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Understanding the reason for variation in high school graduation rates of Latino males
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Understanding the reason for variation in high school graduation rates of Latino males
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Content
UNDERSTANDING THE REASON FOR VARIATION IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
RATES OF LATINO MALES
by
Elizabeth M. Garcia
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2021
Copyright 2021 Elizabeth M. Garcia
ii
DEDICATION
To all my nephews and nieces: Leila, Chris, and Antdawg; Zaca, Lydia, Hannah, and Gideon;
Elisha, Judah, and Lola; Ashby, Ben, Bea, and Amaya; Joseph, Ruth, and Micaiah; Aviana;
Rachael, Martha, and Jorge. I love you all with my whole heart and want you all to be inspired.
Thank you for cheering me on and being excited when I finished this piece of my educational
voyage. Dream big and don’t be limited by anything! Now you all have your name in a book in
the USC library which is pretty cool.
To Mamich, Papich, Etol, Ichick, Ritha and Mama Lisi who encouraged and supported me,
helped to ensure my success, infusing a love of learning and quest for knowledge. Papich loved
books and taught himself to read while Mamich worked to give us the best education and taught
us the power of persistence and modeled how to work hard from the fields to a hospital
custodian, how to strive to be our best, and how to treat others with kindness and compassion.
Thank you Mamich, Papich and Etol for all your sacrifices and instilling the confidence I needed
to overcome anything that came my way. Bebe & Kevin, thank you for always being there!
To my entire family from the Nickerson’s, Garcia’s, Canales’, Rodriguez’s, and Avila’s for
continually praying, encouraging, and believing in me. Thank you Coba for inspiring me to start
my dissertation journey. It was fun having family alongside me during this journey.
To each of my friends, colleagues and family member who has encouraged me, celebrated my
accomplishments, discussed important elements of my study and pushed me forward in this
pursuit……I am beyond grateful and am enormously appreciative and blessed to have you all in
my life. You’ve elevated me to stand on your shoulders, my giants.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am extremely grateful to my Dissertation Chair Dr. Darline Robles and Committee Members
Dr. Kathy Stowe and Dr. David Gomez. Dr. Darline Robles, you were an immense
encouragement and support. At every turn you were not only positive, but you conveyed that you
believed in me. Your life’s work in education provided me with keen insights and important
considerations for my problem of practice regarding Latino males and high school graduation
rates. Thank you for your high expectations, dedication and being such an inspiration! Dr. Kathy
Stowe and Dr. David Gomez, you each have been a strong and supportive presence. Thank you
for your wonderful feedback, flexibility, and commitment to help me complete my dissertation.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................x
Chapter One: Introduction ...............................................................................................................1
Organizational Context and Mission ...................................................................................2
Organizational Goal .............................................................................................................3
Related Literature.................................................................................................................4
Importance of the Evaluation ...............................................................................................8
Description of Stakeholder Groups ......................................................................................9
Stakeholders Groups’ Performance Goals .........................................................................10
Stakeholder Group for the Study .......................................................................................11
Purpose of the Project and Questions ................................................................................11
Conceptual and Methodological Framework .....................................................................12
Definitions..........................................................................................................................13
Organization of the Project ................................................................................................13
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature .........................................................................................14
Influences on Latino Males and High School Graduation Rates .......................................15
Current Research on Latino Males ....................................................................................16
Factors that Predict High School Graduation and College Access for Latino Males ........18
Summary of General Literature .........................................................................................19
Clark and Estes’s Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences Framework ....19
v
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation,
and the Organizational Context .........................................................................................40
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................45
Chapter Three: Methods ................................................................................................................47
Sampling Strategy and Timeline ........................................................................................48
Data Collection and Instrumentation .................................................................................54
Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................60
Credibility and Trustworthiness .........................................................................................61
Ethics..................................................................................................................................63
Limitations and Delimitations............................................................................................65
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................66
Chapter Four: Results and Findings ...............................................................................................67
Participating Stakeholders .................................................................................................67
Determination of Assets and Needs ...................................................................................68
Results and Findings for Knowledge Causes.....................................................................71
Results and Findings for Motivation Causes ...................................................................104
Results and Findings for Organization Causes ................................................................115
Summary of Validated Influences ...................................................................................131
Chapter Five: Recommendations and Evaluation ........................................................................135
Recommendations to Address Knowledge, Motivation, and Organization Influences ...135
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan ..............................................................151
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach ....................................................................171
Limitations and Delimitations..........................................................................................172
Recommendations for Future Research ...........................................................................173
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................174
References ....................................................................................................................................176
vi
Appendix A: Survey Distribution ................................................................................................196
Appendix B: Interview Protocol ..................................................................................................211
Appendix C: Survey Results and Interview Tables .....................................................................219
Appendix D: Immediate Evaluation Kirkpatrick L1, L2 .............................................................240
Appendix E: Sample Blended Evaluation Items Measuring Kirkpatrick Levels ........................242
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Organizational Mission, Global Goal, and Stakeholder Performance Goals 10
Table 2: Knowledge Influences, Types, and Assessments for Knowledge Gap Analysis 27
Table 3: Assumed Motivation Influences 31
Table 4: Organizational Influences 39
Table 5: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods Used in Study 49
Table 6: Standard Deviation and Meaning of Clustered or Non-Clustered Responses 69
Table 7: Knowledge Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data 132
Table 8: Motivation Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data 133
Table 9: Organizational Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data 134
Table 10: Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 137
Table 11: Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 143
Table 12: Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations 146
Table 13: Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 154
Table 14: Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation 155
Table 15: Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 158
Table 16: Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program 163
Table 17: Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 166
Table A1: Survey Items 203
Table C1: Survey Question 1 Statistics: Skills & Knowledge to Support Latino Males 219
Table C2: Survey Question 2 Statistics: Latino Male Engagement in the Classroom 220
Table C3: Survey Question 3 Statistics Importance of Engaging Instructional Strategies 222
Table C4: Interview Question on Factual Knowledge Influences for Latino Male
Engagement (Question 9) 224
Table C5: Interview Participant Themes on Importance of Engagement Strategies 226
viii
Table C6: Interview Participant Themes on Importance of Engagement Strategies 229
Table C7: Importance of Instructional Strategies vs. Extent to which Strategies are
Employed 230
Table C8: Survey Question 4 Statistics on Teacher Frequency of Use of Engagement
Strategies 233
Table C9: PCUSD Professional Development Supports for Teachers Using Engagement
Strategies Important for Latino Males 234
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Conceptual Model Showing the Interaction of Stakeholder Knowledge and Motivation
Within Organizational Models and Settings 44
Figure 2: Convergent Parallel Research Design 55
Figure 3: Engagement Strategies 170
Figure C1: Survey Question 1 Responses: Skills & Knowledge to Support Latino Males 219
Figure C2: Survey Question 2 Responses: C: Latino Male Engagement in the Classroom 220
Figure C3: Survey Question 3 Responses on Importance of Engaging Instructional Strategies 221
Figure C4: Survey Question 4 Teacher Responses on Frequency of Use of Engagement
Strategies 232
Figure C5: Survey Question Responses on Whether Teachers Value Changing Instructional
Practices 235
Figure C6: Survey Responses on Teachers Confidence Level for Influencing Latino Male
Success 236
Figure C7: Survey Responses on Teachers’ Ability to Academically Prepare Latino Males for
Graduation Through Goal Setting 237
Figure C8: Survey Responses on Teachers Perception of Student Achievement, Student
Engagement and Lesson Design 238
Figure C9: Survey Responses on Teachers Perceptions of District’s Value on Supporting
Latino Males 239
x
ABSTRACT
This study explored and validated the knowledge, motivational and organizational (KMO)
influences of teacher engagement strategies on Latino male high school completion of graduation
requirements and disparities in graduation rates at the Port Century High School in the Port
Century Unified School District (PCUSD) in Southern California. Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap
analysis theoretical framework undergirded the entire study that focused on examining whether
there were gaps in current teacher performance and the performance of the PCUSD. A
convergent parallel mixed methodology was used to explore multiple KMO influences that
impact Latino male high school graduation rates through completion of graduation requirements
by looking at teacher engagement methods and how they develop strong consistent relationships
with Latino male students. The findings from surveys, interviews and document analysis
validated nine influences or gaps related to the problem of practice in the areas of factual,
conceptual, metacognitive knowledge, expectancy value, attributions, cultural models and
cultural settings. It is important to note that results were collected for one organization during
COVID-19 and the sample size was small. The results cannot be generalized to other
organizations.
