1. B Y D R . B R E T T A . B UR T O N
A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF RESILIENCY AND ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT AMONG MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS
IN URBAN HIGH SCHOOLS
2. INTRODUCTION
• Relevance of the research
• Education Leadership
• School Improvement in Urban High Schools
• PSAE in the state of Illinois
• Multiracial Student Experience
• Trueba’s (2002) Resiliency for Academic Success
• Background of research
• 6 Components
• Resiliency researchers have investigated the impact of
protective factors on the academic achievement of minority
students, and the results have varied among them (Benard,
1991; Smith & Carlson, 1997; Werner and Smith, Trueba, 2002;
Wasonga, 2004).
3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• The rise in racial diversity in public schools has caused the need for
school personnel to meet the academic demands of students from
different racial backgrounds, including multiracial students.
• The last Census showed 9 million people, about 3 percent of the
population, reporting more than one race. That's an increase of one-
third from the decade before.
(http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/05/12/183430945/check
ing-more-than-one-box-a-growing-multiracial-nation)
• "The youngest age group, kids under 5 [years old], 7 percent are
identified as having more than one race group” Pew Hispanic Center.
"If we look at the elderly, over 65, it's only 1 percent."
4. MULTIRACIAL EXPERIENCE IN U.S.
SCHOOLS (+)
• 1. Melissa Herman’s “differential opportunities” idea claimed
that multiracial students become more proficient in different
racial social settings than single race individuals because they
have opportunities to socialize in two or more different racial
groups.
• 2. The ability of multiracial students to socialize and interact
with different student racial groups increases their mutability
among racial groups (Shih & Sanchez, 2009).
• 3. Root’s study demonstrated that social interactions between
peers in the school environment, specifically for multiracial
students, may alter one’s identity, which could have an effect
on school experiences and academic success.
5. MULTIRACIAL EXPERIENCE IN U.S.
SCHOOLS (-)
• 1. Choi, Harachi, Gillmore, and Catalano (2006): Minority Youth
Project- sample size was 2,305 respondent from 2,777 multiracial=
454 or 20.6% were multiracial youths. The study found several
significant differences between multiracial youths and
monoracial youths in substance use behaviors, controlling for
age, gender, and low-income status. Multiracial youths were
significantly more likely than all three monoracial youth groups to
have ever smoked, drink alcohol, and use marijuana.
• 2. Quillian and Redd’s research found that multiracial students
attempting to bridge both races may experience frustration with
identity development.
• 3. Cooney and Radina’s (2000) research identified that multiracial
students have difficulty with identity formation, which may lead to
a lack of acceptance with peers or friends.
6. QUESTIONS MULTIRACIAL CHILDREN RECEIVE AT SCHOOL
• What are you?
• How do you racially identify?
• “Mixed? There’s no such thing. Which ethnicity are you more?”
• “Where are you from?”
• School Counselor-”What do you consider yourself?”
7. WHAT ARE THESE CHILDREN?
• If these students showed up to your school what racial
group would you assign them?
9. WHAT BROUGHT ME TO EXPLORE THIS
TOPIC?
• Purpose of the Study:
• The purpose of this study was to explore the six
attributes of the Resiliency for Academic Success
Framework (Trueba, 2002) and their relationship to
academic achievement among urban high school
students, with a focus on these outcomes for
multiracial students.
10. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• RQ1: What are the levels of Resiliency for Academic Success factors and
academic achievement (PSAE Scores in Reading and Math) among Caucasians,
African-Americans, Hispanics, and multiracial urban high school students?
• RQ2: What is the relationship between Resiliency for Academic Success factors
and academic achievement (PSAE Scores in Reading and Math) among
Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, and multiracial urban high school
students?
• RQ3: Are there differences in Resiliency for Academic Success factors and
academic achievement (PSAE Scores in Reading and Math) among Caucasian,
African-American, Hispanic, and Multiracial urban high school students ?
• RQ4: What Resiliency for Academic Success factors predict academic
achievement among urban high school students in each of the four racial groups
(Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, and multiracial)?
