, and the role of faculty pedagogy in shaping these experiences. This single site case study conducted at a southern California community college gathered data from three sources: four course syllabi, twelve hours of classroom observations, and eight one-on-one interviews with Black male students and faculty. The four themes that materialized were: Operationalization of Blackness, Faculty Pedagogy, Student-Faculty Experiences, and Institutional Evolution. By embracing their racial identity, Black males were able to exert agency and autonomy within the classroom. Faculty pedagogy determined how Black men were included in the classroom environment and whether or not course material reflected their identity. As a result, Black male identity and pedagogy both played a crucial role in shaping the classroom experiences of Black male students with course faculty. Lastly, institutional barriers and other external factors were analyzed to explore how they implicitly shape classroom experiences of both Black males and community college faculty.

Results found that Black males had a higher chance of enduring negative classroom experiences when culturally sustaining pedagogy was not employed by course faculty. Conversely, when faculty used pedagogical methods that were culturally sustaining Black men expressed positive attitudes towards those classroom spaces and faculty. Culturally sustaining pedagogy validated Black men within the classroom, centered their voices, and implemented policies that intended to close equity gaps. Recommendations for policy and practice include professional development workshops aimed at faculty pedagogical to assist with implementing various culturally sustaining strategies. The goal is to enhance the classroom experiences and academic success of Black male students. Areas for future research include exploring the role of faculty racial identity in relation to their pedagogical approach to the classroom.

Janice Chan Jefferis

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Betina Hsieh

Abstract

This qualitative case study examined the experiences of 10 current and former students enrolled in an early childhood education teacher preparation program (ECETPP) at a Latine-serving two-year community college in southern California. The study used Richard Valencia’s (1997) Deficit-thinking framework as the theoretical lens to explicate ways in which deficit thinking about Black and Brown children and their families pervade early childhood educator (ECE) preparation programming to perpetuate poor outcomes and chronic academic failure. Several themes and subthemes emerged to demonstrate ways in which internalized norms of whiteness and white womanhood shape the preparatory experiences of these future ECEs. The data evinced that the “diversity curriculum” was curated through a white hegemonic lens, which undervalued the importance of preparing future ECEs to effectively navigate conversations about race and issues of racism in the preschool setting. Implications and recommendations are discussed to transform ECETPP and to prepare future ECEs to engage in racially affirming, anti-racist practices in the preschool classroom.

Graham Lockett

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Nina Flores

Abstract

Students at public school sites across the United States are far from homogeneous. In fact, some studies suggest that one fifth of all students identify somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Yet, while diversity reports include race and socioeconomic status percentages, sexual and gender minority youth often remain invisible on high school campuses or worse: subjected to an onslaught of antagonism. Implementing a case study approach to qualitative research, I investigated the perceived culture and curriculum of one large public high school and district toward LGBTQ+ people, from the perspectives of those directly affected by it: 14 LGBTQ+-identifying students and 6 LGBTQ+-identifying teachers.

Using the three main tenets of Edgar Schein’s Organizational Culture Model as my theoretical framework, findings revealed: 1) artifacts of LGBTQ+ support exist, but in pockets, with more queer-inclusive curriculum and resource sustainment needed; 2) despite espoused values of LGBTQ+ support from school and district leaders, LGBTQ+ allyship from them was perceived as performative by participants; and 3) the main underlying assumption was that contemporary school and district leaders are neglectful and complacent, contributing to a heteronormative school culture in which participants did not feel valued or prioritized.

Betsy Medina Duran

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Paul Ratanasiripong

Abstract

Mental health issues are a growing health crisis affecting the lives of many children and adolescents. In the United States, schools often serve as primary sites for students to receive mental health services, especially for youths of color who experience disproportionate access barriers to mental health services in their communities. Being on the frontline with daily contact with students, teachers play a key role in referring students to mental health services. Yet, many students go undiagnosed or untreated, while K-12 teachers report being unequipped to support students. This quantitative study explored teachers’ role and capacity in supporting student mental health. Azjen’s theory of planned behavior was used to describe the relationship between intention and behavior and the capacity to refer students to mental health services. The online survey was distributed to K-12 teachers at 44 schools in Southern California. A diverse group of 151 teachers from different backgrounds, experiences, and grade levels participated in this study. Results indicated that teachers feel unprepared to support student mental health. Results also indicated that teachers’ own attitude towards seeking help, gender, and years of teaching experience did not impact their referral of students to mental health services. Based on the results of this study, recommendations were offered to increase support and training for teachers, and to strengthen mental health services in schools.