1
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Latino males are at risk for dropping out and low high school graduation rates. The
Diplomas Count 2016 Project (Editorial Projects in Education, 2016) found that for the class of
2011, across the United States, 76% of Hispanics/Latinos received a high school diploma as
compared to 87% of Whites and 89% of Asians. The national graduation rate was 82% (Editorial
Projects in Education, 2016). According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES,
2020), the high school graduation rate gap between Asian (93%) and Hispanic/Latino (82%)
versus White (89%) and Hispanic/Latinos (82%) is 11% and 7%, respectively. According to the
NCES report on high school dropout trends and completion rates (McFarland et al., 2019),
between 2013-2017, the 5-year-average drop-out rate for Hispanic/Latino subgroups who were
16–24-year-olds ranged anywhere between 1.5% to 24.5% with the average for all
Hispanic/Latinos being at 9.9% and Mexican Americans being close to the 9.9% average.
Rivera (2009) asserted that while several predictive factors may influence the likelihood
that a student will drop out of high school, Latino males are more likely to drop out than any
other racial or ethnic group. According to the Building a Grad Nation Campaign (Civic
Enterprises, 2018), Hispanics have significantly increased high school graduation rates yet fall
below 80% overall, and the gap between Hispanic and White students is more than 20% in seven
states. Over the past 35 years, there has been a widening of the majority/minority and gender
gaps in national high school graduation rates (Heckman & LaFontaine, 2010). The decline in
graduation rate and increase in dropout rate among Latino males are problematic.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2012) show that Hispanic males have a 15% dropout
rate compared to 7% of all 16- to 24-year-olds. Colby and Ortman (2015), using U.S. Census
data, found that, by 2044, more than 50% of all Americans will belong to a minority group,
2
defined as those who affiliate with a group other than non-Hispanic Whites. According to Addis
and Withington (2016), males of color make up a disproportionately large percentage of non-
high school graduates. From 2000 to 2017, there was a positive trend showing more Hispanics
age 25 and above having graduated from high school, at 13 percentage points higher, from 57%
to 71% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017). Thus, it is important to address this problem because of the
economic implications for the United States, as the minority population becomes the majority
and the dropout rate for Hispanic, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native males is significantly
higher than that for females (Colby & Ortman, 2015; U.S. Department of Education, 2014). The
status dropout rate is defined as the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in
school and have no diploma or GED (McFarland et al., 2019). In 2017, the event dropout rate
was higher for males than it was for females (McFarland et al., 2019). The event dropout is
defined as the percentage of 15–24-year-olds who are in grades 10-12, who leave at the start of
one year to the next and don’t earn a diploma or its equivalent (McFarland et al., 2019).
Organizational Context and Mission
The Port Century Unified School District (PCUSD) has a large comprehensive high
school with approximately 4,400 students. For the purposes of this dissertation, the PCUSD is a
pseudonym for a K–12 school district in Southern California. At Port Century High School
(PCHS), 96.5% of students are socioeconomically disadvantaged at the time of this study, 17.6%
are English learners, 12.5% are students with disabilities, .6% are foster youth, and .6% are
homeless. The student population was 88.2% Latino, 8% Black or African American, 1% White,
0.8% of two or more races, .7% Asian, and .4% Filipino. The district comprises 18 schools: one
community day school, one continuation school, 12 elementary schools, one comprehensive high
3
school, and three middle schools. The comprehensive high school has been a public high school
since the early 1950s.
The district’s vision is to provide expanded academic learning opportunities and
enhanced experiences that will educate students in preparation for college and career. The
organization’s vision and mission are focused on providing a high-quality education, ensuring
learning and success. As an organization, the PCUSD identified college- and career-ready
graduates and high-quality teaching and learning as focus areas. The school district educates
students from T.K. through adulthood but primarily educates K–12 students, issuing
approximately 1,050 diplomas each year, with a graduation rate of 87.2%. The PCHS has 197
staff with full teaching credentials and no teachers without a credential. The most recent data
reflect a graduation rate that increased by 1.4%. The school district has one comprehensive high
school, a continuation high school, a STEM high school, and a ninth-grade high school.
Organizational Goal
By May 2021, PCUSD will increase the adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) for
Latino males to 100%. The district established this goal by examining the low graduation rates of
Latino males across the United States. Although in the last 50 years, the Latino population’s
graduation rates have significantly increased, there still exists a large achievement gap. The high
school administration focuses on achieving this graduation goal within the PCUSD, considering
the 5-year trend of graduation rate data. In the past 5 years, PCUSD’s 4-year cohort graduation
rate for males has gone from 80.8% to 84.5%. For Latino males, the 4-year cohort graduation
rate for 2016–17 was 84.2% and slightly increased to 85.1% for the 2018–19 school year.
Similarly, for Latino males with disabilities, the 4-year cohort graduation rate for 2016–17 was
68.8% and declined to 64.5% (2018–19). Latino male English learners’ 4-year cohort graduation
4
rate for 2016–17 was 72.6%, showing a slight increase to 75.9% in 2018–19. Overall, male
students in significant subgroups, including English learners, foster and homeless youth,
migrants, students with disabilities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students have a cohort
graduation rate of 84.5% on average in the PCUSD (ranging from 65.6% to 84.9%). To track
progress toward the goal, data must be collected yearly for each cohort of students to ensure that
they are on track to graduate.
Related Literature
A review of the literature regarding Latino males’ graduation rates shows there is a
generally low high school graduation rate among Hispanic/Latino students. Selected studies have
also examined how Latino immigrants impact the Hispanic/Latino high school graduation rate.
Researchers have associated low high school graduation rates of these specific minority groups
to what Rumberger (2011b) termed students’ individual factors (attitudes, behaviors, school
performance, and prior experiences) and contextual factors (in families, communities, and
schools). Any one of these factors or predictors may lead to a student dropping out and not
completing high school. The literature review will address these issues for Latino males as
follows: low graduation rates, Latino immigrants, and individual and contextual factors.
