The Effects of English Language Proficiency and Academic Tracking on Latinas/os’ High School Mathematics Achievement

• In Event: Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: High School Students of Color and STEM Education

Abstract

This quantitative analysis examines whether the effect of academic tracking differs between Latina/o native and non-native English speakers’ mathematics achievement in the tenth and twelfth grade. This study expands on an earlier study of disparities in mathematics achievement of Latina/o 10th graders. The previous study showed that low degrees of English proficiency disadvantaged ELLs in the college preparatory track. However, non-native English speakers with high levels of English proficiency not only outperformed their English-proficient peers in the general track, their scores reached parity with English speakers in the college preparatory track. This study specifically investigates whether the complex interrelationship between English fluency and academic tracking persists for Latina/os from the tenth grade to the end of twelfth grade.

Author

• Eduardo Mosqueda, University of California - Santa Cruz