•
12. TRUEBA’S FRAMEWORK
1. Intelligent
Planning in the
pursuit of major
goals, delaying
gratification for the
sake of future
rewards
2. Willingness
to Learn a New
Language and
Culture
3. Ability to Use Multiple
Personal Identities in the
process of communicating
with others
4. Ability to
appreciate
and use
family
support
during crises
6. Spiritual Strength
based on religious,
cultural, and
linguistic values
5. Loyalty to school and family and
the wisdom to pursue academic
excellence with the love and support
of teachers and parents
Resiliency
for
Academic
Success
Assisted
performance
and ZPD in the
discovery of the
new self
through
resiliency
13. DEMOGRAPHICS OF SAMPLE FROM ALL FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS
Number of Respondents Percent
Total population 377 100
Gender
Female 203 54
Male 174 46
Race – self-reported
Caucasian 136 36
African-American 31 8
Asian/Pacific Islander 18 5
Hispanic/Latino 82 22
2 or more races 85 23
Native-American 2 .004
14. MULTIRACIAL STUDENT COMBINATIONS
Multiracial Student Combinations
Combinations Total
Caucasian and Hispanic/Latino 32
Caucasian and African-American 25
Caucasian and Native American 12
Caucasian and Asian 8
African-American and Asian 3
3 Groups or more 8
15. STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS AND PSAE SCORES FOR SCHOOLS INCLUDED IN THE
SAMPLE
•
•
Urban High School, Grades 9-12
School A School B School C School D School E
Total Enrollment, Grades 9-12 1,884 2,292 1,285 2031 2,411
Percent
Student Demographics
White 54.3 67.8 42.0 62.0 61.0
Black 14.5 7.4 17.6 9.7 9.6
Latino 12.3 18.2 28.8 16.7 24.4
Asian 15.2 3.2 8.2 7.5 19.0
Multiracial 3.3 3.4 3.3 3.5 3.6
Native-American 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0
Met Standard in Reading
All 73.6 66.2 58.2 70.5 61.9
White 84.3 71.2 64.5 74.5 67.5
Black 36.1 34.0 46.7 35.0 34.0
Latino 45.6 58.2 53.1 50.0 60.4
Asian 82.0 59.0 65.0 89.0 64.0
Multiracial NA 53.0 70.0 64.0 75.0
Native-American NA NA NA NA NA
Students with Disabilities 36.4 22.0 19.0 18.0 37.0
Economically Disadvantaged 42.1 54.2 42.6 44.0 50.0
Met Standard in Math
All 74.3 68.0 60.9 72.2 65.0
White 83.7 74.5 66.7 75.7 69.5
Black 30.6 40.0 48.9 35.0 41.5
Latino 47.4 54.5 53.1 56.0 62.3
Asian 91.0 65.0 70.0 85.0 82.0
Multiracial NA 53.0 70.0 46.0 65.0
Native-American NA NA NA NA NA
Students with Disabilities 28.8 48.9 13.0 12.0 37.0
Economically Disadvantaged 42.1 49.2 51.1 38.0 50.0
Overall Graduation Rate 82.0 99.1 80.0 99.1 80.0
16. CONCLUSION-RESILIENCY AND ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS
MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS
• Finding:
• Multiracial students were more similar on the six Resiliency for Academic
Success factors and PSAE reading and math scores when compared to
Caucasians, but were not significantly different from Hispanic/Latino and
African-American students. The findings are indicative of having a multiracial
student sample that was majority part Caucasian at 67%, which means that
although multiracial students in the research identified as multiracial, their
results were closer to Caucasian students results in Resiliency for Academic
Success and academic achievement than to any other racial group
17. CONCLUSION-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESILIENCY AND
ACHIEVEMENT
MULTIRACIAL
• Finding: Significant positive linear relationships were found between
multiracial students’ PSAE mathematics scores and two of the
Resiliency for Academic Success factors: 1) ability to use family
support during crises (r=.308, p=0.05); and 2) loyalty to family/school
(r=.324, p=0.01).
• In addition, a significant positive linear relationship was found
between multiracial students’ PSAE scores in reading and three of the
Resiliency for Academic Success factors: 1) willingness to learn a new
language and culture (r= .211, p= 0.05) and 2) ability to use family
support during crises (r=.277, p=0.05) and loyalty to family school and
the wisdom to pursue academic excellence (r=.326, p=0.05).
18. IMPLICATIONS FOR ALL STUDENT RACIAL GROUPS
• 1. A significant difference in the study was in PSAE reading between Caucasians and
Hispanic/Latinos.
• 2. The second important finding suggests that Resiliency for Academic Success factors
did not significantly increase academic achievement.
• 3. Intelligent planning for the sake of future rewards and delaying gratification predicted
PSAE reading achievement for only Caucasian students, demonstrating that these
students have acquired the necessary skills in developing an academic plan and
educational goals.
• 4. Multiracial students were more similar on the six Resiliency for Academic Success
factors and PSAE reading and math scores when compared to Caucasians students.
• 5. This study revealed that Resiliency for Academic Success factors did not transfer to
academic achievement for this particular student population which parallels Trueba’s
(2002) study with Hispanic/Latino students.
• 6. As an educational leader we know that resiliency attributes are beneficial to students
and the school culture, which means public schools may want to embed the teaching of
resiliency and/or foster resiliency into a high school curriculum.
19. IMPLICATIONS FOR MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS
• 1. The current findings are consistent with the more recent literature focused
on the positive or neutral outcomes of being multiracial (Shih & Sanchez,
2009).