The data collected by the GradNation campaign has shown that the national high school
graduation rates for Hispanic/Latino students fall below 80% and have been much lower than the
national average of 84.1% (Civic Enterprises, 2018). The GradNation campaign has been
committed to raising graduation rates across the United States by 2020 (Civic Enterprises, 2016).
In 2015, for the first time, five years of graduation rate data were released for every state, using a
common formula to obtain the ACGR (Civic Enterprises, 2017). The ACGR is the public high
school graduation rate of first-time ninth graders earn a high school diploma in 4 years
5
(McFarland et al., 2019). According to the NCES (2019), the national ACGR has been calculated
across the United States only since 2010-11. It found that while the national graduation rate was
at 83.2%, Hispanic/Latino students’ rates were significantly lower. The rate was less than 70%
for Latino/Hispanics in 10 states and between 70% to 80% in 22 states (Civic Enterprises, 2017).
The disaggregation of the federal graduation rate data by sex is not available because it is not
currently collected (Civic Enterprises, 2018). Various states collect graduation rate data that can
be disaggregated by sex, and this data set would be valuable and help to inform perceptions that
Latino males and other males of color are graduating from high school at disproportionally lower
rates.
Corroborating the findings of the previous reports about low Latino high school
graduation rates, the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF, 2016) came to a similar conclusion. In
its annual report, using data from its KidsCount projects from 2012/2013 across the nation, the
AECF identified race as a national key indicator in relation to average high school completion
rates (AECF, 2012). The AECF data shows an 18% national average of high school students not
graduating on time. For Hispanic/Latino youth, the rate is at 22%. Additionally, Heckman and
LaFontaine (2010) examined high school completion versus general educational development
certificate pass rates by race and gender. They challenged claims of low graduation rates and
reviewed census and Common Core of Data statistics from the National Center for Education
Statistics. While their results challenge the accuracy of other researchers’ claims, their
methodology produced findings that still maintain that Hispanic males finish high school at a rate
of 65%, still significantly lower than national graduation rates.
Of White, Hispanic/Latino, and Black high school completion rates, only the
Hispanic/Latino graduation rate is substantially and uniquely affected by factoring in
6
Hispanic/Latino immigrants. Latino immigrants are unduly and uniquely impacted by their
English proficiency and have very low high school completion rates (Courtney, 2014).
According to Zarate and Pena (2014), Latino immigrant students’ high school completion rates
are extremely low and influenced by factors such as showing English proficiency prior to the
sixth grade. The probability of high school completion is lower for the Latino immigrant who has
not been reclassified from the English learner program by this time.
Deussen et al. (2017), in a large study of English learners in the state of Washington,
found that newcomers, defined as having immigrated within the prior 5 years, who are not
English proficient, have a 33.8% lesser chance of graduating from high school than their long-
term English learner counterparts, at 52.7%. Lutz (2007) distinguished between Latino
immigrants who have a high level of biliteracy in English and Spanish and have high levels of
success for high school completion versus those who are disadvantaged and have limited English
proficiency, which is correlated with low high school completion rates. This language challenge,
highlighted by Rumberger (2011b), makes it twice as unlikely for non-English speaking
Hispanic/Latino immigrants to graduate from high school. Being a developing English learner is
one of many factors that affect Hispanic/Latino immigrant students’ high school completion.
For the Hispanic/Latino, many factors impact whether they graduate from high school.
Contextual factors such as the family, community, and school environments contribute to how
the student forms his/her self-perception and unique perspective about high school completion.
There are distinctive individual (attitudes, behaviors, school performance, and prior experiences)
and contextual factors (in families, communities, and schools) that contribute to Latino and male
students not completing high school at rates comparable to White students. For example,
Feliciano (2012) found home, family, and school factors can contribute to a female advantage
7
seen through higher rates of high school completion by Hispanic/Latino immigrant females of
low socioeconomic status (SES) compared to their male counterparts. Males who had a greater
sense of family cohesion, spent less time on homework, spent more time watching television,
had negative perceptions of school personnel and negative experiences with school peers and
familism were less likely to complete high school (Rumberger, 2011b).
Merriam-Webster (2017) defined familism as a social structure where the family needs
supersede individual interests. Galster et al. (2016) researched the effects of community and
neighborhood factors on Latino youth dropping out of high school by examining the impact of
assisted housing. The evidence was collected from a telephone survey of randomly sampled
tenants in different neighborhoods. There was a statistical correlation between completion rates
and negative community/neighborhood factors. Negative contextual factors, like low SES, found
in a school or community/neighborhood, affect student success (Rumberger, 2011b).
If a school is designated as high poverty, this contextual economic factor is intricately
connected to Latino students’ achievement, increasing their likelihood of dropping out (Zarate,
2014). High-poverty schools situated in poor communities tend to have similar low academic
expectations combined with policies and practices that negatively influence the Hispanic/Latino
student. Machtinger (2007) examined high-poverty schools, and the ideas that emerged about
Latinos were that there is a significant achievement gap for Latinos at high-poverty schools and
Whites/Asians in the middle class. In Machtinger’s review of high-poverty schools, the
achievement gap can be attributed to a lack of genuine intellectual engagement and poor
pedagogical practices that manifest teachers’ cultural ignorance and underlying stereotypes.
Rumberger (2011b) asserted that a school’s policies and procedures affect a student’s
voluntary or involuntary withdrawal from school, leading to them dropping out. Additionally,
8
living in a poor, disadvantaged community increases the likelihood of an individual establishing
peer groups where it is more acceptable to drop out (Rumberger, 2011b). Rumberger found that
school, home, and community factors affect individuals differently and that more research must
examine school experiences and achievement over many years. The issue of dropping out or not
completing high school should be examined in its totality as a series of events, not as a discrete
occurrence.
Importance of the Evaluation
It is important for researchers to evaluate PCUSD’s performance in relation to the
performance goal of improving the graduation rates for Latino males. It is essential that the
organization continues to examine the reasons for Latino males dropping out and not completing
high school. The 2016-17 freshman cohort that had approximately 1,254 ninth graders, graduated
as the Class of 20204 years later with 1,112 students. The freshmen class for this 2016-17 cohort
was 142 students smaller than the graduating class (Prep Scholar, n.d.). There was a disparity
between the incoming freshman males and senior males in this cohort. Of the 142 students who
are absent from the cohort count, 119 or 83.8% were male. There was a definite gender gap for
this most recent class cohort, with 96.2% of females making it to their senior year and 81.4% of
males doing so. Latino males are unduly impacted with low representation in higher education,
high poverty, unemployment, and incarceration rates. As stated in the introduction, by 2044, over
50% of the population will be minorities, with Latinos predicted to be the largest minority group.
