Holistic Influence of School Ethnic and Socioeconomic Diversity on School Experiences Among California Students

• In Event: Equity-Related Insights From Studies of School Community, Climate, and Culture

Abstract

This study investigated the holistic influences of three school diversity aspects (i.e., student racial/ethnic diversity, socioeconomic diversity, and teacher racial/ethnic diversity) on students’ school experiences indicated by race-based victimization (RBV) and school connectedness. We employed latent profile analysis and multiple groups multilevel analysis to examine the number of emerging school diversity profiles among 288 schools, how each profile relates to school level RBV and school connectedness, and how profiles moderate racial/ethnic disparities in RBV and school connectedness. Four diversity profiles emerged, and students’ experiences of RBV and school connectedness at school- and student-level varied with the diversity profiles. Interactions between school diversity profiles and students’ race/ethnicity in affecting students’ experience of RBV and school connectedness were observed.

Authors

• Maggie Chan, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Karen L. Nylund-Gibson, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Jill D. Sharkey, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Erin Dowdy, University of California - Santa Barbara