Equity Barriers and Gateways: Black Male Access to High School Physics and STEM Pathways

• In Event: Leadership for Liberation: Centering Marginalized Voices in Equity Reform

Abstract

Objectives
This study examined the structural and institutional factors that influence Black male students’ access to high school physics, a crucial course that serves as a gateway to STEM fields in postsecondary education. The objective is to identify predictors of physics course enrollment and highlight equity-based levers for educational leaders to expand access and dismantle systemic barriers within science education.
Theoretical Framework
The research is grounded in Stanton-Salazar’s (2011) framework of institutional agency, which emphasizes the critical role of school-based agents in shaping educational access. Additionally, social capital theory informs the interpretation of how relational and structural factors—such as counselor support and course availability—facilitate or constrain students’ academic pathways, particularly for Black male learners in underrepresented disciplines like physics.

Methods
The study employs a quantitative research design, utilizing linear probability and logistic regression models to analyze the relationships between student demographics, school structures, and physics course enrollment. The analytical strategy is designed to identify which variables most significantly influence whether Black male students earn a physics credit in high school.

Data Sources
The study draws data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), a nationally representative dataset administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The analysis focuses specifically on a sample of Black male students, using variables that capture school-level characteristics (e.g., physics course availability, counselor caseload), student academic behaviors (e.g., Algebra 2 completion), and psychosocial indicators (e.g., science self-efficacy).

Results
Key findings indicate that Black male students are more likely to enroll in physics when the course is offered on-site, when they have completed Algebra 2, and when they report high science self-efficacy. Conversely, high counselor caseloads significantly reduce the likelihood of enrolling in physics. Socioeconomic status is consistently significant, signaling the enduring impact of systemic inequities. Notably, frequency of counselor contact alone does not improve access, suggesting that equity must be embedded in how support systems are structured and enacted.

Scholarly Significance of the Study
This research contributes to the educational leadership and STEM equity literature by identifying specific, actionable levers that influence the trajectories of Black male students in science education. It draws attention to the often-overlooked roles of course availability, academic tracking, and advising infrastructure in creating opportunity gaps. For leaders, the study provides empirical evidence to support policy and practice shifts that advance racial equity in science education. Aligned with the AERA 2026 theme, this work dismantles racialized barriers to advanced coursework and constructs clear educational possibilities for historically marginalized students.

Author

• Jennifer DaCosta, Claremont Graduate University