Understanding Student Experiences with Discrimination in a Restorative District: A Latent Class Analysis

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Erased, Buried, and Precarious Accountings of U.S. Students' Racialized Experiences

Abstract

Informed by a Critical Quantitative framework, this study employed Latent Class Analysis to examine how students with intersecting identities saw and experienced discrimination in their school environment. Drawing on survey data from a restorative district, four latent classes of students were identified who both witnessed and directly experienced discrimination. Findings suggest that students with multiple marginalized or hidden identities may experience compounding or unrecognized discrimination, potentially resulting in increased harm or trauma. Further, this study highlights the importance of disaggregated, equity-centered data collection and analysis to illuminate unseen patterns of discrimination. Implications for schools and educators working to create safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environments are discussed.

Authors

• Amanda J. Davis Simpfenderfer, College of William & Mary

• Peter N. Knox, University of Vermont