This study used a mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative) to examine the commonalities and differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants of the Even Start Family Literacy Program. Using a life course perspective, this study examined the educational background and life history of Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants, their reasons and goals for program participation, and changes experienced due to Even Start participation. The sample for the qualitative analysis consisted of 32 Hispanic and 25 non-Hispanic female participants. Quantitative latent growth curve analysis was conducted on 96 (75 Hispanic and 21 Non-Hispanic) participants to measure change over time and to estimate the differences in rate of change between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Results of this study indicate that wide commonalities yet vital differences exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Poverty was the significant determinant factor in Hispanic as well as non-Hispanic participants' school failure. The experiences and implications of poverty, however, varied for Hispanic and non- Hispanic parents. The reasons and goals for Even Start participation were to achieve self-sufficiency for Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents. Achieving self-sufficiency involved acculturation to the American society for Hispanic participants. For non- Hispanic parents achieving self-sufficiency involved attaining GED and getting off of welfare. No effect of ethnicity was identified on the five outcome measures quantitatively examined in this study, which include knowledge of child development, parenting confidence and support, depression, self-esteem, and life skills. Initial differences existed between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants in knowledge of child development and life skills, with non-Hispanic participants reporting higher knowledge of child development and greater life skills. Non-Hispanic participants, however, did not make greater gains than their Hispanic participants after being in the program. Qualitative results indicate that skills gained by Hispanic participants helped them acculturate in the American society, whereas for non-Hispanic participants the program helped achieve a sense of purpose and direction in life and create a better life for themselves and their family. / Graduation date: 2003

Thesis (Ed.D)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1990. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Includes appendices. Sponsor: Ray McDermott. Dissertation Committee: William Sayres. Bibliography: leaves 159-165.

No description available.

European and Global North perspectives have historically dominated the fields of dance, education, and human research, ignoring, erasing, oppressing, and exoticizing the Latinx dancing body. A lack of visibility prevents Latinx students from envisioning themselves in these predominantly non-Latinx spaces, creating barriers to their success in dance and education. While Latinx dance organizations exist dedicated to celebrating and visibilizing Latinx identity and cultural practices in k-12 dance programs, a gap regarding these practices exists in dance education scholarship. Ballet Hispánico provides a premiere example of such an organization through its Community Arts Partnership program (CAP), which focuses on what I propose can be described as culturally responsive-sustaining dance pedagogy (CRSDP). My proposed CRSDP draws on scholarship from culturally responsive therapy for Latinx populations, Latina/Chicana feminism, and progressive pedagogies to prescribe a dance teaching practice centering on Latinx students’ heritage and local cultural practices while aiming toward decolonization and humanization through the study of non-dominant dance forms. This case study explores the lifelong experiences of teaching artists who worked in the CAP programs to provide a concrete example of CRSDP, privileging participants’ stories and pressing against dominant Eurocentric and Global North perspectives in research. Teaching artists’ ancestral lineages represented Afro Caribbean, Indigenous, and Latinx Peoples. Research methods included individual interviews, classroom observations, follow-up pláticas, and an asynchronous embodied testimonio project. Pláticas and embodied testimonios were culturally sensitive and specific methods countering dominant perspectives in research that disconnect from the Latinx experience. Findings are presented in a magical realism novela and include a short, embedded dance video, making them more accessible to a general population within a format grounded in the Latinx dance experience. Earlier and subsequent chapters are unconventionally labeled foreword, preface, process, and epilogue to privilege the novela and participant stories. The novela shares experiences along CAP teaching artists’ lifelong journeys as dancers and educators that have led to their commitments to teaching within a CRSDP framework. Emerging from the novela, I argue that (a) decolonizing and humanizing dance pedagogy for Latinx students should incorporate universal themes and shared sociopolitical histories while recognizing the intersectionality of diverse Latinx identities, and (b) that research conducted within Latinx communities should incorporate culturally sensitive and specific methods.

The underachievement of African American and Hispanic students has been an ongoing problem for schools in the United States. The purpose of this investigation was to add to the existing body of knowledge concerning social capital of African American and Hispanic high school students’ academic achievement. Using a nationally representative sample from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), base year through the first follow-up year database, 551 high school students, the researcher assessed indicators (school-sponsored activities, out-of-school activities, and parental involvement) within the construct of social capital, to see whether social capital could serve as a predictor of academic achievement among African American and Hispanic high school students. Data were analyzed through Repeated Measures analysis and Multiple Regression analysis controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The main effects revealed a statistically significant difference between the social capital factors in school-sponsored activities, out-of- school activities, and parent involvement. The results showed an increase in the first follow-up year. Socio-economic status, race and gender were statistically significant social capital factors. Females and African Americans were found to have higher levels of social capital in school-sponsored activities. Out-of- school activities revealed males had higher levels of social capital. Parent involvement indicators showed that female and Hispanic students were affected by social capital. Differences in math scores revealed an increase in the first follow-up year, showing males outscored iv females. Also, Hispanic students’ scores were higher than African American students. Finally, the strongest predictors for academic achievement were gender, race, and participation in school sponsored activity in the base year and first follow-up year. In addition, parent involvement was also found to be a strong predictor of achievement in the follow-up year.

