Hispanic Students Research Articles

Student-Teacher Ethnoracial Matching at Charter and Traditional Public Schools

ABSTRACT Using classroom-level data from nearly all California schools, we investigate whether Hispanic, Asian, Black, and Native students in grades K-5 are more likely to have a teacher of the same race at charter schools or traditional public schools in 2017-18, what school and student characteristics explain these differences, and how ethnoracial matching rates changed since 2012-13. Hispanic and Black students experience greater rates of ethnoracial matching at charter schools, whereas Asian and Native students experience greater match rates at traditional public schools. Having a same-race principal is a strong predictor of student-teacher ethnoracial match in many models. Since 2012-13, ethnoracial matching increased for Hispanic and Asian students, decreased for Black students, and remained stable for Native students. These findings are important given the benefits of exposure to teachers of the same ethnoracial identity and number of students of color in charter schools.

Classroom observations of a cross-age peer tutoring mathematics program in elementary and middle schools

A growing body of research has shown the positive effects of peer tutoring on students’ academic achievement, self-concept, attitude, social, and behavioral outcomes. There is, however, a paucity of research that focuses on peer-tutoring interventions for Hispanic students. The current study examined classroom practices, as well as program teachers’ and students’ behaviors within a cross-age peer-tutoring program implemented in elementary and middle schools that serve predominantly Hispanic students. Classroom observations were used to investigate the implementation of the peer-tutoring program. The results indicated that the program’s strengths included the development of positive emotions and relationships among students and a classroom environment that fostered warm and supportive relationships. The findings also indicated several weaknesses in the implementation of the program. Practitioners can use the findings to improve the effectiveness of future peer-tutoring programs in mathematics.

Resiliency and vulnerability in early grades writing performance during the COVID-19 pandemic

To explore potential pandemic-related learning gaps on expressive writing skills, predominantly Hispanic (≈50%) and White (≈30%) primary-grade students responded to grade-specific writing prompts in the fall semesters before and after school closures. Responses were evaluated with an analytic rubric consisting of five traits (focus, organization, development, grammar, mechanics), each scored on a 1-4 scale. Data first were analyzed descriptively and, after propensity score weighting, with ordinal response models (for analytic scores) and generalized linear mixed effects models (for composite scores). Compared to first graders in 2019 (n = 310), those in 2020 (n = 203) scored significantly lower overall as well as on all rubric criteria and were more likely to write unintelligible responses. Second graders in 2020 (n = 194) performed significantly lower than those in 2019 (n = 328) in some traits but not all, and there was a widening gap between students who did/not score proficiently. A three-level longitudinal model analyzing the sample of students moving from first to second grade in fall 2020 (n = 90) revealed significant improvements, but students still performed significantly lower than second graders in the previous year. Implications for student resiliency and instructional planning are discussed.

Ethnic/Racial Differences in Mathematics Performance of Texas Grade 3 Students: A Statewide, Multiyear Study

In this investigation, the extent to which differences were present in the mathematics achievement by the ethnicity/race of Grade 3 students in Texas were analyzed. Data obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for all Texas Grade 3 students who took the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness Mathematics exam were examined for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. In all three years analyzed, statistically significant differences were revealed in overall mathematics achievement and in all four Mathematics Reporting categories. Inferential statistical analyses revealed a clear stair-step effect. Asian students were the highest performing ethnic/racial group in all four Mathematics Reporting categories and all three performance level standards, followed by White, Hispanic, and Black students. Suggestions for future research and implications for policy and practice were provided.

