Taking A Deep Dive: Understanding FI and HI Students’ Engagement at Community Colleges

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Community College Experiences and Perspectives

Abstract

In this study, we examined how food insecurity (FI) and housing insecurity (HI) relate to student engagement at community colleges. We used multilevel modeling and analyzed large-scale CCSSE (Community College Survey of Student Engagement) data. Empirical findings indicate a disproportionately sizable percentage of underrepresented minority students (i.e., Black/African American and Latinx/Hispanic students) experience FI and/or HI. In general, students who have FI and/or HI reported stronger behavioral engagement despite receiving less institutional support, suggesting they are working harder despite more challenging conditions. However, FI and/or HI students have lower self-reported college GPA relative to their peers, suggesting FI and HI negatively impact academic performance. Collectively, these research findings deepen our understanding of FI and HI among community college students.

Author

• Hongwei Yu, University of Texas at Austin