Treatise (Ed. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This study was an investigation into factors that influence the dropout rate of migrant students in central Indiana in May-June 2003. Migrant students are children of migratory workers who travel across school and district boundaries to obtain seasonal or temporary employment in agriculture. These students have been considered historically as educationally disadvantaged, with a migratory lifestyle that impedes educational achievement.The researcher developed two questionnaires: one for the students and the other for the parents. The researcher translated both questionnaires into Spanish. The purpose was to investigate how parental influence, mobility and lack of permanency, poverty, and the migrant/school relationship affected the dropout rate. The data were collected from 39 migrant students, ages 11-20, enrolled in central Indiana middle and high schools and 58 adult migrants who had children in school. Even though this study was quantitative, many conclusions were drawn from the informal conversations, in Spanish, that the researcher had with migrants sitting in front of their cabins in the camps. The researcher attended also parent meetings and cultural activities in the Migrant Centers. Many ideas, feelings and perceptions were shared during this time.The data collected were grouped in eight categories: Subject demographics, family educational influences, educational and career goals, migrant mobility, attitudes toward school, financial considerations, acceptance as migrants, role models, and dropping out of school. Seventy-six tables compared the results between the two groups, migrant parents and students. Conclusions and recommendations were made based on those results. Common trends were identified including several that disagreed with conventional common perceptions. Migrant parents and students have the same desires for a better lifestyle just like any other group in our society. Recommendations were made to promote instructional continuity, the importance of education, and the acceptance of migrants into mainstream society. Mobility, poverty, and language barriers were less to blame for migrant educational dropout than were parental and familial influence, lack of participation in extra-curricular activities, disassociation from school and society, severe discrepancies between career goals and educational preparedness, and a marked decline in the student perceived value of education as compared to the adult sample. / Department of Educational Leadership

This study was designed to investigate a phenomenon, retention of Hispanic adult second language learners in Washington State's community colleges, from a qualitative paradigm and phenomenological approach. The focus of this study was to capture eight foreign-born Hispanic ESL non-continuators' voices and experiences, in their native language of Spanish, who dropped out of Washington State's community colleges and unveil the phenomenon behind the factors leading to their retention barriers. The following questions guided the research: (1) What are the retention barriers of Hispanic English as a Second Language population in Washington State Community Colleges? (2) What is the profile of the foreign-born Hispanic ESL learner in Washington State's Community Colleges? (3) Why do Hispanic ESL participants drop out? (4) What services are needed and provided to increase retention patterns of Hispanic ESL learners? (5) What services could make a difference in retention of Hispanic's English as a Second Language participants? A qualitative methodology and phenomenological approach of in-depth interviews was the research paradigm utilized for data collection. Participants were recruited from a survey implemented at various community colleges' and communitybased organizations' ESL programs in Washington State. Criteria for inclusion as a potential participant in this research required adult participants to be: (1) foreign-born Hispanic, (2) a resident of Washington state, (3) in the age range of eighteen to thirty years of age, (4) a prior drop out student from one of Washington State's community colleges adult basic education ESL programs, and (5) a volunteer to participate in the study. This study unveiled factors that caused retention barriers for eight foreign-born Hispanic ESL adult learners that dropped out of Washington State's community colleges Adult Basic Education ESL programs. In many Adult Basic Education ESL programs in Washington State, foreign-born Hispanic adults are largely voluntary candidates, and the role of student is just one of the countless roles competing for their time and attention. From the eight foreign-born Hispanic non-continuators' voices and experiences, the findings indicate that retention is a complex phenomenon involving various institutional, situational, and dispositional factors. This study's findings also unveiled structural issues for the eight foreign-born Hispanic participants, creating systemic structural barriers to their socioeconomic and education development in the United States. This means no one factor could provide an explanation for the retention phenomenon. The eight foreign-born Hispanic adult non-continuators' situational and dispositional factors overwhelmed their zeal for ESL instruction, ESL level completion, and/or ESL program completion. The interview question guide unveiled reasons often voiced as the causes for non-continuation: (1) family struggles and hardships, (2) lack of childcare, healthcare, and transportation, and (3) long work hours. At the same time, the eight foreign-born Hispanics adult non-continuators had pragmatic reasons for engaging in ESL, and felt that the programs would provide meaningful contextual learning for immediate or long-term goals for the home, workplace, or community. / Graduation date:2005

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Baylor University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-99)

The purpose of this study is to look at parallel factors between the Hispanic female dropout rate and possible resiliency methods such as retention through inquiry based science education. This type of educational program might provide insight into the many educational possibilities that are open to Hispanic females.

The purpose of this study was to further investigate Dr. Ruth Hamilton Romano's (1999) research that identified factors contributing to Hispanic female student retention and graduation. This dissertation studied predominately Hispanic females from a community college located in south Texas to ascertain factors that positively contributed to retention and college graduation. Current student persistence research has focused on why Hispanic students leave college, but this work focuses on the factors that support Hispanics obtaining degrees. Previous research identified six major factors that contributed significantly to student success and graduation. Those factors include academic integration, student integration, institutional commitment, goal commitment, support by significant others, and campus-based aid. The research questions utilized in this study were based out of these six factors. The study queried 229 Hispanic women who graduated in the 2004-2005 academic year. Utilizing a multi-method research approach, both quantitative and qualitative research was used. Research data were gathered through electronic and paper surveys along with focus group and individual interviews. The results of Romano's (1999) study revealed that the two most important factors identified by the Hispanic women were goal commitment and the support of significant others. The results of this study showed that goal commitment and financial aid were the two most important factors. Support by significant others was the third most important factor reported by the women. A new factor emerged from the research that is worthy of future research. Hispanic mothers reported that a driving force for their own academic success and graduation was the need for them to serve as positive role models for their children's educational futures. The Latinas desired to demonstrate through their achievement that educational success was possible for their children. / text