Racial and ethnic differences in the consequences of school suspension for arrest

AbstractA growing body of literature has demonstrated that when schools suspend students, the suspension acts not as a deterrent but as an amplifier of future punishment. Labeling theory has emerged as the predominant explanation for this phenomenon, suggesting that the symbolic label conferred along with a suspension shapes how other people perceive and respond to labeled students. Few studies, however, have attended to racial/ethnic differences in this process even though critical race theory suggests the consequences of suspension likely differ across racial/ethnic groups due to prevailing racial/ethnic stereotypes. This study uses six waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997 (N = 8,634) to examine how the relationship between suspension and subsequent arrest differs for White, Black, and Hispanic students. Using a series of within‐person analyses that control for time‐stable personal characteristics, this study finds that suspension amplifies Black and Hispanic students’ risk of arrest relative to that of White students. White students’ risk of arrest was not amplified by suspension and, in some models, was diminished. This study's findings underscore the importance of understanding the labeling process as different by race/ethnicity and indicate that suspension is particularly harmful for Black and Hispanic relative to White students.

A Qualitative Study of Underrepresented Minority (URM) Student Pharmacists’ Intersectionality and Professional Identity Formation

ObjectiveTo determine how underrepresented minority (URM) student pharmacists’ intersectionality affects professional identity formation early in their academic career. MethodsA qualitative study was undertaken. All students from Classes 2022 through 2025 at Texas A&M University School of Pharmacy were required to engage in reflection on a personal statement of philosophy of practice early in their first year of pharmacy as part of the structured longitudinal co-curricular course requirement. Statements of the URM students who referenced their intersecting identities were selected for deductive analysis per Bingham and Witkowsky and inductive analysis using Lincoln and Guba’s approach to content analysis. ResultsOf the 221 URM student pharmacists within the 4 cohorts who submitted a statement, 38 statements (92% Hispanic students) met the inclusion criteria. Student hometowns and the identity domains of the individual, relational, and collective were selected a priori for the deductive analysis. Students most often referenced individual identity characteristics that fit under the Principles I, IV, V, and VII of the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists. Three themes emerged from the inductive analysis: (1) defining experiences and resulting realizations, (2) motivating forces, and (3) aspirations as a pharmacist. A working hypothesis was developed. ConclusionThe URM students’ intersecting identities (race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and belonging to an underserved community) influenced their early professional identity formation. The desire to bring about racial uplift was observed among the Hispanic students as early in their P1 year through the School’s required co-curricular reflection. Such reflective practice serves as an effective vehicle for the students to recognize their intersecting identities that impact their professional identity.

Workforce diversity in cardiothoracic surgery: An examination of recent demographic changes and the training pathway

IntroductionThe purpose of our study was to examine changes in the demographic makeup of resident physicians in integrated 6-year cardiothoracic surgery and traditional thoracic surgery residency programs from 2013 to 2022 compared with other surgical subspecialties and determine potential leaks in the training pathway. MethodsData from US Graduate Medical Education reports from 2013 to 2022 and medical student enrollment data from the Association of American Medical Colleges were obtained. Average percentages of women and underrepresented minorities were calculated in 2 5-year intervals: 2013 to 2017 and 2018 to 2022. Average percentages of women, Black, and Hispanic medical students and residents were calculated for the 2019 to 2022 period. Pearson χ2 tests were conducted to determine significant differences in proportions of women, Black/African American, and Hispanic trainees across time (α = 0.05). ResultsThoracic surgery and I6 residents saw a significant increase in the proportion of women trainees across the 2 time periods (19.9% (210 out of 1055) to 24.6% (287 out of 1169) (P < .01) and 24.1% (143 out of 592) to 28.9% (330 out of 1142) (P < .05)), respectively. There was no significant change in the proportion of Black and Hispanic trainees in thoracic surgery fellowship or integrated 6-year cardiothoracic residency programs. Hispanic trainees were the only group whose proportion of cardiothoracic surgery trainees was not significantly lower than their medical school proportion. Women and Black trainees had significantly lower proportions of thoracic surgery residents and integrated 6-year cardiothoracic residency program residents than their proportions in medical school (P < .01). ConclusionsCardiothoracic surgery has not significantly increased the number of Black and Hispanic trainees during the past decade. The lower proportion of Blacks and women in thoracic surgery residency and fellowship programs compared with their proportion in medical schools is concerning and is an opportunity for intervention.