Keywords: Mental health services, K-12 students, teachers, referral

Cesar Montenegro

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Lindsay Perez-Huber

Abstract

Throughout history, society in the United States has found ways to marginalize women, People of Color, and queer individuals. Various systems of oppression often intersect in ways that further subjugate individuals simply due to their inclusion in various underrepresented communities. Utilizing concepts from critical race theory and Latine critical theory or LatCrit, this qualitative interview study will explore the ways in which Latine undocuqueer students navigate higher education in California’s public colleges and universities. This study sought to answer two questions: 1) how do Latine undocuqueer students experience and navigate microaggressions in California’s public institutions of higher education? And 2) what support systems exist for Latine undocuqueer students within and beyond California’s public colleges and universities? Participants reported experiencing three kinds of microaggressions during their time in college: racist microaggressions, racist nativist microaggressions, and sexual orientation microaggressions. These microaggressions were heard from their family units, across their campuses, and in their classrooms. Participants described responding to microaggressions by “letting it slide,” “feeling silenced,” “calling them out,” or “testing the waters.” They also noted that they experienced and participated in microaffirmations. When discussing support systems, participants revealed that sometimes safe spaces are only partially safe, as they did not always feel comfortable sharing their queer identity at the Undocu Center, or their undocumented identity at the Queer Center. University faculty represented a complex system of support that had the potential to inspire or deter their desires to complete their majors. Similarly, families were supportive in some areas, but may have struggled to support the participants’ queer identities. Therefore, participants sought to build community with peers in hopes of finding their “chosen family.”

Juan Carlos Olivares-Pacheco

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Jonathan O'Brien

Abstract

PK–12 schools in the United States uphold cisheteronormative culture, having gendered roles and heterosexual ideologies embedded into policies and practices. These policies and practices often cause institutional and discursive violence toward queer educators and queer students, making them feel othered. This institutional and discursive violence manifests in various forms, like cisgendered restrooms, cishetero curriculum, microaggressions, and willful ignorance, that often impact queer individuals on PK–12 campuses. Grounded in Alvarez’s jotería pedagogy, this phenomenological study explored how queer Latine educators (QLEs) in PK–12 schools experienced institutional and discursive violence. Furthermore, this study examined how these QLEs disrupted this violence at their school sites and explored how QLEs felt a sense of belonging in their schools. Coresearchers consisted of 14 QLEs who work/worked in the PK–12 school setting and experienced institutional and discursive violence. In addition, QLEs participated in individual, one-on-one interviews. The findings of this study demonstrated that QLEs shared similar experiences with how they face institutional and discursive violence and how they disrupted that violence at their school sites, like normalizing queerness in the curriculum and teachable moments. The prominent finding of this study dealt with QLEs’ sense of belonging in their school site, demonstrating that supported QLEs felt they could be their authentic selves, whereas unsupported QLEs felt isolated and exhausted.

Wendy Ortega-Garrett

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Alejandra Priede

Abstract

Nationally students of color participate at lower rates than their White counterparts in undergraduate Honors programs. Prior research suggests that students of color do not participate in Honors programs for a variety of reasons. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Community Cultural Wealth as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this study was to understand the factors which influence a students’ participation in an undergraduate honors program and how students of color experience an Honors program.  

This study used a cross-sectional non-experimental design to analyze data from two California State University undergraduate Honors programs. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine differences in transfer status, first-generation status, PK-12 Honors experience, undergraduate support programs, extracurricular involvement, and undergraduate research experience. Also analyzed were differences in Honors participation factors between students of color and White students. Open-ended responses were analyzed for themes related to factors influencing Honors participation, sense of belonging, and Honors experiences. Additional analysis was conducted on factors predicting self-esteem in Honors students. 

Results found that future job opportunities, graduate school preparation, and social justice programming motivate students of color to join Honors programs. Students described multiple factors that contribute to their sense of belonging and experiences in an Honors program. Finally, self-esteem is correlated with sense of belonging, experience with Honors in PK-12, and satisfaction with the Honors program. 

