Students In Texas Research Articles

Contextualizing linguistic acculturation and alcohol use among Hispanic college students in the social digital environment.

Linguistic acculturation is a predictor of alcohol use among Hispanic college students, but existing linguistic acculturation measures do not capture language use in the social digital context (e.g., social media). Guided by erosion theory and past empirical findings, this study operationalized two dimensions of social digital linguistic acculturation (SDLA) and examined the interactive effects of SDLA with immigration generation-a demographic proxy for acculturation-in relation to alcohol use intentions and behaviors. Online questionnaires were completed by 246 Hispanic college students in central Texas between the ages of 18 and 29 (Mage = 21.0, SD = 2.4; 82.1% female) who reported current alcohol use. Measures included two dimensions of SDLA (SDLA-English and SDLA-Spanish) with items developed for this study and supported by exploratory factor analysis, immigration generation as a demographic proxy for acculturation, and three alcohol outcomes (intentions to use alcohol, alcohol consumption, and binge drinking). We specified three regression models in which immigration generation moderated the pathways between SDLA-English and SDLA-Spanish and each alcohol outcome. Contrary to hypotheses, lower rather than higher SDLA-English was related to greater intentions to use alcohol, greater alcohol consumption, and more frequent binge drinking when immigration generation was higher rather than lower. More aligned with expectations, lower SDLA-Spanish was related to more frequent binge drinking when immigration generation was higher. The link between SDLA and alcohol engagement is nuanced. This study's findings may be partially explained by acculturative stress in the context of social digital engagement, warranting further exploration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Relationship Between Course Structure and Intensity, and Student Success in Developmental Education

Texas legislation mandated that colleges offer developmental education using a corequisite model, where students concurrently enroll in introductory college-level courses with supplemental developmental support. Using data from the population of Texas students in developmental education, we estimated regression models to investigate differential relationships between corequisite characteristics and outcomes, both overall and by student characteristics. Our findings suggest there is no single “magic bullet” course structure that is universally more effective, as relationships between the reform and student success vary by subject and student subgroup. Additionally, even a single credit of corequisite developmental support can be beneficial for some students, potentially more so than traditional three-credit courses.

Effect of Introductory Nutrition Education at the Undergraduate Level on Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Habits in East Texas Students

Effect of Introductory Nutrition Education at the Undergraduate Level on Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Habits in East Texas Students

Examining Algebra I performance differences among at-risk Texas Hispanic high school boys: A multiyear investigation

This investigation examined the Algebra I End-of-Course exam performance of Hispanic boys who were at-risk and those who were not at-risk during the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. Data for all students in Texas who took the Algebra I End-of-Course exam during these years were obtained from the Texas Education Agency. The analysis focused exclusively on Hispanic boys. Utilizing secondary data, a causal-comparative or ex post facto study was conducted. The inferential statistical procedures revealed statistically significant differences in performance for at-risk Hispanic boys across all three school years. In each of these years, a significantly lower percentage of at-risk Hispanic boys met the three grade-level standards (Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level) compared to their not-at-risk peers. On average, at-risk Hispanic boys answered about 13 fewer items correctly than those who were not at-risk. These findings indicate that current instructional practices are not adequately meeting the needs of at-risk Hispanic boys. Policymakers and educational leaders are advised to review current programs and implement necessary changes to better support these students.

Understanding the Complexities of Student Learning Progress in Texas: A Study of COVID-19 and Rural vs. Non-Rural Districts.

In this study, we investigate the impact of COVID-19 on academic achievement in Texas public schools. Demographic and Grade 5 STAAR test data were collected from 1155 public school districts for 2018-2019 and 2020-2021. Multiple regression was adopted to analyze the differences between rural and non-rural districts, as well as the impact of demographic characteristics on students' achievement. The results reveal significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two academic years, with non-rural districts exhibiting a greater decline in academic achievement than rural districts. Additionally, the findings suggest that higher teacher salaries correlate with better academic performance across various subjects and that English learners require additional support to acquire content knowledge and skills. We further confirm that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the academic learning experience of Texas students, with rural districts displaying more resilience than non-rural districts.