Rumberger (2011a) noted that the graduation rate of Latino males is low, highly variable, and
getting worse. He described it as a crisis and a social problem with negative economic and social
implications for individuals and society. Latino males who do not graduate high school have low
job prospects and low skills (Miller & Wilkinson, 2014). Males who do not complete high school
9
have negative economic, social, and health outcomes (Kafele, 2009). Rumberger (2011a)
documented dropouts’ difficulty finding work, likelihood of living in poverty, probability of
being incarcerated, and decreased life expectancy due to health problems. There is a school
engagement problem that begins in early elementary school, and throughout schooling, the gap
widens due to declining academic performance, with dropouts falling further behind, making it
difficult to catch up to graduates (Rumberger & Lim, 2009). Rumberger and Lim (2009) looked
at dropping out as more of a process than an event. Finding solutions to the problem of Latino
males not completing high school will have a positive impact on society by reducing the burden
that incarceration, poor health, and lack of employment place on all.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
In PCUSD, the stakeholders include students, teachers, counselors, and administrators.
Students are the key stakeholders and demonstrate achievement through multiple measures, as
shown on the new state College and Career State Indicator (CCI) performance indicator. Also, by
completing academic requirements, students demonstrate their progress toward graduation, as set
by board policy. Teachers in the PCUSD directly contribute to student performance by aligning
their teaching to state standards for required curricular areas. Teachers organize their teaching
according to the state standards, and students are assessed on state assessments that are part of
the CCI measurement of learning. Counselors have a caseload of students of approximately 600.
Counselors are responsible for providing feedback to students on their progress toward meeting
graduation requirements, passing all courses, and obtaining the 220 credits required to graduate.
Throughout students’ high school years, counselors also track student progress toward meeting
the University of California A–G requirements and an online 4-year college and career plan.
10
Stakeholders Groups’ Performance Goals
Administrators hold all stakeholders accountable for reaching their goals and set targets
for teachers, counselors, and students. Table 1 presents the organizational, global, and
stakeholder performance goals.
Table 1
Organizational Mission, Global Goal, and Stakeholder Performance Goals
Organizational Mission
The Port Century Unified School District’s mission is to provide all of its students with a high-
quality student-centered educational program to promote their academic, personal and social
growth.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, PCUSD will increase the adjusted cohort graduation rate for Latino males to
100%.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2022, 100% of teachers utilize research-based strategies that are more effective at
engaging Latino students.
11
Stakeholder Group for the Study
All stakeholders in the PCUSD contribute to the overall achievement of the
organizational goal of having 100% of students prepared to graduate from high school. However,
teachers were the focus of this study. Teachers are the primary stakeholder of this study and were
selected because of their direct impact on achieving the organizational performance goal of
increased graduation rates for Latino males across PCUSD. Through the use of instructional
strategies and teaching a comprehensive curriculum, all high school teachers in PCUSD
collectively impact students’ school trajectories and influence Latino males’ high school
completion. Each teacher teaches a subset of Latino males over these students’ high school
careers and may interact with a student across multiple courses. The stakeholders’ goal is that
100% of students will meet high school graduation requirements and that teachers will utilize
engagement strategies to increase these students’ completion of the graduation requirements. The
inability to reach goals will lead to lower Latino male graduation rates and adversely affect
students’ abilities to be employed in high-wage, high-skilled jobs.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the degree to which the PCUSD is achieving
its goal of a 100% graduation rate for Latino males. The analysis focused on knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences related to achieving the organizational goals. While a
complete performance evaluation would focus on all stakeholders, for practical purposes, the
stakeholders of focus in this analysis were teachers.
The research questions that guided the evaluation study address knowledge, skills,
motivation, and organization influences:
12
1. To what extent is the organization meeting its goal of a 100% graduation rate for Latino
males?
2. What are the teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to
achieving a 100% graduation rate for Latino males?
3. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context in the PCUSD as it
relates to teacher knowledge and motivation?
4. What are the recommendations for the Port Century Unified School District’s practice in
the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources?
The fourth question was answered after the research was completed, and recommendations were
derived from the data analysis.
This paper will review the literature on knowledge- and motivation-related influences
correlated to increasing graduation rates for Latino males in the PCUSD. For the purposes of this
paper, the PCUSD is a pseudonym for a K-12 school district in Southern California. Within
PCUSD, PCHS is the only comprehensive high school and is considered a low-SES and
homogenous high school, with almost 90% of its students being Latino.
Conceptual and Methodological Framework
This study used Clark and Estes’s (2008) conceptual framework: a systematic, analytical
method for a gap analysis that helps to clarify organizational goals and identify the knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences adapted to an evaluation model. The methodological
framework is a quantitative and qualitative case study with descriptive statistics. Assumed
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences on Latino males’ graduation rates were
generated based on personal knowledge, related literature, and an analysis of organizational data
on graduation rates and state assessment data. These influences were assessed by using mixed-
13
methods data gathering and analysis through surveys, interviews, literature review, and content
analysis. Research-based solutions were recommended and evaluated comprehensively.
Definitions
• Adjusted Graduation Cohort Rate. The 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is the
number of students who graduate in 4 years with a regular high school diploma divided
by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. This
definition is defined in federal regulation 34 C.F.R.
• Dropout Rate: Percentage of public high school students who do not graduate from high
school, based on the 4-year cohort graduation rate.
Organization of the Project
Five chapters are used to organize this study. This chapter provided an introduction to the
problem, the organizational context and mission of the PCUSD, the organizational goal and
related literature, and the importance of the evaluation study. This chapter also identified
teachers as the stakeholder group for the study. Key concepts and terminology related to Latino
males’ graduation rates were also discussed. The organization’s mission, goals, and stakeholders
and the conceptual framework for the project were introduced. Chapter Two provides a review of
the current literature regarding the topics of the study: Latino male graduation rates, barriers they
face in K–12 education, and teacher and counselor practices that impact these students’
persistence will be addressed. Chapter Three details the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences to be examined as well as the methodology used to select participants
and collect and analyze data. In Chapter Four, the data and results are assessed and analyzed.
Chapter Five provides solutions, based on data and literature, for closing the gaps as well as
recommendations for an implementation and evaluation plan for the solutions.
14
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Only half of Latino males, as of 2011, finish high school (Contreras, 2011). According to
Child Trends Data Bank (2018), males, ages 16-24, were 59% more likely to be high school
dropouts. The problem of lagging graduation rates among Latino males in the United States is of
utmost importance because of its economic implications. Based on U.S. Census data indicating
that by 2044, minorities will comprise at least 50% of Americans (Colby & Ortman, 2015).
Reducing Latino males’ dropout rate and increasing their high school graduation rate will
positively impact society because these males will have improved economic prospects (Kroeger
& Gould, 2017). The review begins by looking at comparison data in the research showing
Latino males’ increased likelihood of dropping out and the existence of gender and racial gaps in
high school graduation rates (Editorial Projects in Education, 2016; Heckman & LaFontaine,
2010).
Following this is an overview of literature touching on significantly lower Latino males’
graduation rates, the impact of Latino immigrants on the national high school graduation rate,
and individual and contextual factors that predict high school completion. Subsequently, I will
review effective instructional practices that motivate Latino males, school organizational
policies, and characteristics of schools and personnel that support graduation rates. Following the
general literature review, I will review the role of the teacher and knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences on Latino males’ successful completion of high school. The lens
through which I conducted this inquiry is Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis model.