Aziz Qureshi

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Alejandra Priede

Abstract

International students constitute an important segment of the student population in US higher education institutions. These students face multiple challenges while adjusting to the US academic culture. The purpose of the current quantitative study was to explore and identify the academic problems international students face and how these problems influence their academic adjustment. The study also focused on identifying strategies used by international students to overcome these academic challenges. The 362 participants from two large public universities in Southern California responded to a 57-item online survey that included four open-ended questions. The academic problems were divided into three categories: a) pedagogical differences between international students’ home country and the US, b) English language difficulties, and c) the mismatch between international students’ educational expectations and experiences in the US.

Findings reveal that most international students consider the US pedagogy a more prominent issue than the mismatch in expectations and English language difficulties. However, the qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended questions showed that English language is the most highlighted problem by international students. Results also show differences between the demographic groups of international students. Racial microaggression and financial issues were identified as non-academic challenges that influence international students’ academic adjustment, too. In terms of strategies to cope with these challenges, most international students use campus resources as adjustment strategies. The library, professors’ office hours, and academic advisors are the most frequently used campus resources. The study also found most international students rely on self-help, friends, and technology as coping strategies and do not feel comfortable using some of the resources provided by the universities. The relationship between academic problems, adjustment strategies, and international students’ academic outcomes was also explored. Results show that US pedagogy, English Language difficulties, and frequency of meetings with academic advisors are significant predictors of academic outcomes.

Implications driven by the study include the following: international students’ unfamiliarity and dissatisfaction with some of the campus resources and frustration due to the academic problems, new academic system, and racial microaggression that altogether can lead to a dreadful academic experience and a drop in international enrolment for academic institutions. Proposed recommendations include to develop equitable policies and resources, promote culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy, and provide training workshops and orientations to help international students’ academic adjustment in the US higher education.

Efren Rangel

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: William Vega

Abstract

California Community College are struggling to enroll Latinx students in college. Identified through the literature Latinx students navigate the college enrollment process with little to no guidance and seek support in navigating the college enrollment process (Marquez-Kiyama, 2011; Patron, 2019; Saenz et al., 2017). Using Yosso (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework, the researcher investigates how the Rose Grace College Familias Insiradoras parent outreach program educates parents to guide their children to enroll in college. Using a basic qualitative interview methodology, sixteen parents were interviewed to give Latinx parents a voice and learn what outreach practices the Familias Inspiradoras program offers to educate and prepare parents to guide their children toward a college education. From the findings six themes were evident (Aspirational. Navigational, Resistance, Familial Social and Linguistic Capital).  Through an in-depth analysis it was found that five themes interconnected with the overarching theme of Aspirational Capital. Aspirational Capital was found to be the driving force that strengthens the five other forms of capital.

Key Words: parent involvement, Latinx community college access, community cultural wealth, Latinx students

Vicky Reyes-Corona

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Paul Ratanasiripong

Abstract

School counselor roles and responsibilities have changed over time based on changes needed to support students. From being identified as vocational guidance to guidance counselors, these changes have influenced their advocacy for their profession and their students’ academic, socio-emotional, college, and career developmental needs. They are now being recognized as school leaders who are change agents with the knowledge and skills to eradicate inequitable policies and practices impacting students, especially those who are marginalized. Although school counselors have the ability to implement systemic change, some demands hinder them from working to close the opportunity gap. This study aimed to explore participants’ perceptions of their leadership behavior and practices and their advocacy level in supporting marginalized students. Additionally, the study addressed the time spent on duties and the duties they would prefer to perform before transferring students to alternative or continuation schools. Using transformative leadership theory as the framework, this study examined survey responses from 147 school counselors to examine their perceptions of leadership behavior and practices in the school setting. Quantitative results indicated that the respondents had high level of interpersonal influence, followed by social justice advocacy, professional efficacy, resourceful problem solving, and systemic collaboration. Findings also indicated the impact of years of experience on increased leadership perceptions regarding systemic collaboration, professional efficacy, and social justice advocacy. Results suggested that those who work with students before they are transferred to an alternative educational program prefer to provide interventions and services to students rather than focus on non-counseling duties that are commonly assigned to them. Qualitative findings from 117 participants indicated several themes including the importance of administrators’ involvement, staff collaboration, and family participation in supporting marginalized students and addressing inequitable policies and practices. Themes for participants who work to help students transfer to continuation school include the need for more support as well as increase collaboration between school staff and students’ families. Implications and recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.