GenZs environmental attitudes and ecology behavior nexus: Urgent education message

Environmental education in schools is critical to help decrease plastic litter pollution because plastic pollution could be the most significant health problem of the 21st century. Our research examined the environmental behaviors and attitudes of Generation Z (Gen Z) high school and undergraduate students in South Texas, USA. The research was important because we need to understand what young people believe and value if we are going to see any change in environmental behavior. Results supported research on how teachers can influence student environmental attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge with education. Feedback from students revealed significant attitude change and a rich narrative of pollution and watershed ecology knowledge and behavior themes. These themes disclosed that a holistic environmental science curriculum is necessary to connect Earth systems with the plastic litter pollution cycle.

A Scar in Each of Us: LGBTQ+ College Student Well-Being in Texas During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this article is to highlight the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, access to care, housing, education, employment, and food security among LGBTQ+ college students in Texas. An online survey was distributed during the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters. Inequalities were examined across outcomes based on age, ethnicity, and income. A qualitative analysis of narrative responses was also completed. Significant impacts were noted during the pandemic across all factors studied. Self-perceived mental health was particularly affected, including measures of depression, sleep disturbance, anxiety, anger, personality functioning, and suicidal ideation. Age, race/ethnicity, and income were associated with significant differences in housing, food security, employment, and access to mental healthcare. Four major themes arose from the narrative responses which focused on instability, educational challenges, mental health implications, and resilience and coping strategies. The unique geographic and political factors in Texas during this time are also discussed as exacerbating factors. As public health entities prepare to better care for vulnerable populations, this study identifies multiple factors where change is needed to improve overall health in LGBTQ+ college students.

Using the Nutrition Facts Label to Make Food Choices Is Associated with Healthier Eating among 8th and 11th-Grade Students: An Analysis of Statewide Representative Data from the 2019-2020 Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey.

Nutrition labels are a tool to inform and encourage the public to make healthier food choices, but little information is available about use in multi-ethnic adolescent populations in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between the level of nutrition label usage and healthy/unhealthy eating behaviors among a statewide representative sample of 8th and 11th-grade students in Texas. We analyzed cross-sectional associations between the Nutrition Facts label use and eating behaviors from a statewide sample of 8th and 11th-grade students in Texas, (n = 4730, weighted n = 710,731, mean age = 14.7 ± 1.6 years; 49% female, 51% Hispanic), who completed the 2019-2020 Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (TX SPAN) survey. Students self-reported their level of nutrition label usage to make food choices (5-point Likert scale from "Never" to "Always") and previous day consumption of 26 food items (13 healthy, 13 unhealthy). The 26 food items were used to calculate a Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score (0-100), a Healthy Foods Index (HFI) score (0-100), and an Unhealthy Foods Index (UFI) score (0-100). Weighted linear regression models were employed to examine the associations between self-reported use of nutrition labels to make food choices and HEI, HFI, and UFI scores. Marginal predicted means of HEI, HFI, and UFI scores were calculated post hoc from linear regression models. The odds of consuming specific individual food items for nutrition label usage were also calculated from weighted logistic regression models. All linear and logistic regression models were adjusted for grade, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), race/ethnicity, economic disadvantage, and percentage of English language learners by school. A total of 11.0% of students reported always/almost always using nutrition labels to make food choices, 27.9% reported sometimes using them, while 61.0% indicated they never/almost never used nutrition labels to make food choices. The average HEI score among students in the sample was 47.7 ± 5.9. Nutrition Facts label usage was significantly and positively associated with HEI (b = 5.79, 95%CI: 4.45, 7.12) and HFI (b = 7.28, 95%CI:4.48, 10.07), and significantly and negatively associated with UFI (b = -4.30, 95%CI: -6.25, -2.34). A dose-response relationship was observed between nutrition label usage and HEI, HFI, and UFI scores, such that the strength of these associations increased with each one-point increase in nutrition label usage. Students who reported using nutrition labels always/almost always to make food choices had significantly higher odds of consuming healthy foods including baked meat, nuts, brown bread, vegetables, whole fruit, and yogurt (ORrange = 1.31-3.07), and significantly lower odds of consuming unhealthy foods including chips, cake, candy, and soda (ORrange = 0.48-0.68) compared to students who reported never/almost never using the Nutrition Facts label. Using the Nutrition Facts labels to make food choices is beneficially associated with healthy and unhealthy eating among 8th and 11th-grade students, although the proportion of students using nutrition labels to make their food choices was low. Public health efforts should be made to improve nutrition literacy and encourage nutrition label use among secondary students in the United States.