15
Influences on Latino Males and High School Graduation Rates
Historical Perspective
Studies have found that Latino males are at higher risk of dropping out of high school due
to several factors. Rumberger et al. (2008) found that high school dropout rates are higher for
minority boys, particularly Latino males, than for their Asian and White counterparts. This
process starts in early elementary, and the likelihood of dropping out of high school is
particularly correlated with low achievement beginning in the early years of schooling. In later
years of schooling, the low achievement is accompanied by chronic absenteeism, which
demonstrates that students have become disengaged. The authors’ finding further correlates to
family, school, and community characteristics (Rumberger et al., 2008). Chronic absenteeism is
compounded by the greater likelihood of Latino males being placed into special education and
being suspended and expelled at high rates, resulting in less engagement and distancing them
from attaining their high school diploma (Noguera et al., 2011). These factors impact the dropout
rate, and Campbell (2015) noted that dropouts are more likely to face economic hardship by not
completing high school.
Nearly one-third of Latino children live below the poverty line. Noguera et al. (2011)
asserted there is a Latino male crisis due to social and economic inequalities that ultimately
disenfranchise these males from educational opportunities. Fergus et al. (2014) found an
overrepresentation of Latino males in educational categories associated with lack of academic
achievement, such as placement in special education and increased dropout and suspension rates.
These students are less represented in educational categories associated with academic success
like enrollment in Advanced Placement, honors, and gifted classes. Such social and economic
16
disparities create a school system segregated by race and class manifested through a
disproportionate number of Latino boys who are failing.
This study focused only on Latino males’ high school graduation rates. Important
comparison points are brought forth to understand how these males compare to other males of
color, females, and White males. All of the above influences and documentation of struggle for
the Latino high school male has negative consequences for society and Latino men (Rumberger
et al., 2008). Huerta (2015) and Noguera et al. (2011) found that community influences, such as
gangs and drugs, prevent Latino males from graduating high school, leaving them feeling
alienated at home and at school.
Current Research on Latino Males
Current research found a gender gap in educational achievement between Latino males
and females that is starting to be regarded as a crisis. This trend of lower educational
achievement between minority males and females is seen as early as pre-school among Latinos
and African Americans (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). Cooper and Sanchez (2016) found a
statistically significant difference between males and females when comparing male versus
female achievement. On the 2009 National Assessment for Educational Progress, minorities
made up a large portion of the “below basic” scoring group, with Latino males performing
significantly worse than Latina females (Cooper, n.d.). The gap is wider in higher education,
where Saenz and Ponjuan (2009) describe the Latino male as vanishing as a result of a lack of
preparedness tracing back to early schooling. This lack of preparedness begins in what Saenz and
Ponjuan dubbed the cycle of failure and shame, where males become socio-psychologically
disengaged and exhibit discipline problems. Such behavior becomes characterized by mental
17
health indicators, including more suicide attempts, nonfatal suicidal behavior, and depression
(Lee & Ahn, 2012).
Can Schools Make a Difference?
Noguera (2012) asked what schools can do to make a difference for Latino boys. With
dropout rates above 50%, educational solutions have emerged to address this problem. The
rationale for these solutions is apparent because Latino boys consistently score very low on all
achievement measures (Schott, 2010). One attempt at a solution is single-sex public schools, but
there is little to no evidence of positive academic outcomes (Hubbard, 2002). Noguera (2012)
believes that the reason for this is the lack of vision in how to serve students with high needs
through appropriate instructional support.
Schools with positive school cultures, high graduation rates for students from low-
income backgrounds, and poor neighborhoods do exist. Evidence from the Schott Foundation
(2010) shows four U.S. states where Black males outperform White males in graduation rates,
demonstrating that minority males can succeed in schools where the challenges seem daunting.
Saenz and Ponjuan (2009) posited that Latino males are directed to alternate life and career
paths, with only 73% completing high school and 20% dropping out. Saenz and Ponjuan
suggested that we must focus on points of transition between middle and high school or high
school and community college and examine the problems of high turnover, a lack of funding,
unqualified teachers, and inexperienced leadership.
According to Schott (2010), strong school leaders emphasize creating positive
connections among faculty, students, parents, and the community and create learning
environments of highly affirmative, personalized educational experiences with a plethora of
supports like counselors, mentors, and early intervention opportunities (Schott, 2010). Carey
18
(n.d.) looked at the social support that low-income Latino adolescent males need to successfully
navigate high school and the college experience while facing family-based challenges that can
discourage them and cause them to doubt themselves. Carey (n.d.) suggested that high schools
need to also provide social support in a pre-emptive manner by formulating policies and
procedures whereby counselors and educators address the factors that influence Latino males
thinking about college preparation.
Factors that Predict High School Graduation and College Access for Latino Males
Motivation and encouragement in the home and caring by teachers in the
school can positively influence Latino male high school completion rates and setting
postsecondary goals. Carey (2016) found that Latino boys who receive encouragement and
motivation in their schooling from caring teachers and parents are conflicted because of their
strong ties to family, what Carey termed familismo. These ties create dissonance because of the
family’s desire for the young male to attend college while expecting that they will contribute to
the family financially. Cultural family values drive Latino boys’ sense of obligation to support
their family’s well-being and sense of self-sacrifice, often rejecting traditional U.S. values
aligned with individualism (Suárez-Orozco & Suárez-Orozco, 1995; Valdes, 1996; Valdez,
2008).
Carey (2016) defined familismo as a core cultural value in Latino families where family
is central and calls into question whether a college-going future is possible after high school. For
that reason, the researcher proposed that building a college-going identity for Latino males must
come alongside sociocultural factors of family as important considerations. Garza and Soto
(2014) discussed what they termed the ethic of caring whereby Latino males feel that teachers
19
care about their academic and social-emotional needs. This ethic of caring could help build a
strong academic identity around college-going and building Latino males’ self-efficacy.
Summary of General Literature
The factors that impact Latino males’ high school graduation begin in early schooling.
Gradually, from elementary school to high school, these students become disengaged from
school and become socially isolated from family and school personnel. Over the past three
decades, more than 50% of Latino boys have not made it past high school, having been
disproportionately placed in special education, suspended, and/or expelled. With low
achievement and school personnel who culturally do not understand Latino males, there is a
systematic expectation of low achievement and belief that these students lack the ability to
achieve due to their circumstances. Cultural biases in how students are referred to special
education and are punished through suspensions and expulsions must be addressed. While there
are challenges to completing high school, Latino males also have opportunities to have
successful schooling experiences when the school culture is built around caring and building
relationships.