Keywords: School counselors, leadership, high school, continuation school, alternative school, marginalized students, opportunity gap

Jennifer Robbins

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Erin Biolchino

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how one Southern California elementary school approaches family engagement for English Learners (EL) in a culturally proficient manner. School leaders are in a unique position to create a culture of success and inclusion for all students, but especially for the EL population (Jonak, 2014; Watson & Bogotch, 2015). One of the best ways to understand students is to know their families. Strong collaborative partnerships between families and schools are crucial to fostering increased EL family engagement (Baker et al., 2016; Brion, 2021). This study used the five Essential Elements of the Cultural Proficiency Framework (CPF) as a theoretical framework (Nuri-Robins et al., 2012). The goal of the CPF is for educators, especially teachers, to understand, embrace, and talk about the cultural differences so that the school can recognize and respects individuals and their cultures (Nuri-Robins et al., 2012). Cultural Proficiency is a model for shifting the culture of a school and for individual transformation and organizational change (Casey & Welborn, 2020; Lindsey et al., 2019). This case study focused on one elementary school, Cooper Elementary, located in a predominantly Latinx community, with 29% English Learners: 92% of the EL population at Cooper Elementary speak Spanish. This single elementary school case study consisted of three sources of data: eight one-on-one interviews with school staff, nine one-on-one interviews with parents (mothers) of EL students, and forty-five documents related to school-home communications. Findings from this study helped the researcher gain a deep understanding of the perspectives of both staff and families on engagement of EL families and the role that cultural proficiency plays in EL family engagement. Findings from this study highlighted successes and barriers related to engagement. The findings are organized thematically by the five significant themes that emerged from the data: language, relationships, input, opportunities from involvement, and valuing cultural proficiency. This study also contains recommendations for practice, policy, and future research related to culturally proficient practices that support EL family engagement in elementary schools.

Phirin Keo Salinas

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Charles Slater

Abstract

Many Cambodians entered the United States, primarily as refugees due to the violent and oppressive conditions in their homeland. The history of the Cambodian genocide and the subsequent migration of thousands of Cambodians posed significant impact on second- generation Cambodian American students. Despite the unique challenges, Cambodian American students are often overlooked within the educational system as they are frequently categorized among the larger Asian American grouping (Chang & Le, 2005). While aggregated data highlights significant degree of educational achievement among Asian American students, altogether, recent data reveals a distinctive disadvantage among Cambodian American students. The purpose of the study was to explore the preschool teacher’s instructional strategies in supporting the cultural representation of Cambodian American students. This study also underlined the role of literature in strengthening the preschool curriculum. In addition, this study highlighted the preschool teacher’s curriculum approaches to enhancing the social-emotional learning of Cambodian American students. 

Applying a conceptual framework of Freire's Critical Pedagogy (2018), Jones’ Critical Literacy (2006), and Ladson-Billings’ Culturally Responsive Teaching (1994), provided a lens to understand the underlying factors that contributed to their pedagogical approaches in supporting the educational experiences and the cultural representation for Cambodian American students within preschool classrooms. A semi-structured interview design was used in this qualitative study to explore the instructional strategies of 15 preschool teachers of Cambodian American students. Findings highlighted four distinct themes: (a) Cambodian American invisibility; (b) social-emotional learning best practices; (c) cultural competency, and (d) families as partners. 

This research will add onto the limited research and help shed light on the experiences of Cambodian American students in the preschool setting. Recommendations for educational policy include increasing cultural competence in preschool teachers through ongoing professional development and ensuring ethnic studies courses are incorporated within the certification programs at the community colleges for child development majors. Recommendations for leadership practice include ensuring preschool teachers are provided with opportunities to reflect on their instructional practices and ensuring program and curriculum approaches reflect authentic partnership and communications with families. In conclusion, recommendations for educational research include exploring the voices and perspectives of Cambodian American students in the preschool classroom and exploring how intergenerational trauma influences factors of educational achievement in preschool students.