Self-Efficacy Buffers Against Belonging Loss for Hispanic Students During the First Semester of College

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Hispanic college students typically report a lower sense of belonging than their White peers, citing challenges related to first generation student status, low-income family backgrounds, and academic underpreparedness. The present study asked whether Hispanic students would have a lower sense of belonging than non-Hispanic White students and whether academic self-efficacy would be able to provide a greater buffer against belonging loss for Hispanic students compared to their non-Hispanic White peers. The participants of this study were Hispanic (n = 68) and non-Hispanic White (n = 420) first year students at a predominantly White small liberal arts college. Academic self-efficacy was a significant predictor of change in belonging for Hispanic students but not for non-Hispanic White students. These results suggest academic self-efficacy is a worthwhile target of belonging interventions for Hispanic students. &lt;/p&gt;

The Impact of Social Media Use for News on Academic Performance in Underrepresented Undergraduate College Students.

Researchers have demonstrated that the relationship between social media use (SMU) and academic performance is mixed. This study extends those findings by examining how SMU for news predicts grade point average (GPA) for Hispanic, Black/African American, and White college students while controlling for gender. Students (N = 378) completed surveys where they reported how many times per week they used various social media platforms for news, whether or not they used those platforms to consume certain types of news, and demographic information. For Hispanic students, results indicated that using YouTube for entertainment news predicted lower GPAs, whereas using YouTube for news predicted higher GPAs. Black/African American students' use of Facebook for news predicted lower GPAs. SMU for news for White students did not predict GPA. Findings indicate that race/ethnicity should be considered when examining the relationship between SMU and academic performance and that minority students' GPAs are affected by their use of social media for news.

Troublemakers? The Role of Frequent Teacher Referrers in Expanding Racial Disciplinary Disproportionalities

Teachers’ sensemaking of student behavior determines whether students get in trouble and are formally disciplined. Status categories, such as race, can influence perceptions of student culpability, but the degree to which teachers’ initial identification of student misbehavior exacerbates racial disproportionality in discipline receipt is unknown. This study provides the first systematic documentation of teachers’ use of office discipline referrals (ODRs) in a large, diverse urban school district in California that specifies the identity of both the referred and referring individuals in all ODRs. We identify teachers exhibiting extensive referring behavior, or the top 5% referrers, based on the number of ODRs they make in a given year and evaluate their contributions to disciplinary disparities. We find that “top referrers” effectively double the racial gaps in ODRs for both Black-White and Hispanic-White comparisons. These gaps are mainly driven by higher numbers of ODRs issued for Black and Hispanic students due to interpersonal offences and defiance and also partially convert to racial gaps in suspensions. Both the level and racial compositions of the school sites where top referrers serve and their personal traits seem to explain some of their frequent referring behavior. Targeting supports and interventions to top referrers might afford an important opportunity to reduce racial disciplinary gaps.

A Mixed-Method Evaluation of a Rural Elementary School Implementing the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) Program.

Despite children living in rural US areas having 26% greater odds of being affected by obesity compared to those living in urban areas, the implementation of evidence-based programs in rural schools is rare. We collected quantitative data (weight and height) from 272 racially and ethnically diverse students at baseline, and qualitative data from students (4 focus groups), parents, and school staff (16 semi-structured interviews and 29 surveys) to evaluate program outcomes and perceptions. At the 2-year follow-up, paired data from 157 students, represented by racial/ethnic groups of 59% non-Hispanic White, 31% non-Hispanic Black, and 10% Hispanic, showed an overall mean change (SD) in BMI z-score of -0.04 (0.59), a decrease of -0.08 (0.69) in boys, and a significant -0.18 (0.33) decrease among Hispanic students. Boys had a mean decrease in obesity prevalence of 3 percentage points (from 17% to 14%), and Hispanic students had the largest mean decrease in BMI percentile. Qualitative data showed positive perceptions of the CATCH program and its implementation. This community-engaged research, with collaboration from an academic institution, a health department, a local wellness coalition, and a rural elementary school, demonstrated successful CATCH program implementation and showed promising outcomes in mean BMI changes.

