Stories of Success: Understanding Academic Achievement of Hispanic Students in Science

TLDR: In this paper, a review of the literature shows that there is much evidence to suggest the challenges facing Hispanic students in American public schools, yet schools have not made adequate adjustments to accommodate this changing population.

Abstract: A review of the literature shows that there is much evidence to suggest the challenges facing Hispanic students in American public schools. Hispanic enrollment in K-12 public schools has increased from 6 to 19% in the last thirty years, yet schools have not made adequate adjustments to accommodate this changing population. Issues such as remedial tracking and cultural differences have led to low high school graduate rates for Hispanic students and inequities in schooling experiences (Gay, 2000). Particularly in the area of science, Hispanic students struggle with academic success (Cole & Espinoza, 2008). Despite these obstacles, some Hispanic students are academically successful (Rochin & Mello, 2007; Merisotis & Kee, 2006). This dissertation tells the stories of these Hispanic students who have been successful in science in secondary public schools. This study followed a grounded theory methodology and utilized individual interviews to collect data about Hispanics who have demonstrated achievement in the area of science. Through the analysis of these interviews, factors were identified which may have contributed to the success of these Hispanics in the field of science. Implications for future practice in public schools are also discussed. SUCCESSFUL HISPANIC STUDENTS IN SCIENCE ii Acknowledgements I could not have completed this project without the input from many different people. My sincerest thanks to my advisor, Dr. Ron Narode who helped me with every aspect of this project, from the formulation of my questions through the editing process. He truly pushed me to become a better writer. Thank you also to Dr. Swapna Mukhopadhyay who gave her time freely on many occasions to discuss my readings and ideas. Thank you to Dr. Amy Petti, who provided significant input in helping me develop my literature review, and to Dr. Michael Cummings for taking the time to be a part of my committee and offer valuable suggestions. I also greatly appreciate the time of all the participants. I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each of them—each one contributed greatly to this project. My thanks to my colleagues who provided everything from encouragment to editing assistance during the writing process. A final thanks to my family, who have made many sacrifices over the past years so that I could reach this goal. SUCCESSFUL HISPANIC STUDENTS IN SCIENCE iii Table of