Vaccine hesitancy and hesitant adoption among nursing students in Texas

BackgroundAs the state facing the second-largest nursing workforce shortage in the U.S. and low vaccination rates among residents early in the pandemic, Texas provided a unique opportunity to examine vaccine hesitancy and hesitant adoption among nursing students in an environment where state-level executive orders prohibited mandatory vaccinations. MethodsThe purpose of this study was to describe the level of vaccine hesitancy and hesitant adoption among nursing students in the state of Texas. We used a convenient, opt-in, online survey of nursing students conducted between mid-April and mid-June 2022. The survey was distributed to all pre-licensure nursing programs in Texas. ResultsThe majority of survey respondents (n = 599) were between the ages of 18–28 (68 %), female (88 %) and white (57 %). Most received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination (84 %). Of those receiving the vaccine, a high proportion (82 %) were identified as hesitant adopters. Respondents cited concerns about side effects (57 %) most frequently as the reason for vaccine hesitancy. ConclusionGiven the worldwide nursing shortage, factors potentially impacting the future workforce, such as vaccine hesitancy and hesitant adoption, must be closely monitored. More research is needed to understand the concerns of nursing students and the motivations of hesitant and non-hesitant adopters.

Transgressive translanguaging: theorizing the corriente

ABSTRACT Translanguaging in classrooms opens spaces for multilingual students to engage in learning across the full range of their linguistic repertoire. We argue that one result of translanguaging pedagogy is that it can transform the talk-for-learning in the classroom and create a corriente or flow of ideas that is more free and less constrained than traditional classroom interactional patterns. However, what has been lacking in the translanguaging literature to date is an examination of if, when, and how teacher-student translanguaging actually does disrupt the traditional interactional structures of classrooms in ways that enhance student meaning-making. This article theorizes the translanguaging corriente at the discourse level using moment analysis to analyze data from two video datasets of elementary-grade lessons with emergent bilingual students in Texas and México with two extended excerpts illustrating the creative and critical potential of the translanguaging corriente. Pedagogical practices facilitating the corriente are also identified.

Class Rank and Long-Run Outcomes

Abstract This paper considers an unavoidable feature of the school environment, class rank. What are the long-run effects of a student's ordinal rank in elementary school? Using administrative data on all public school students in Texas, we show that students with a higher third-grade academic rank, conditional on achievement and classroom fixed effects, have higher subsequent test scores, are more likely to take AP classes, graduate from high school, enroll in and graduate from college, and ultimately have higher earnings nineteen years later. We also discuss the necessary assumptions for the identification of rank effects and propose new solutions to identification challenges. The paper concludes by exploring the trade-off between higher-quality schools and higher rank in the presence of these rank-based peer effects.

Navigating Challenges in Multilingual Education: Ensuring Equitable Learning for Diverse Students

Addressing critical issues in multilingual education requires tackling various challenges to ensure effective learning experiences for students who speak multiple languages. These challenges include planning for linguistic diversity, equitable access to resources, teacher training, inclusive pedagogies, family engagement, and sufficient funding. The article focuses on difficulties faced by multilingual students, providing practical strategies to support their academic growth. The study involved 55 multilingual students in Texas, predominantly refugee children speaking 38 languages on campus. The study highlights the importance of recognizing the children’s unique needs and implementing effective strategies for improved educational outcomes and successful transitions to higher grades.

Longitudinal patterns of cannabis and tobacco co-administration and concurrent use among young adult college students

IntroductionCo-use, including concurrent use or co-administration, of cannabis and tobacco is most prevalent in young adulthood and associated with worse health outcomes than use of either substance alone. This study examined latent classes of tobacco and cannabis concurrent use and co-administration, and transitions between classes from 2016 to 2019, among a sample of young adult college students in Texas. MethodsParticipants included 4,448 young adults (64.2% female, 64.7% non-white, mean age = 20.5) in a longitudinal cohort study. Measures included past 30-day use of cigarettes. hookah, cigars, ENDS, cannabis, and cannabis and tobacco co-administration. Latent Markov models were used to estimate latent class membership and transitions between classes from 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2019. ResultsFour latent classes emerged: non-use (58% of students) characterized by low/no probability of any use; general use (19%) characterized by some level of use of all behaviors; blunt and cannabis use class (13%) characterized by high probabilities of cannabis use and co-administration with blunts; and concurrent and co-administration use (10%) with high probabilities of cigarette, cannabis, blunt, and spliff use. Most students remained in the same latent class from 2016 to 2019. ConclusionsWhile most students reported low/no tobacco and cannabis co-use, those who used cannabis and/or tobacco remained in their use classes over the course of the study (2016 to 2019). Public health advocates on college campuses should consider prevention and cessation programs that incorporate the constellation of behaviors related to cannabis and tobacco co-use and educate students about the health consequences of co-use.