• 2. Binning, Unzueta, Huo, and Molina (2009) found in their research on
multiracial adolescents that multiracial students electing to identify with
multiple racial groups instead of one racial group are more apt to experience
“positive outcomes, social engagement, and psychological wellbeing” (p.
44). (Correlation with ability to use family support during crises and PSAE Read
and Math achievement).
• 3. Based on the multiracial student sample in this research, where 67% of the
multiracial student population was part Caucasian, the results are rational.
• 4. Cheng and Lee (2009) found multiracial students perceived their racial
background as “overlapping and compatible” with all racial categories (p.
11). Meaning multiracial individuals’ racial identity provides them with
opportunities to have relationships with individuals from a variety of racial
groups. (Correlation loyalty to family and school and PSAE Read and Math
achievement).
20. IMPLICATIONS FOR MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS MAP
Shih &
Sanchez
(2009)
•Multiracial people have more
flexible understandings of race
and race relations
•Multiracial identity is
overlapping and compatible,
higher well being
Rockquemore,
Brunsma, &
Delgado (2009)
•Multiracial in media has helped
legitimize mixed racial identity
•Both feet in both groups so that
one has the ability to hold,
merge, and respect multiple
Binning,
Unzueta,
Huo, and
Molina
(2009)
•Study found that multiracial
adolescents who identify proudly
as multiracial fare as well as – or
better than kids who identify with
a single group.
•Multiracials identify with multiple
groups are better able to
navigate homogenous and
heterogeneous settings than
those multiracials that identify
with one group
21. WHAT CAN SCHOOLS DO TO FOSTER
RESILIENCY WITH MULTIRACIAL
STUDENTS
• 1. ACT Engage- Measure student motivation, social
engagement, and Self Regulation
• 2. Staff Development for school counselors,
administrators, and teachers on the unique
experiences of multiracial students
• 3. Embed Maria Root’s “Bill of Rights for Racially
Mixed People” into social emotional school
counseling groups
• 4. Staff Development by utilizing the book
Multiracial Child Resource Book edited by Maria
Root and Matt Kelly
22. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
• 1. Perform a mixed methods design study (Quantitative and
Qualitative)
• 2. Study a larger high school student population from students
located in inner city, magnet, charter, or parochial schools
• 3. Examine student populations in other geographic regions in the
United States such as Los Angeles, California; New York City, New
York; Miami, Florida; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/family-trees.html?ref=us#index
Editor's Notes
I. Empirical model based on text analysis from Hispanic/Latino students, Emic- description of behavior formulated by person in that culture essential elements include include social and individual qualities that become agents of self transformation, Long term process
1. Effort to redefine resiliency and academic success as ongoing process 2) resiliency from student perspective 3) resiliency- endurance is rational and motivated by a clear cause & justified by reasonable goals that demand gratification, sacrifice 4) resiliency- chain of events connected to a cause 5) students may reach different levels of resiliency & academic success as learning in specific settings with adult help, mentoring and experiences in school vary
Achievement Gap propelled researchers to examine why students struggle academically
Dr. Trueba studied Hispanic/Latino students in Houston, Texas Area (6 Factors)
Examined the six attributes of Trueba’s (2002) Resiliency for Academic Success Framework and
their possible relationship to academic achievement among urban high school students, with a focus on multiracial students.
1. Academic socialization for children to sacrifice present pleasure for academic achievement 2. will to acquire knowledge for immigrants will open doors to communicate with hostile world (white world) 3. new cultural capital helps students to cross boundaries in different cultural worlds 4. family support makes it possible for students to adjust to American schools/society 5. secure relationships assist students in learning new things and grow intellectually and at a faster rate 6. spirituality is integrated from the start with resiliency continuum and helps students resist pain because God will take care of us ZPD= active role students play in learning is enhance because teachers and parents support them (EMIC MODEL)- Involving analysis of cultural phenomena from the perspective of one who participates in the culture being studied
Majority of multiracial backgrounds are partially Caucasian and another race
Multiracial population is exploding with more media attention and publications: Journal of Critical Mixed Race Studies, http://www.projectrace.com/ -- motto: reclassify all children equally, Maria Root, Kerry Ann Rockquemore, Melissa Hermann, and Harris.
Facts about sample: majority Caucasian, Hispanic/Latino largest minority group followed by African-Americans, then multiracial potentially 60 students per school according to Illinois School Report Card
Students self select racial background per their definition not identified by parents
High performing group overall in Reading and Math
Education Leaders--The astounding finding from these long term studies was that at least 50% — and often closer to 70% — of youth growing up in these high-risk conditions did develop social competence despite exposure to severe stress and did overcome the odds to lead successful lives (Benard, 2004)
