School Attachment Among Latino Youth in Rural Minnesota

Abstract

To explore school attachment in a group of rural Latino students in Minnesota, the data from 159 surveys given to students from 14 schools were analyzed. The findings indicate that students’ level of school attachment is increased by the frequency of attendance at community events and by the number of extracurricular activities in which students engaged. Consistent with theories of school attachment was the finding that some high-risk behaviors were reduced with greater levels of school attachment, although limitations of the study prevent generalization to the population of all Latino students. Additionally, students surveyed who were born outside of the United States were found to be more attached to their school than Latino students born in the United States.