Advanced Placement Human Geography: Program Access and Effectiveness by Grade Level, 2001–2020

Since 2001, the Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography program has grown substantially in terms of the sheer number of students taking the course and exam. The program’s growth curve is a marker of increased exposure to complex subject matter in high schools, which is a core AP objective. Viewing AP Human Geography’s growth in the aggregate, however, masks the program’s unequal record of supporting the second fundamental goal of AP, which is to facilitate the college transition of participating students. By grade level, the highest AP Human Geography exam scores on average were earned by high school juniors and seniors. Most of the exams were primarily taken by students in ninth grade outside of New England and the Middle Atlantic. Students in Texas and Florida together accounted for 35 percent of the exams in the peak year of 2019. AP Human Geography’s unintended status as a warmup AP course places it at odds with the College Board’s AP guidance and contemporaneous reports that most students start high school lacking the knowledge and skills for advanced geography coursework. The geography education of younger students would be better served by on-level geography courses and placement tests that are predictive of AP performance later in high school.

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.

Mental Health Needs and Services Utilization among Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Texas during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 created a global crisis, exacerbating disparities in social determinants of health (SDOH) and mental health (MH). Research on pandemic-related MH and help-seeking is scarce, especially among high-risk populations such as college/university students. We examined self-rated MH and psychological distress, the perceived need for MH services/support, and the use of MH services across the SDOH among college/university students during the start of the pandemic. Data from the COVID-19 Texas College Student Experiences Survey (n = 746) include full- and part-time undergraduate/graduate students. Regressions examined self-rated MH, psychological distress, perceived need, and service use across SDOH, controlling for pre-pandemic MH, age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Economic stability was associated with higher risk of poor MH and need for MH services/support. Aspects of the social/community context protected student MH, especially among foreign-born students. Racial discrimination was associated with both greater psychological distress and use of services. Finally, beliefs related to the sufficiency of available institutional MH resources shaped perceived need for and use of services. Although the worst of the pandemic is behind us, the inequitable distribution of the SDOH among students is unwavering. Demand for MH support is high, requiring higher education institutions to better mobilize MH services to meet the needs of students from diverse social contexts.

Exploring the College Choice of Latina/o Students in Rural Texas

Latina/o rural students are underrepresented in college and the research of their college choice process. Using Bourdieu’s habitus, and Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Conceptual Model, this qualitative study used interviews with 24 Latina/o rural high school students. Our findings explored how school habitus limits college options. Students use navigational capital when selecting a “good program” and rely on familial-capital, high aspirations, and other forms of capital to choose a college.

