The researcher will examine how cultural practices between students and teachers, the social organization of students (for example, in tracking and participation in extracurricular activities), and school policies about student self-presentation and discipline affect the incorporation of Black and Latino students. Data will be collected from 920 high school students from two high schools in Jackson, Mississippi, and two in Boston, Massachusetts. This project uses a number of data collection methods, including ethnographic observations and interviews, semi-structured and group interviews, and student surveys.
What are the characteristics of both students’ group dynamics and the culture of high schools that promote or discourage Black and Latino students’ inclusion in school life and academic advancement? Are these characteristics different in schools that are predominantly minority and those that are more multi-racial and predominantly white?