Medical student intentions to practice internal medicine in underserved areas associated with debt, identity and extracurricular participation

BackgroundCurrently, Internal Medicine (IM) physicians do not reflect the ethno-racial diversity of the US population. Moreover, there is a shortage of IM physicians in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) in the US. The purpose of this study was to determine factors that influence medical students’ intent to practice IM in MUAs. We hypothesized students with intentions to pursue a career in IM and work in MUAs were more likely than their peers to identify as underrepresented in medicine (URiM), report greater student debt loads, and report medical school experiences in cultural competencies.MethodsWe analyzed de-identified data of 67,050 graduating allopathic medical students who completed the Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) Medical School annual Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) between 2012–2017 by multivariate logistic regression models, examining intent to practice IM in MUAs based on respondent characteristics.ResultsOf 8,363 students indicating an intent to pursue IM, 1,969 (23.54%) students also expressed an intent to practice in MUAs. Students awarded scholarships, (aOR: 1.23, [1.03–1.46]), with debt greater than $300,000 (aOR: 1.54, [1.21–1.95], and self-identified non-Hispanic Black/African American (aOR: 3.79 [2.95–4.87]) or Hispanic (aOR: 2.53, [2.05–3.11]) students were more likely than non-Hispanic White students to indicate intent to practice in MUAs. This pattern also existed for students who participated in a community-based research project (aOR: 1.55, [1.19–2.01]), had experiences related to health disparities (aOR: 2.13, [1.44–3.15]), or had experiences related to global health (aOR: 1.75, [1.34–2.28]).ConclusionsWe identified experiences and characteristics that associate with intention to practice IM in MUAs, which can aid future curricular redesign by medical schools to expand and deepen comprehension of health disparities, access to community-based research, and global health experiences. Loan forgiveness programs and other initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of future physicians should also be developed.

Examining Belongingness, Uniqueness, and Inclusivity Within a Land-Grant University Agricultural and Life Sciences Institute

This mixed methods study aimed to explore the perceptions of employees’ belongingness, uniqueness, and inclusivity within the [Blinded University]. A survey with quantitative and qualitative questions was used for data collection from February to April 2021. Respondents were [Blinded University] employees, faculty, students, and Extension professionals (n = 430). White (non-Hispanic) Extension professional respondents reported significantly greater levels of organizational belongingness than Extension respondents classified as Other ethnicities. No other significant differences were found for the three constructs among Extension, main campus, or student respondents. The qualitative survey data converged with the quantitative survey data and provided a more complete understanding of respondents' perceptions of organizational diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI). Respondents indicated improvements are needed for diversity and inclusivity initiatives, resources, and training. Key recommendations were that [Blinded University] continue DEI initiatives while better tailoring efforts toward meeting the needs of Extension professionals and Hispanic students. Building on the foundational understanding garnered from the present study, future research should explore inclusivity beyond ethnicity and also consider gender, sexual orientation, and income levels.&#x0D; Keywords: belongingness, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Extension; uniqueness; land-grant university;

Impediments to Greater Diversity in the Cancer Research Workforce: Do Patterns of NCI Funding of Training and Educational Awards to Institutions With Rich Research Resources but Low Student Diversity Indicate Structural Bias?

