Educational leaders of diverse student populations that traditionally struggle academically are charged with implementing transformative leadership practices to build strong effective teams that produce results for all students no matter race, socioeconomic status, language, at-risk status, etc. (Donohoo, Hattie, & Eells, 2018). Traditionally…

Computer science (CS) knowledge is becoming ever more central to successful participation in today's society. Not only is fundamental computational literacy necessary to take advantage of growing employment opportunities demanded by the information economy, but computer literacy is becoming increasingly integrated into most professional roles. All…

This study looks at a group of Hispanic English Learners from a region in deep South Texas that is situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, and how their sense of belonging, acculturation, and their perception of the teacher-student relationship impacts academic achievement on the STAAR End-of-Course state assessments for English I and English II.…

The present study examined Latinx school readiness and 3rd grade student achievement, considering differences based on social categories of gender, race, ethnicity, and home language. The sample included 683 racially diverse children (M[subscript age] = 4.94; SD = 0.57) of Dominican- or Mexican-origin from Spanish-English or Spanish-only…

To increase persistence, many universities provide first-year seminars (FYS) for entering students. Although there have been consistent positive outcomes for FYS participants, many times, the research is based on short-term outcomes, or less rigorous analysis. This study assessed short- and long-term outcomes for Hispanic (n = 456) and Hispanic…

This dissertation explores academic persistence among Latinx students at City College of San Francisco (CCSF), using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) to emphasize the culturally-mediated nature of goal directed human activity. The study investigates factors related to persistence within the context of CCSF's Metro Transfer Program…

This study was conducted to examine the impact of spirituality and religion on a student's College experience at a large Hispanic-serving community college in South Texas. The problem is that in the realm of higher education literature and research, there is scant information regarding spirituality and religion as factors in a student's motivation…

To understand how to best support Latino male community college students, we used the Socio-Ecological Outcomes (SEO) model to examine factors associated with their achievement and college satisfaction. Specifically, we leveraged data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and situated our study in developmental…

This research tested a mediation model, examining whether individual differences in mothers' school readiness beliefs influenced home literacy practices and children's later academic achievement among African American (n = 114) and primarily Mexican origin Latina mothers (n = 164) and their children. Mothers of children ages 3-4 years reported…

Creating proactive classroom experiences for Latino students in K-5 settings requires intentional support and knowledge among classroom teachers. Educating Latino students is a complex task given that elementary school teachers face many questions that include how best to teach literacy? what are proactive ways to teach behavioral skills? and how…

This Research Brief summarizes the performance of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) students participating in the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Program. Cambridge courses and assessments were offered at 18 MDCPS high schools in 2021-2022. Over 13,700 assessments were completed by M-DCPS students in 34…

First-generation Latinas (FGLs) in higher education have experienced challenges attending predominantly White institutions. Lack of sense of belonging is a strong predictor for isolation, anxiety, and/or depression. In addition to cultural dissonance and racially driven climates, attending predominantly White institutions increase the odds against…

This research brief summarizes the performance of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) students participating in the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Program. Cambridge courses and examinations were offered at 18 MDCPS high schools in 2022-2023. For the 2022-2023 school year, Cambridge International returned to…

For many Latinx community college students, grades are a key indicator of academic success and therefore research in non-cognitive factors such as grit and growth mindset is needed. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if, and to what extent, there is a relationship between grit and growth mindset of Latinx…

In recent decades the United States has experienced considerable growth in the Latina/o/x population. In 2014, Latina/o/xs made up approximately 17 percent of the U.S. population (U.S Census Bureau, 2015). The U.S Census Bureau projects that by 2060 the Latina/o/x population will be 29 percent of the U.S. population (U.S Census Bureau, 2015).…