Clark and Estes’s Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences Framework
Clark and Estes (2008) designed a framework that allows for organizations to analyze
their current performance gaps and achieve their business performance goals. A systematic way
to analyze gaps in performance was developed that considers knowledge and skills, motivation,
and organizational factors (Clark & Estes, 2008). Clark and Estes identified three critical factors
for individual and team gap analysis: the knowledge and skills of those in the organization, how
motivated individuals and teams are to accomplish performance goals, and potential
organizational barriers. Clark and Estes consider the metaphor of people as cars where
20
knowledge is the engine and transmission, motivation is the fuel, and organizational factors
provide the road and conditions to arrive at the intended destination. Krathwohl (2010) identified
domains of knowledge within a revised taxonomy of knowledge types: factual knowledge,
conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. When a
knowledge gap exists, people may need to receive knowledge through training and improved
communication (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Additionally, Clark and Estes (2008) identified choice, persistence, and mental effort as
key features of motivation. When people are motivated and invested, they work toward
accomplishing the organization’s performance goals. The third factor identified are
organizational influences that may create barriers to accomplishing the performance goals (Clark
& Estes, 2008). The authors describe the importance of having an effective work process and
material resources to support accomplishing the performance goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Clark
and Estes emphasize that organizational culture impacts work processes and suggest cautionary
approaches when considering change programs to ensure effective management.
The three features of Clark and Estes’s (2008) knowledge, motivation, and organization
(KMO) gap analysis were addressed in this study in terms of teachers’ knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences that will affect increasing the Latino male high school graduation
rates by May of 2021. Each influence was examined in its own section, with sections on KMO
gaps that affect the accomplishment of the stakeholder and organizational performance goals. In
Chapter Three, the methodology for stakeholder influences on performance is described.
21
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
This chapter will review the literature on knowledge- and motivation-related influences
correlated to increasing Latino males’ graduation rates in the PCUSD. For the purposes of this
paper, the PCUSD is a pseudonym for a K-12 school district in Southern California.
Knowledge and Skills
Individuals and teams’ knowledge and skills are essential to problem solving in
organizations (Aguinis & Kraiger; Clark & Estes, 2008; Grossman & Salas, 2011). Research has
found that performance can improve when there is a focus on individuals and teams in an
organization (Clark & Estes, 2008). Knowledge and skills acquired through training help to close
the gap between current performance and performance goals (Aguinis & Kraiger; Clark & Estes,
2008; Grossman & Salas, 2011). Individuals need to have knowledge and skills to be successful
in schools and classrooms, their organizational contexts. Rueda (2011) used the gap analysis
framework to examine reasons for performance issues with educational reforms and asserted that
one cause for this is a knowledge gap. The researcher, however, postulated that knowledge,
motivation, and organization gaps are dynamic and interconnected, such that all must be
considered when contemplating how to solve performance issues (Rueda, 2011).
Clark and Estes (2008) presented the knowledge gap as a part of the KMO gap analysis
framework. When job performance issues are identified and linked with knowledge and skills
gaps, finding improvements to address these issues happens under certain conditions: (a) when
people in the organization do not know how to achieve their performance goals and (b) when
innovative problem solving is required (Clark & Estes, 2008). When it is determined that
knowledge and skills are the reason for a gap in performance, targeted solutions can be
categorized into information, job aids, training, and education. To fully address organizations’
22
performance, KMO gap analysis can help achieve positive performance outcomes (Clark &
Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011)
Within the knowledge dimension, there are four types of knowledge: factual, conceptual,
procedural, and metacognitive (Krathwohl, 2002; Rueda, 2011). According to Krathwohl (2002),
factual knowledge is basic, foundational knowledge of a discipline that involves the cognitive
process required to recognize and recall information in long-term memory. An illustration of
factual knowledge at an educational institution is teachers knowing the basic design of a lesson
plan and recounting what happened in a lesson (Santagata & Angelici, 2010).
Conceptual knowledge can be described as the interrelationships among facts and
concepts that allow for constructing a conceptual framework to help the learner better organize
their knowledge, making it easier to retrieve and apply (Krathwohl, 2002; Bransford & National
Research Council, 2000). A specific example of conceptual knowledge is teachers taking what
they know about their students’ cultural backgrounds and using an instructional model that
incorporates aspects of that cultural background to make teaching more culturally relevant.
The third dimension of knowledge is procedural and includes the “how to.” It involves
knowing specific skills, algorithms, techniques, and criteria for applying a particular method or
procedure (Krathwohl, 2002). Teachers knowing how to write a lesson plan using a specific
protocol is an example of procedural knowledge.
The last knowledge dimension is metacognitive knowledge, which can be described as
knowledge, self-knowledge, and self-awareness about cognition (Krathwohl, 2002; Pintrick,
2002; Rueda, 2011). Being able to reflect and act upon learning and the process of learning
expands one’s self-knowledge, thereby allowing one to adapt their thinking and actions (Mayer,
2011; Pintrich, 2003; Rueda, 2011). An example of metacognitive knowledge is a teacher
23
modeling for students how to use specific comprehension strategies while reading and
connecting concepts from a math textbook (Pintrich, 2003).
All of the knowledge dimensions are necessary for teachers and students to be effective
and impact learning, but this study centered on the organizational goal of improving Latino
males’ graduation rates at the PCUSD and metacognitive knowledge’s influence on learning.
Mayer (2011) emphasized that metacognitive knowledge leads an individual to reflect on the
how-to of learning and the process of learning specific content. Four metacognitive knowledge
influences were analyzed: (a) teachers need knowledge of how to engage Latino male students,
(b) need to know the methods that increase Latino male students engagement, (c) need the
knowledge of how to develop strong, consistent relationships with these students, and (d) need
the knowledge of how to create effective, engaging lessons that create clarity in how to achieve
content outcomes. These metacognitive knowledge influences will help evaluate the teachers’
and students’ knowledge and skills to help them accomplish the organization’s goal of providing
all students with a high-quality student-centered educational program and promote their
academic, personal, and social growth.
Teacher Awareness and Student Engagement. It is important that teachers have the
capacity to reflect on knowledge and skills needed to increase Latino male students’ engagement
and learning. This effort by teachers and schools to decrease students’ disconnection and
disengagement needs to start in early schooling (Halx, 2014). Nuttall and Doherty (2014), in an
inquiry into vulnerable, disadvantaged populations in the U.K., found that teachers need to adopt
tailored practices because of the difficulty and challenge of nurturing and educating students.
This in-depth teacher inquiry allowed teachers to look beyond achievement data that may mask
educational debts among vulnerable populations (Nuttall & Doherty, 2014). Leutwyler (2009)
24
noted that instructional practices and conventional curricula do not support students’
metacognitive thinking practices. For teachers, promote students’ self-awareness and self-
reflection requires that they also model and value these practices (Ellis et al., 2014).
Halx (2014) maintained that traditional pedagogy does not reach Latino males and that
Latino males’ current state of education is evidence of the failure of traditional pedagogy. The
researcher advocated for a pedagogy that is more student-centered and self-reflective. Ensuring
that the classroom is a supportive environment that engages students improves the likelihood that
students will graduate from high school with the skills to succeed in a global economy. Murnane
(2013), in an examination of patterns in high school graduation rates over 40 years, attributed the
racial/ethnic gap in high school graduation rates to a dearth of skills, behaviors, and family
attributes. Teachers’ practice of self-reflection allows them to improve students’ self-awareness
to monitor their academic progress. The capacity of a teacher to reflect on their pedagogical
knowledge and skills has positive implications for student learning and goal setting (Pintrich,
2003; Zimmerman, 2000).
Knowledge of Teaching Methods to Increase Latino Student Engagement.