U.S. History as Part of a Core Curriculum

U.S. History as Part of a Core Curriculum Megan Birk (bio) It never occurred to me that I would write a Texas-centered piece for The Middle West Review, but desperate times call for additional information. Much of the emphasis on the "civics crisis" in the U.S. over the last ten years focused on K-12 curriculum, and the startling lack of historical and governmental knowledge attained before high school graduation. But the problem runs deeper than K-12, with increasingly fewer institutions of higher education including U.S. history in their core curriculum. Texas is among the states that continues to require U.S. history as part of a public college education. Added in 1955, the relevant section of the Texas Education Code reads in part: "A college or university receiving state support or state aid from public funds may not grant a baccalaureate degree or a lesser degree or academic certificate to any person unless the person has credit for six semester hours or its equivalent in American History."1 In the middle of the Cold War, these six credits joined the six already required in Government/Political Science that were included by the Texas Legislature in 1929. Among the others states with such a mandate are California, which has "American Institutions" graduation options, and Georgia's universities which must include U.S. history with state content. Texas's requirement is not static. Recent adjustments to this law included adding equivalent surveys in Mexican American History, Native American History, African American History, U.S. Women's History, and others. At a time when departments across the country, but particularly in the Midwest, are facing death by a thousand cuts, these six hours help keep departments in Texas open. However, the shrinking campus cores, the diminishing number of degree plans allowing electives and minors, and the limitations on financial aid that cover only what is in the degree plan are affecting us all. Some [End Page 177] of us have the added issue of eyeing each legislative session with no small amount of concern about the future of tenure and the academic freedom to teach accurate U.S. history. Each time the administrative positions on campuses change hands there is worry about the ratio of full-time to contingent faculty. The six hours of required history are stabilizing to a degree. There is, however, a caveat. While history core classes provide a solid foundation of funds to colleges and departments as steady sources of Student Credit Hours (SCHs) and enable faculty to advertise and recruit for other history classes, this is by no means a monopolized system for four-year institutions. Students in Texas have been pushed into dual enrollment classes, which allows qualified students to take "college classes" in high school and earn credit prior to graduation. More and more students are arriving on campuses "core complete" because of this program designed to save the state, and ostensibly some parents, tuition money, but it comes at the cost of diminishing credit hours for departments and serious concern about the quality and content of dual enrollment classes in high school buildings. Texas also has a robust system of community colleges that are often partnered with their local university. The faculty at these institutions teach a wide array of U.S. history offerings that can be transferred to four-year schools, and many of them employ faculty with PhDs. Ironically, this surge of dual enrollment enthusiasm provided short term boosts to graduate programs across the state, as local teachers worked nights to earn the hours needed to teach those classes in high school. According to the accrediting standards of SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges), eighteen hours of graduate credit are the minimums required to teach core curriculum history courses for college credit. In other words, someone doesn't even need to earn a master's degree to hypothetically qualify. A temporary increase in graduate students with the potential result of fewer undergraduates down the road was a brutal catch-22 for many departments. At my university of thirty-thousand-plus students, our history department is staffed by approximately twenty tenured and tenure-track...

Demographics of Skin Cancer Knowledge Among Middle and High Schoolers in Texas.

Adolescents, an age group that can reduce sun exposure early, may benefit from school-based skin cancer education programs. Literature regarding the demographics of melanoma knowledge is sparse. This study sought to evaluate melanoma knowledge among students in Texas viewing John Wayne Cancer Foundation Block the Blaze (JWCFBTB) presentations and identify group differences with regard to sociodemographic factors. Before JWCFBTB presentations delivered in Houston and Dallas by health professions students, a pre-presentation melanoma knowledge quiz was distributed. This survey was adapted from a 2000 study evaluating melanoma knowledge in middle and high schoolers in Houston and Dallas. Respondents were also asked to provide their gender, age, grade, race, parent education level, and whether they are first-generation American. ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to evaluate demographic group differences in scores. Logistic regression models determined predictors of answering selected true/false questions correctly. One-way ANOVA tests showed statistically significant group differences in pre-test scores for all demographic factors evaluated. Females, Whites/Caucasians, students whose parents hold graduate degrees, and older students had higher scores. Black students and non-first-generation Americans were more likely to answer selected commonly missed questions correctly. Results from 2000 and 2020-2021 indicate older students from higher grade levels know more about melanoma, suggesting adolescents may benefit from earlier skin cancer education. Racial minorities and individuals of low socioeconomic status, who suffer from disparities in melanoma treatment and mortality, showed poorer melanoma knowledge. Targeting skin cancer education to disadvantaged schools may help remedy such gaps.

Alternative Tobacco Use and Cigarette Smoking Transitions among College Students in Texas

Background : High prevalence of very light cigarette smoking and use of alternative tobacco products (ATPs; i.e. electronic nicotine delivery systems [ENDS], cigars, and hookah) among young adult college students are causes for concern. The purpose of this study is to examine transitions in cigarette smoking (never vs. non-current vs. very light vs. heavier) among college students across 2.5 years and determine if the use of ATPs is related to these transitions. Methods: This study used six waves of data across 2.5 years from Project M-PACT. Participants who were 18–25 years of age at baseline were included in this study (n = 4,806). Cigarette smoking state was categorized as never smoking, non-current smoking [0 cigarettes smoked per day (cpd) in past month], very light smoking (< =5 cpd in past month), and heavier smoking (>5 in past month). Multi-state Markov models were used to examine temporal transitions in the four smoking states and examine the association of time-varying current ATP use with transitions in smoking states. Results: The probabilities of remaining in a smoking state decreased over time. The time-varying current ATP use was significantly related to increased odds of transitioning from never smoking to non-current smoking, from never smoking to very light smoking, and from non-current to very light smoking. Conclusions: Findings highlight the need to prevent ATP use among college students and in turn inhibit initiation and escalation of cigarette smoking.