Preparing Students for College in the Ninth Grade: Developing an Institutional Culture of Care

• In Event: 63.084 - Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 63.084-18 - Urban Education Across Settings and Contexts

Abstract

We argue in this paper that the negative outcomes associated with the middle to high school transition and a lack of focus on college-going behaviors can be mitigated by the development of a caring school culture. Students who get involved in the culture and activities of the school develop a greater sense of belonging, which is positively associated with college-going behaviors such as: being enrolled in college preparatory courses, completing courses in core academic subjects with a minimum of 2.5 GPA, remaining credit current, speaking to the school counselor about college, being involved in co-curriculum activities, and preparing for the PSAT. We employ student survey data from over 4,000 students to explore this issue.

Authors

• Robert Cooper, University of California - Los Angeles

• DeMarcus Antonio Jenkins, University of California - Los Angeles

• Shena Sanchez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Alison Karin Munzer, University of California - Los Angeles