The purpose of this study was to identify and understand Hispanic students' perceptions of the influences on their success at a community college. Using a qualitative design, six students were interviewed in depth in order to gain insight and perspective of their educational experience at the community college. The investigation explored each student's decision to enroll at the community college and sought to describe factors that the participants identified as having impacted their experiences at the community college, including their perceptions of themselves and their families. The study also explored the programs and practices that are in place in the community college that may influence these students' academic success. Finally, the relationship between the Hispanic students' perceptions about their academic successes and the community college's employees' perceptions were examined. Tinto's (1975) model of student integration theory provided the theoretical framework for data collection and analysis. The major analytical categories that were developed during data analysis were as follows : other academic experiences ; motivation to succeed, both internal and external ; issues of ethnicity ; issues of age ; and issues of family. The students' perceptions of their community college experiences were both positive and critical. / by Karin Lynn St. Pierre. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The purpose of this study was to examine the expectations of African American and Hispanic males in a for-profit university (TTU). This study specifically explored student perception of the retention efforts of faculty, staff, policies, procedures and services within the institutional environment. It further examined how these experiences promoted or impeded the African American or Hispanic male's persistence to graduation. The higher education institution is identified as TTU throughout this study. It is a commuter university established in the early 1900s. A qualitative case study approach was used and two campus sites were selected. Data collection included interviews of 19 students, along with 2 faculty (identified by students), as well as document analysis, and various on site observations at each campus. The data were then transcribed, coded, and analyzed to ascertain the overall views and perceptions of the participants. / by Carole Comarcho. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Latinos are the largest and most rapidly growing ethnic minority in the United States, and they have the highest dropout rates of any major ethnic group in the country (U.S. Department of Labor, 2003). Latinos' educational attainment is consistently lower than that of other students (Gandara, 2008). The majority of Latino college students in the state of Oregon are of Mexican origin and have parents with low income and low levels of education, which ultimately influences the students' decisions in whether or not to pursue higher education. This study examines these and other factors which motivate Latino students to pursue higher education in selected colleges in the state of Oregon. Quantitative data was gathered and evaluated to determine their academic self-efficacy, an idea grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura 1997). Accordingly, this dissertation analyzed personal, environmental, and demographic factors as determinants of the academic self-efficacy of Latino college students. The results indicated that mothers (family being one of the environmental factors) were the most motivating persons for Latino college students pursuing higher education, followed by the influence of friends. The results also revealed that another influencing factor in academic self-efficacy of Latino college students was their own self-efficacy and their personal goal orientation. Female students reported the highest scores of self-efficacy for a four-year institution, followed by students of both genders aged between 18 and 22 years old. Latino college students' choice of agriculture as a program to pursue in higher education was also analyzed, despite the fact that the majority (92 %) of Latino college students did not choose an agriculture-related career. / Graduation date: 2012

This study examined the extent and sources of primary revenue for Hispanic-, African-American-, and Caucasian-serving public community colleges in Texas. The study also examined differences between and among primary revenue streams for these institutions. The public community colleges were identified as Hispanic-, African-American-, and Caucasian-serving based upon the percentage of enrollments for each ethnic classification. A comparative model was developed for the primary revenue streams of in-district student tuition, out-of-district student tuition differentials, out-of-state student tuition differentials, ad valorem property tax revenue per in-district contact hour, and state appropriations. Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized to conduct multiple-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the data set to examine differences between and among the several variables. Post hoc tests were performed where necessary. Difference was identified in in-district student tuition. Post hoc analysis demonstrated that difference existed between Hispanic-serving and African-American-serving community colleges. No difference was identified in the remaining primary revenue streams.

In Texas, Hispanic populations (people of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race) have increased from 6.7 million in 2000 to 7.4 million in 2005, or by approximately 10.5%. This growth trend is expected to continue with estimates that Hispanics will represent approximately 37% of the state's population by 2015. The problem this research addressed is that participation in higher education by Texas Hispanics is not keeping pace with the growth in the Texas Hispanic population. If allowed to continue, the state could be in danger of realizing devastating economic and societal consequences. The present study utilized regression analysis to determine how well four institutional characteristics explained the variance in Hispanic enrollment and graduation percentages of students attending public 4-year institutions in states with prevalent Hispanic populations. Findings indicate that while local Hispanic population is a strong, positive predictor of Hispanic enrollments, it has a negative impact on Hispanic graduation rates. The independent variables of average cost of attendance and average financial aid package are the strongest predictors of Hispanic graduation percentages. Implications for the state of Texas include stress on public 4-year institutions in coping with Hispanic population increases, possible enrollment overflows at the community college level, and need for additional allocations to state and institutional financial aid programs.