Access to Upward Mobility for Arizona English Learner Students: Geographic Access to STEM College Requirements

• In Event: 81.033 - MTCC Roundtable Session 38
  In Roundtable Session: 81.033-1 - Navigating, Building, and Accessing Spaces for Learning and Transformation

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, Arizona received an influx of non-English speaking students, with many English Learners (ELs) clustered in districts throughout the state. Like many states, Arizona wants to prepare more students for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). State law requires ELs in Arizona to spend four hours each day in dedicated English language instruction, which limits their access to other coursework, such as STEM classes. This article uses Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR) to describe how access to STEM coursework and four-year college admission structures is arranged spatially for EL students in Arizona. Results suggest that geographic variation in access to STEM coursework exists for EL students throughout the state.

Author

• Lyndsie Marie Schultz, University of Missouri - Columbia