Purpose: To examine patterns of NCI training and educational awards (T32 &amp; R25) by indicators of research capacity and student diversity. Methods: FY2019 data from the US Department of Education and NIH Exporter were used to examine student diversity and NCI funding by research capacity as defined by Carnegie Classification of Institutes of Higher Education. Results: In FY2019, the Carnegie Classification for Doctoral Universities (n = 412) included 131 “R1”_ and 135 “R2”_ research-intensive universities, and 146 other doctoral and professional universities ("DPU"_).At all Carnegie Institutions, &amp;gt;45% students were White. By Carnegie classes, compared to R2 and DPUs, R1s had the lowest proportions of African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and female students, at both college and graduate levels. Proportions of Hispanic undergraduates were similar across Carnegie classes, and generally higher than those for Hispanic graduate students, which were lowest among R1s relative to R2s and DPUs. Asian American and nonresident alien students (undergraduate and graduate) comprised higher proportions of R1 students than those at R2s and DPUs.Schools varied by Minority Serving Institution status. For instance, numbers of Hispanic Serving Institutions were similar for R1s (16), R2s (16), and DPUs (18), but 11 R2s were Predominantly Black Institutions and only one R1 was and no DPUs. In contrast, 71 R1s were Asian American Serving Institutions, far higher than the 16 R2s and 19 DPUs with that status.Of &amp;gt;2,000 “NCI R01 and equivalent awards”_ in FY2019, &amp;gt;90% were awarded to R1s, with &amp;lt;10% at R2s and &amp;lt;1% at DPUs. Patterns by Carnegie class were similar for NCI Fellowship (F), Career Development (K), and Training Program awards (T). Conclusion: Both low student diversity at research resource-rich schools and higher diversity at schools with fewer research awards may contribute to and perpetuate few individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups working in cancer research. To address this long-standing problem requires understanding how many factors and systems interact at multiple levels (e.g., individual, institutional, funding agency) to drive and block access to training and career advancement in cancer research.

Seeking Racial and Ethnic Parity in Preschool Outcomes

Montessori pedagogy is a century-old, whole-school system increasingly used in the public sector. In the United States, public Montessori schools are typically Title I schools that mostly serve children of color. The present secondary, exploratory data analysis examined outcomes of 134 children who entered a lottery for admission to public Montessori schools in the northeastern United States at age 3; half were admitted and enrolled and the rest enrolled at other preschool programs. About half of the children were identified as White, and half were identified as African American, Hispanic, or multiracial. Children were tested in the fall when they enrolled and again in the subsequent three springs (i.e., through the kindergarten year) on a range of measures addressing academic outcomes, executive function, and social cognition. Although the Black, Hispanic, and multiracial group tended to score lower in the beginning of preschool in both conditions, by the end of preschool, the scores of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students enrolled in Montessori schools were not different from the White children; by contrast, such students in the business-as-usual schools continued to perform less well than White children in academic achievement and social cognition. The study has important limitations that lead us to view these findings as exploratory, but taken together with other findings, the results suggest that Montessori education may create an environment that is more conducive to racial and ethnic parity than other school environments.

Shifting to a high impact practice-centered student worker staffed research desk: a Hispanic serving institution perspective

PurposeThe authors seek to demonstrate, from a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) perspective, the importance of utilizing High Impact Practices (HIPs) for not only more meaningful student employment initiatives, but to benefit the campus community and prepare Hispanic students for success post-graduation.Design/methodology/approachEvaluation of current practices in academic libraries aided the design of the new staffing model, location and name. A survey of research desk student assistants was designed and implemented approximately one academic year after changes were executed. Survey data combined with follow-up interviews summarized the qualitative-focused assessment of the research desk's evolution and verified the validity of maintaining HIPs in libraries for Hispanic student success.FindingsThe transition of the reference desk to a student-staffed research desk was successful in that librarians were able to dedicate more time to other endeavors, such as campus outreach and collection development. The High Impact Practice (HIP)-focused desk model, along with new, customized onboarding and training materials, fulfilled their goals of giving student assistants meaningful employment on campus while also bridging the gap between the library and the mostly Hispanic, first-generation student population. An assessment from the student assistants' point of view helped them further analyze the new research desk model. They found that student assistants noticed the ease with which their peers approached the desk and how their skills learned on the research desk transferred to their classes and future careers.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restructuring of library personnel the authors were unable to implement library patron surveys to evaluate the new desk model.Originality/valueMany academic libraries and partners have made the transition to student-staffed help desks or offer peer-to-peer tutoring or mentoring services. HIPs positively impact marginalized student populations scholastically, but no current studies discuss the effect on the Hispanic student population from an HSI perspective. This study illuminates the wholistic influence HIPs have on Hispanic student assistants, not only their work and peers, but the affect on their academic and personal lives.