Aimée Vaquera

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Community College/Higher Education

Chair: Avery Olson

Abstract

The undocumented student experience has been a topic of interest for educational institutions since the passing of AB 540 in 2001 and has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon amid emergent legislation, ever-changing political climates, and the rise of Dream Centers and undocumented student liaisons across higher education systems. However, the voices of undocumented students have been widely underrepresented. As legislation changes come from federal, state, and local levels, educational institutions are tasked to shift and implement new practices that impact undocumented communities; as such, access to education is a constant threat to undocumented communities. The majority of the total number of undocumented students in California enroll in the California Community College system because of its accessibility. Similarly, the California State University (CSU) system hosts a higher number of undocumented students than its University of California (UC) and private university counterparts, and yet research lacks in addressing these students’ experiences post-transfer from 2-year to 4-year institutions.

Combining Jain et al.’s transfer receptive culture framework with Valenzuela et al.’s institutional undocu-competence framework, this qualitative study explored the experiences of 21 undocumented transfer students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status within the CSU system. Themes emerged conveying these students make meaning of their experiences through their intersecting identities, which inform how they navigate resources and the relationships they create and/or navigate. Based on these themes, recommendations for practice, policy, and research are provided to help increase the understanding and support of the undocumented transfer student population in the CSU system.

Oliver Wang

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Charles Slater

Abstract

Online education has grown rapidly in the United States and has accelerated since COVID-19 (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2022). The prior history of online learning through online charter schools and online learning during COVID-19 failed to meet the needs of disadvantaged student populations, especially students of color and students of lower socioeconomics (Pier et al., 2021).

This study sought to examine online learning implemented in a public K-6 school district comparing students who enrolled in the Online Independent Study Program, with students who chose to attend in person. This quantitative study utilized a mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine the differences between online learners and in person learners in a school district in Southern California using district benchmark exams for English language arts and mathematics, administered over time. The study also utilized a mixed model ANOVA analysis to examine differences between Title I online learners and Title I in person learners.

The study utilized a multiple linear regression analysis to examine if factors such as race/ethnicity, sex, grade level, English language learner status, and special education status had an impact on achievement as measured by student benchmark scores for English language arts and mathematics.

Study findings showed that students who attended the Online Independent Study Program were able to perform as well as students who had attended school in person. Students from Title I elementary schools were able to perform as well as students who attended Title I schools in person as well.

The results of the multiple linear regression analysis found special education status, English language learner status, sex, grade, and race were able to predict the variance in student English language arts scores. In online students, special education status and English language learner status were the only variables able to predict the variance in student English language arts scores.  Grade was the only variable able to predict the variance in student mathematics scores for online learners.

This study showed that online learning provided through the Online Independent Study model may be a viable learning option for students and may have implications towards equity in education.

Jason West

California State University, Long Beach 2023

Specialization: Elementary/Secondary Education

Chair: Paul Ratanasiripong

Abstract

This study investigated the impact middle school tracking has on academic outcomes in high school and the factors associated with those outcomes. Utilizing existing data from a large, diverse school district in Southern California, this non-experimental quantitative, longitudinal study examined the relationships between middle school and high school English course enrollment as well as demographic data and enrollment outcomes. The conceptual framework of the Ouroboros, combining the theories of Lucas’s (2001) effectively maintained inequality (EMI) and Merton’s (1948) self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP), was used to synthesize the literature and further examine and challenge the status quo of educational tracking systems.

Three major findings emerged from the study. The first finding indicates that a statistically significant difference exists in enrollment rates in accelerated or AP English courses between students who come from tracked English programs in middle school and students who come from detracked middle school English programs. The second is that socioeconomic status, ethnicity, GATE-identification, gender, and eighth grade English course enrollment are significant predictors of student enrollment in an accelerated or AP English class in high school. The third finding indicates that there is a significant association between a student’s eighth grade English course label and their high school English course enrollment choices. Exploratory data analysis provided additional findings on the relationship between demographic data and enrollment in Alternative Education programs. The findings of this study suggest that detracking English classes at the middle school level represents an important stride forward in closing the gaps in education.

Keywords: Tracking, accelerated, Advanced Placement, middle school, high school, equity, educational outcomes