Hispanic students’ postsecondary access and persistence: Closing the gaps from an expectancy-value theory (EVT) and school climate context
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Abstract
Hispanic students continue to make up an increasing percentage of college students in the United States, and this trend is expected to continue. It is important that secondary and postsecondary professionals ensure that this historically marginalized student group does not lag their White peers in terms of postsecondary outcomes. Earning a college degree can have a significant positive impact on a person’s financial success and personal wellness. Furthermore, the benefits of a well-educated workforce are essential to a strong and competitive national economy. Improving postsecondary outcomes for the Hispanic student population may go far in contributing to the wealth and strength of the nation. Hispanic students disproportionately attend secondary schools that experience increased levels of school disorder (i.e., student truancy, delinquency, and victimization), and it is imperative that researchers and education professionals understand the consequences of this reality.
The present study is guided by the Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) framework to better understand how secondary students’ postsecondary expectations, academic task-valuations, and the associated social costs impact their postsecondary enrollment and persistence. Additionally, this research models any mediating effects these students may face from a negative school climate (i.e., more school disorder) on the EVT constructs. To achieve this, two logistic multi-level structural equation group models (Hispanic and non-Hispanic White student groups) were developed utilizing data from the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). The non-Hispanic White student group had more significant EVT constructs associated with both the persistence and enrollment outcomes than their Hispanic peers. Student expectations to achieve postsecondary success exhibited the greatest impact on postsecondary enrollment and persistence for both student groups. Additionally, the effects of a negative school climate were negatively associated with postsecondary enrollment and persistence for the non-Hispanic White student group and for Hispanic student persistence. Implications for practice and future research are presented and discussed.