Identifying Dissertation Challenges of Hispanic Graduate Students

Writing and research assistance for doctoral students writing dissertations via one-on-one tutoring sessions was implemented at an HSI in the southeastern United States. This exploratory sequential mixed methods study aimed to inform the specific challenges of Hispanic graduate students completing dissertations at HSIs and identify the next steps for student support. Data were collected through an online survey completed by tutors (n=3) upon completion of each tutoring session. A total of 398 responses were analyzed and coded. Results demonstrated three major themes: writing skills (n=324), research skills (n=125), and general graduate student skills (n=20). Writing challenges included implementing APA style correctly, effectively summarizing articles, beginning chapter outlines, organizing information in dissertation drafts, and writing the literature review chapter. Research challenges included conducting a systematic literature review, analyzing data and finding themes, organizing results, going through the IRB process, locating articles using databases, and interpreting literature.

Closing the Equity Gap and Improving the Success of All Students in Anatomy and Physiology through a Scaffolded Approach

The importance of a diverse healthcare workforce has been highlighted and supported by the literature as a key factor in reducing healthcare disparities and improving access to and quality of healthcare among underserved populations. However, minorities remain underrepresented throughout the health professions and in New York, the Hispanic population is particularly underrepresented across the health professions. The largest private Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in NY state, Mercy College has a robust health professions program. However, Anatomy and Physiology (A&amp;P), the gateway course for most health professions students, is the number one obstacle to persistence in those majors. In addition, this obstacle disproportionately impacts Hispanic students with a resultant equity gap in student success. Through a multi-pronged scaffolded approach which involved developing and implementing evidence-based inclusive practices we have closed the equity gap and improved the overall student success of all students in A&amp;P 1 lecture and lab, even in the face of COVID.

Student access to technology at home and learning hours during COVID-19 in the U.S.

Studies have shown that the digital divide affects students' educational achievement across racial and ethnic groups. In light of this, the study investigates the effect of technology access at home on student learning hours during the COVID-19 pandemic and across racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. The Household Pulse Surveys (HPS), conducted by the United States Census Bureau and administered from August 19, 2020, to March 29, 2021, were used for the analysis. We compute a composite index of technology access using the principal component analysis (PCA). And for the empirical model, the study employed a Tobit regression model. The result shows that the estimated index of technology access based on PCA for the whole sample is about 0.92, indicating a higher level of access. However, the breakdown by race/ethnicity shows an average of about 0.93, 0.89, 0.90, 0.94, and 0.89 for students representing White, Black, Hispanic, Asia, and other races, respectively. This means the intensity at which households in the sample have access to technology is higher among the Asian and White students, followed by Hispanic, Black, and other races in that order. The estimated effect of technology access on the student learning hours during COVID-19 based on the Tobit regression model shows about a 3.1 unit points increase over the whole sample. And further analysis reveals variation at which access to the technology impacts learning hours across race and ethnicity groups. For example, we find that access to technology significantly increased learning hours by about 3.5, 1.6, 2.2, and 3.4 unit points among White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian students, respectively. The observed differing effect of access to technology on learning hours further highlights the racial disparities in American society's digital divide, which reveal how access to technology disproportionately impacts student learning hours during the COVID-19 pandemic across race and ethnicity.

Descriptive National Evidence Comparing Hispanic and White Student Graduate Degree Completion Rates

Using data from the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), longitudinal trends in graduate degree completion rates for Hispanic and White students were analyzed over a period of 17 years (2002–2019). The results indicated that there was a significant positive linear trend in graduation rates for both Hispanic and White graduate students, with no adverse impact in graduate degree completion rates for Hispanic students when compared to White students.