Understanding the Experiences of Latina/o Students: A Qualitative Study for Change.

ABSTRACT A qualitative study with nine Latina/o college students was conducted to determine their experiences with their high school teachers. After careful data analysis, the following themes emerged: (a) some Latina/o students receive high expectations and others receive low expectations, (b) low expectations for non-AP students exist, and (c) some Latina/o students receive mentoring and others do not. Recommendations for research and practice are presented in order to further learn from the experiences of Latina/o students and enact the necessary changes that will enable more Latina/o students to continue with higher education. Latina/o students are not only the fastest growing minority group in the United States (Quijada & Alvarez, 2006; U. S. Census Bureau, 2005; ViIlalba, Akos, Keeter, & Ames, 2007; Zalaquett, 2005), but they also have the highest high school dropout rates (American Council on Education, 2008; The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute and National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, 2003) and only 8% complete a graduate degree (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007). Given the importance of pursuing a college degree, it is vital that research examines the high school experiences of Latina/o students and therefore provide teachers and researchers with insight to ensure that more Latina/o students graduate from high school and attend an institution of higher education. We contend that the current study accomplishes this objective in the following ways: first, we provide a literature review that focuses on challenges that impede Latina/o students from enrolling in higher education; second, we present findings from interviews with nine Latina/o college students regarding their experiences with their high school teachers; and finally, we provide implications for practice and research. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Tracking away from higher education (Cavazos, Cavazos, Hinojosa, & Silva, 2009; Gandara, 1995; Nora, 2003), low educational expectations (Immerwahr, 2003; Martinez, 2003; Zalaquett & Feliciano, 2004), and minimal information about higher education (Garza, 2006; Immerwahr, 2003; Vela Gude et al., 2009; Zalaquett, 2005) are found and proven challenges that impede Latina/o students from pursuing higher education and beyond. Though these are well-documented challenges, we believe they have not been significantly explored or considered in the education system as potential reasons why many Latina/o students drop out of high school or decide not to continue with their education upon high school graduation. Therefore, they need to be carefully examined in order to provide insight into the experiences of Latina/o students, thereby enabling the possibility of change to encourage all Latina/o students to succeed academically. Tracking is a process in which students are placed in different academic tracks, and some of these tracks discourage them from pursuing higher education. For example, in a study of 50 Latina/os who attained advanced degrees, Gandara (1995) highlighted the detrimental effects of tracking. Gandara illustrated the distinction between two academic tracks: (a) college-preparatory track and (b) non-college-preparatory track. One student, who eventually attained an advanced degree, provided the following perspective about placement in the non-college track: When I went to the tenth grade, I took that special stupid test they give you and it came out that I would have been a fantastic mechanic. so they tracked me average [again] which precluded me from taking college prep classes, and I had already taken geometry and Spanish and biology and some other courses in junior high. (p. 61) In the above example, the student was tracked into a non-college preparatory track based on the results of one test, which we know should never be an indication of a student's current or future academic potential. Given the importance of Gandara's findings, it is surprising that some Latina/o students are still discouraged from pursuing higher education (Cavazos et al. …