BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN STEM THROUGH ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION PROGRAMS: AN EXPLORATION OF RACE, GENDER, AND ADMISSIONS POLICIES IN A CODING AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Abstract

While previous research has explored the entrance and persistence of underrepresented groups in traditional STEM preparation programs, previous research has not explored these trends in alternative STEM preparation programs, such as coding bootcamps, nor the degree to which more equity-focused admissions policies can alter these trends within these types of programs. We fill this gap by examining entrance and persistence patterns across six cohorts of a large coding and apprenticeship program-LaunchCode (N = 4,868). We then leverage a natural experiment in which LaunchCode adopted more equity-focused admissions policies. We focus on three unique phases of LaunchCode's program: admissions, course completion, and employment connection through an accompanying apprenticeship program. We conduct five sets of logistic regression models across both individual and combined program phases with separate interaction terms for admissions policy change and race, gender, and entrance exam test scores. Overall, when we combine admission and course completion phases, we find that Black individuals and individuals with lower entrance exam test scores are no longer at a significant disadvantage after the change in admissions policy, while Hispanic individuals and females appear to have a relative advantage. However, when focusing solely on those who were admitted, we observed increased completion rates only among individuals with lower entrance exam test scores. Moreover, we did not observe any instances of increased persistence for these groups in the models that included the apprenticeship phase. These findings demonstrate the promise of equity-focused admissions policies for increasing access to alternative STEM education programs for women and persons of color, as well as the limitations of these policies for increasing persistence for women and persons of color in STEM.