Addressing the problem of Latino boys dropping out of high school requires a careful analysis of
the type of knowledge needed to situate teaching methods against a cultural backdrop that
considers the reasons for their traditional underachievement. Halx (2014) considered critical
pedagogy necessary to reach marginalized students. This pedagogy is about the teacher’s ability
to develop a mindset that makes content learning more student-centered, relevant, and reflective.
On behalf of the teacher, it requires awareness and empathy of the student that goes beyond a
standardized set of pedagogical tools (Halx, 2014). Essentially, it is the interplay of pedagogical
knowledge and cultural understanding that inform action. Specific pedagogical knowledge of
25
how to design and deliver effective instruction that is developmentally appropriate is critical for
teachers when considering how to reach Latino males (Campos, 2013).
Campos (20123) suggested that this teacher knowledge of classroom practices requires
fully evaluating whether methods engage Latino students in critical thinking and learning; how
they know that instruction is meaningful, challenging, and sufficiently motivational such that it
impacts academic content learning; and how one knows if the student developed the confidence
to persist despite difficult content. Noguera (2012) extended this knowledge to teaching methods
that design a positive learning environment. Gurian (2005) suggested, with promising
achievement data, that creating boy-friendly environments where lessons are fast-paced and
immersion in the learning reduces or replaces lecture time should be considered as pedagogy
changes. Teachers who bring these knowledge and skills regarding engagement practices to
Latino males should be more equipped to prepare students to succeed in high school toward the
greater goal of applying these skills in college and career (Rueda, 2011).
Cooper (2014) found that connective instruction practice was seven times more
predictive of student engagement than other engaging teaching practices. This mixed-methods
study analyzed why engagement was different and how engagement varied. It was found that
when looking within a classroom, 71% of the variance in differences in student engagement were
attributed to rigorous teaching practices while 29% of the variance was attributed to individual
differences in students. Latino student engagement scores were lower on connective instruction
compared to females and other racial groups. This study suggested that adolescents’ identity
development was connected to what Cooper (2014) called the core of student-teacher
relationships: connective elements that are described as teachers who care, understand, affirm,
and use humor. Campos (2013) emphasized both the importance of making connections with
26
Latino boys, valuing their life experiences, and emphasizing the importance of providing
students with opportunities to talk and engaging them in collaborative learning.
Table 2 outlines the organizational mission, organizational and stakeholder goals,
knowledge influences, knowledge types, and knowledge influence assessments. The knowledge
influences include metacognitive, declarative/conceptual, and procedural knowledge and skills
needed to achieve the organizational goal of preparing students for college, career, global
citizenship, and lifelong learning.
27
Table 2
Knowledge Influences, Types, and Assessments for Knowledge Gap Analysis
Organizational Mission
The Port Century Unified School District’s mission is to provide all of its students with a
high-quality student-centered educational program and to promote their academic,
personal and social growth.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, PCUSD will increase the adjusted cohort graduation rate for Latino males
to 100%.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2022 100% of teachers utilize research-based strategies that are more effective at
engaging Latino male students
Knowledge Influence
What knowledge or skills
do employees need to achieve
the organizational goal?
Knowledge Type
(i.e., declarative
actual or
conceptual,
procedural, or
metacognitive).
Knowledge Influence
Assessment
Teachers need knowledge of
how to engage Latino male
students
Metacognitive Survey & interview teachers
to demonstrate their
understanding of engaging
Latino males & discern their
understanding of predictors
of dropping out
Teachers need to know the
methods that increase
student engagement,
particularly Latino students
Declarative
(conceptual)
Survey teachers to identify,
classify or categorize
instructional strategies that
engage Latino males
Teachers need knowledge of
how to develop strong,
consistent relationships with
Latino students
Metacognitive
Survey on teachers self-rating
of their metacognitive
cultural intelligence
regarding Latino males
Teachers need knowledge of
how to create effective,
engaging lessons that create
clarity for Latino male
students in how to achieve
content outcomes
Procedural Document analysis – lesson
plans and student work can
show evidence of using
engagement
methods/strategies
28
Motivation
The ensuing brief literature review focuses on motivation-related influences germane to
teachers’ utilizing research-based strategies that are more effective at engaging Latino males.
First, a brief overview of the general motivation literature will be discussed, addressing what
motivation is, why it is important, and how key dimensions have implications for teachers.
Rueda (2011) described achievement or academic motivation as learners’ beliefs about their own
identity as learners relative to engagement in learning tasks and activities. Mayer (2011)
describes motivation as being an internal process that starts and sustains goal-directed behavior.
In a school setting, teachers and students are similarly affected by motivational factors, yet
Rueda noted that motivational performance problems are not systematically addressed because
of underlying assumptions that problems are due to gaps in knowledge. Three features of
teacher-motivated performance are active choice, persistence, and mental effort to pursue student
achievement (Clark & Estes, 2008). Three motivational constructs discussed in the subsequent
parts of this study are self-efficacy theory, attribution theory, and expectancy value theory. These
motivational theories were used to focus on teachers’ ability to control Latino males’ successes
or failures on learning tasks or activities, teachers’ self-efficacy in their ability to instruct and
support a mastery learning environment effectively, and teachers’ need to see the utility value in
changing their instructional practices to meet the needs for Latino males.
Attribution Theory. Attribution theory is useful in understanding why learners
experience successes and failures (Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Rueda, 2011). Attribution
theory is also helpful in understanding a learner’s motivation (Anderman & Anderman, 2006).
Both environmental and personal factors affect learners. Weiner (1985) described three facets of
attributions through which a learner tries to understand the cause of unexpected outcomes,
29
particularly in school settings: stability, locus, and control. Weiner (1985) considered these
characteristics of a given attribution to be of the utmost importance, thus influencing underlying
and continued motivation. When looking at locus, one must ask whether the outcome is due to
internal or external attributes. If a teacher feels students are successful due to the teacher’s innate
ability to engage students, the teacher feels that the outcomes are due to an internal cause. Rueda
(2011) referred to stability as attributions that are either temporary or permanent. If a teacher
believes their failure is due to their students’ internal abilities, this belief explains why students
fail and lead to the teacher’s negative expectations for performance, thus affecting their
motivation to persist in influencing achievement. Control refers to the extent that one can control
or not control outcomes.
Teachers tend to explain student achievement in terms of student characteristics
(Tollefson et al., 1990). Teachers most often attributed low achievement by students to lack of
motivation and family as causes for their low achievement. Lucas et al. (2009) documented that
teachers’ responses to students vary depending on whether the teacher believed the student’s
failure was attributed to uncontrollable or controllable factors. When student failure was
attributed to that which is uncontrollable (i.e., lack of ability), teachers responded with empathy.
In contrast, when it was considered controllable (i.e., effort), teachers responded with anger.
Many Latino boys who are unsuccessful in school give up because teachers do not know how to
respond to their motivational issues (Campos, 2013).
Self-Efficacy Theory. Self-efficacy, according to Rueda (2011), looks at an individual’s
self-concept while participating in a task and examines their beliefs about their ability to
accomplish a task. Self-efficacy is rooted in social-cognitive theory (Bandura, 2000); as
30
individuals look at their self-efficacy, it influences their belief in what they are capable of
achieving, and they become motivated to persist as a result of their accomplished experiences.
