Poster #39 - Mexican-origin Children Across Latino/a Destinations: Math Outcomes in Elementary Years

• In Event: Poster Session 16

Abstract

Children from Mexican-origin families are a large segment of the U.S. student population; however, they are underrepresented at most stages of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline, starting as early as kindergarten (Crisp & Nora, 2012; Lopez et al., 2018). Math learning in the early years of education lays the foundation for STEM achievement and attainment and forecasts future STEM pursuits (Crosnoe et al., 2004; Xie et al., 2015). In this vein, supporting Mexican-origin children's math proficiency in elementary school has important implications for combating educational inequities among this large but underexplored group in STEM research.

Since the 1990s, Mexican-origin families’ residential patterns have experienced substantial changes, from concentrating on established Latino/a destinations to living in more geographically diverse areas, namely new destinations (Turner et al., 2016). Mexican-origin families have moved to new destinations given shifts in work opportunities and immigration policies, introducing greater variation in family context across destinations. Across the different types of destinations, neighborhoods and the embedded resources and opportunities for children’s math learning likely also vary. Prior research on children's educational achievement, more generally, across destinations focuses primarily on adolescents and shows mixed evidence. Some studies suggest new destinations are more favorable educational contexts than established destinations (Potochnick 2014, Stamps & Bohon 2006), whereas others find Mexican-origin are more likely to drop out of high school in new than in established destinations (Ackert 2017; Fischer 2010). Despite these studies, little research considers geographic disparities among Mexican-origin children in elementary schools and their math outcomes specifically, and how family and neighborhood play a role in these disparities.

Accordingly, this study examined whether math gaps across Latino/a destinations exist among elementary school-aged Mexican-origin children, whether these gaps can be explained by family and neighborhood characteristics, and whether the math gaps differ by children’s home English exposure, and the socioeconomic status of their families and neighborhoods.
We used a sample of Mexican-origin children (N~2290) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten 2010 cohort, which includes rich individual, family and school information. Neighborhood characteristics were appended from multiple administrative data. Geographic destinations were separated into three types, established, new and other, based on county-level Latino/a population size and growth rates from the 1990 and 2010 decennial censuses. The outcomes include children’s math school readiness, math identity (i.e., interest and confidence), and math growth during elementary school.

Multilevel analysis revealed that compared to peers in established destinations, Mexican-origin children in new destinations had lower kindergarten math scores and math confidence. These math gaps were largely explained by family-level factors rather than neighborhood conditions. In addition, gaps in math growth between new and established destinations differed by children’s cultural background. Living in new destinations was especially advantageous for children’s math growth when English exposure at home was high (vs. established destinations).

This study contributes to the literature on educational disparities across Latino/a destinations with a focus on Mexican-origin children’s math outcomes in elementary schools. Results highlight the role of family context in understanding children’s math disparities between new and established destinations.

Authors

• Fei Tan, Tufts University
  Presenting Author

• Tama Leventhal, Tufts University