Dismantling Barriers to Postsecondary Access for Newcomer Immigrant Youth in High School

• In Event: Addressing and Dismantling Intersecting Inequities to Promote Educational Justice for Newcomer Youth

Abstract

Objectives
Research has explored school-level factors that support academic success of newcomer ELs, but we know little about ways to dismantle barriers to their postsecondary access and completion. This mixed methods study explores characteristics of a small set of high schools in a network that has demonstrated success at graduating newcomer EL youth at rates far beyond district and state averages. This mixed methods study explores data on college access and completion and school-based supports designed to dismantle systemic barriers in to postsecondary access for immigrant and refugee English Learner (EL) high school students.


Perspectives
Little has been written about pathways of newcomer ELs who enter college after graduating from US high schools. Although 38 percent of high school ELs are foreign-born, there is no national dataset that tracks their postsecondary enrollment and completion patterns as a subgroup.The absence of research on this population may be in part due to their lack of visibility as a unique student subgroup – their demographics and achievement indicators are frequently combined with those of international students or of the general US-born school population.
Persistent structural and systemic barriers have made academic success and postsecondary access for these youth a challenge (Callahan, 2005; Gándara & Rumberger, 2009; Ruiz de Velasco et al, 2000). Their poor academic outcomes in traditional high schools reflect their linguistic marginalization (Flores & Rosa, 2015; Ruiz-de-Velasco, et al., 2000) and persistent xenophobia forces them to navigate often hostile schools and community environments (Gandara & Ee, Metzner et al., 2022; Villavicencio et al., 2021).

Methods
Mixed methods are used to explore a subset of small public high schools with documented success in serving newcomers. Empirical analysis of college application, enrollment, and completion data are combined with findings from teacher and student interviews and focus groups to explore what can be learned about postsecondary application, enrollment and completion rates specifically of immigrant and refugee ELs who graduate from US high schools. The authors also identify school-based structures and programs led to these outcomes and factors identified by students and teachers as key to dismantling barriers to postsecondary access.


Preliminary Findings
Schools in the network demonstrate postsecondary application, enrollment, retention and completion rates beyond those of schools with comparable peer populations. Specific school structures, culture and programming designed to holistically address gaps in college knowledge are key to addressing persistent barriers to postsecondary access.

Significance
The study addresses the gap in research on the postsecondary access pathways of the growing population of immigrant youth who attend and complete U.S. high schools. This research contributes to international scholarship on school development for refugee and immigrant populations. By exploring effective secondary schools from the perspectives of immigrant youth, the educators who serve them and examining achievement metrics, the study provides new insights into what factors at the school-level can dismantle systemic barriers. Additionally, this research contributes to existing literature on addressing inequalities in schooling and on innovations in school communities serving newcomer youth.

Author

• Marguerite Lukes, Internationals Network for Public Schools