Latinx Students and Secondary Music Education in the United States

Abstract

As of 2014, Latinx youth have comprised roughly a quarter of the U.S. population younger than 18 years. Yet Latinx students have not been found to participate in school ensembles at rates consistent with their proportion of the total student population. This disparity has yet to be fully explained by the research literature. The purpose of this review of literature is to synthesize what scholars understand about Latinx student participation in school ensembles. Literature was chosen based on the following research question: What factors may contribute to the disparity between the Latinx student population and the rate of Latinx participation in secondary school music ensembles, nationally? This review revealed several factors that may influence participation rates of Latinx students in secondary music ensembles, including curricular and systemic factors, music teacher attitudes toward diversity, Latinx parental involvement, and Latinx students’ interests. Implications for increasing participation and improving music education for Latinx students are discussed.