Does High School Mathematics and Science Course-Taking Predict Community College Students' Entry and Persistence to Computing Degrees? Evidence From Florida

• In Event: Gender and STEM Education

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between high school course taking and equity in pathways to Computing degrees. Using large-scale state administrative data from Florida’s Educational Data Warehouse, we analyze the effect of students’ high school course-taking on their probability of entering and persisting in Computing and other STEM majors. Specifically, we investigate the following research questions:
(1) Does curricular momentum developed through high-school math and science course-taking influence Computing or STEM major declaration upon entry to community/state college? (2) Does curricular momentum developed through high-school math and science course-taking and introductory college courses influence community/state college persistence in Computing and STEM? and (3) To what extent do these patterns vary by gender and race/ethnicity?

Authors

• Lara Perez-Felkner, Florida State University

• Yang Li, Florida State University

• Kristen Erichsen, Knowli Data Science

• Shouping Hu, Florida State University