College and Career Readiness in Practice: An Ethnographic Study of College and Career Readiness Experiences and the Role of Support Systems in Promoting Success at a Lower-Income High School

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Four
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT061 (Saturday)

Abstract

This study employs a critical realist ethnographic approach to examine how a lower-income charter high school fosters college and career readiness. Through participant observation and student interviews, this research explores how readiness is enacted in practice and shaped by institutional culture. The aim is to identify inclusive models that expand access to postsecondary education and workforce opportunities, particularly for underserved student populations. Preliminary findings suggest that the school emphasizes collaboration and relational engagement as key mechanisms for preparing students for building cognitive and noncognitive skills necessary for success beyond graduation. By uncovering the causal structures and social dynamics that influence readiness, this study contributes to the development of equity-driven frameworks for college and career preparation in secondary education.

Author

• Jesica Lovelace, University of Central Florida