Teachers of Latino males need to believe they can effectively impact these students’
academic achievement, thereby motivating them to set goals to graduate from high school.
Noguera (2012) noted that teachers are essential to these students’ success and that their ability
and skills are critical ingredients. Table 3 outlines the assumed motivational influences on
teachers.
31
Table 3
Assumed Motivation Influences
Organizational Mission
The Port Century Unified School District’s mission is to provide all of its students with a high-
quality student-centered educational program to promote their academic, personal and social
growth.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, PCUSD will increase the adjusted cohort graduation rate for Latino males to
100%.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2022, 100% of teachers utilize research-based strategies that are more effective at
engaging Latino students.
Assumed Motivation Influences Motivational Influence Assessment
Attributions – Teachers should feel Latino
males’ self-efficacy and performance have to
do with their ability to successfully and
effectively instruct and support a mastery
environment
Written survey item
“Latino males’ achievement is strongly
influenced by my lesson design and the
amount of engagement incorporated.”
(Likert Scale – To what extent do you
agree or disagree with this statement)
Interview Item:
“What are some of the reasons for Latino
males’ success or failure in your
classroom?”
Self-Efficacy – Teachers of Latino males need
to believe that they are capable of effectively
impacting Latino males’ academic
achievement, thereby motivating them to set
goals to graduate from high school
Written survey item
“I feel confident about my ability to
academically prepare Latino males for
high school graduation through goal
setting.”
Utility/Expectancy Value – Teachers need to
see the value in changing their instructional
practices to meet Latino males’ needs
Written survey item: “It is important for me
to use engaging instructional practices to
meet the needs of Latino males.”
32
Utility Value. Utility value, according to Dever (2016), looks at perceptions of learning
in terms of how useful the learning is to an individual’s goals and plans for the future. Wigfield
and Eccles (1995, 2002) defined value as the importance one places on the task at hand and
examined four dimensions of task value: attainment, intrinsic, utility, and cost value. Eccles and
Wigfield (1995) asked whether perceived utility value is a stronger predictor of an adolescent’s
continued motivation to participate in a given academic task given its relevance to their future
goals. The researchers found that adolescents value activities where they do well or excel as a
result of values and ability perceptions being directly aligned.
Teachers need to see the value in changing their instructional practices to meet Latino
males’ needs. Johnson and Sinatra (2013) asserted that utility value is a strong predictor of effort
and achievement, while Cole et al. (2008) found a significant relationship between utility value
and direct effects on student effort, thus emphasizing the importance that students equate with
task usefulness and their effort and likelihood to engage with a task. Johnson and Sinatra
suggested that a theoretical implication that emerges from their findings on connections between
student conceptual change and engagement with an academic task is that utility value is a strong
predictor of student achievement because of its resultant impact on engagement. If utility value is
strongly correlated with student achievement, then teachers must incorporate instructional
strategies to increase the value that Latino males place on their coursework as it relates to college
and career outcomes. The motivation to actively engage in a task varies by individual, based on
what Johnson and Sinatra described as educational intentions that may be focused on career
aspirations or a confirmatory approach that affirms the student’s excellence as a pupil.
33
Organization
This section will review the literature on organization-related influences pertaining to the
global goal of increasing Latino males’ high school graduation rate at PCUSD.
General Theory. Organizational influences result in teacher performance gaps when
applying instructional strategies that impact Latino male achievement and, in the aggregate, have
an impact on these students’ high school graduation rates. Despite having highly motivated,
knowledgeable, and skilled individuals in an organization, Clark and Estes (2008) pointed out
that performance gaps can still exist if there is organizational misalignment due to ineffective
and inefficient work processes and lack of resources.
Organizational culture impacts all efforts to achieve organizational success and can be
either obstructive or effectual. Schein (2017) defined the culture of a group as shared accrued
learning that shapes how the group responds to problems and delineates for new group members
the right way to understand and react to those problems. This learning comprises the system of
norms, values, and beliefs and becomes assumptions that are not apparent. Success is defined
when the organization’s goals are accomplished as a result of the alignment and smooth work
processes (Clark & Estes, 2008). Clark and Estes (2008) emphasized the importance of an
intricate and efficient system of work processes that consolidates many work procedures and
involves individuals with specialized knowledge, skills, and motivation. Gallimore and
Goldenberg (2001) stated that cultural models refer to shared mental schema about how the
world works, and cultural settings are occasions when multiple people come together to
undertake work they find to be meaningful and thus come to create a culture.
Stakeholder Specific Factors. Teachers work in schools and classrooms, spending much
of their time delivering content instruction and interacting with students (Gallimore &
34
Goldenberg, 2001). The system of norms, values, and beliefs in a school describes its cultural
model (Schein, 2017). As Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) pointed out, cultural settings and
models matter when engaging Latino students and understanding their underachievement. Halx
(2014) stated that Latino students’ needs are not being met with current pedagogical models due
to teachers with a culture of low expectations and deficit thinking. Lopez (2016) found that
teachers who use a culturally responsive teaching model and think of student culture as an asset
can reduce disparities in achievement. Performance gaps in a learning organization can be
attributed to an institution’s cultural considerations (Rueda, 2011). Three key organizational
influences could be conducive to a changed culture: opportunities for collaborative teams to
address Latino males’ needs, organizational training on effective strategies and cultural
understanding, and providing effective modeling and mentoring that involve frequent feedback.
Culture That Needs to Focus on Collaborative Team Inquiry. Bringing about a cultural
shift in the PCUSD learning organization requires a change in collaborative team processes and
the current system of values, norms, and beliefs that guide this approach. There is a current work
process to support teachers working on collaborative teams, but it is ineffective because of its
lack of consistent focus on student learning. DuFour et al. (2008) found that the collaborative
professional learning community process can be transformative because they bring professional
educators together as a team to focus on evidence of student learning to drive instructional
improvement.
Clark and Estes (2008) discussed how some people view culture in groups from an “I”
perspective, valuing individual initiative, responsibility, and competition or a “we” perspective,
valuing working cooperatively, sharing responsibility, and building consensus. The culture in
education has relied for decades on teachers individually making instructional decisions and
35
determinations despite the current shift across the U.S. to teacher collaborative teams (DuFour,
2015). This conflict is still present in the PCUSD, and an organizational shift is necessary that
may also involve knowledge and motivational influences to overcome this barrier.
Building a Culture of Trust. It is important that a culture of trust permeate an
organization. Open communication and demonstration of concern by those in supervisory roles
lead to trust (Krosgaard et al., 2002). Having faculty and staff who trust the administration at
PCUSD is key to achieving the organizational goal of all Latino males graduating from high
school and being prepared for college and career. A systemic change is needed to achieve this
organizational goal and will require changes to organizational processes in the classroom. To
achieve these changes, teachers and administrators will need to work together to make changes
in the classroom. Agoc (1997) highlighted that groups within the organization sometimes
respond to calls for change as if they were personal attacks. Given the traditional oppositional
politics between district administration and teachers’ bargaining units, it is likely that the
administration will need to navigate this dynamic, making a case for change, reducing fear of the
unknown, and establishing an organizational culture that allows for learning from failure and
trying new techniques and strategies.
Morrison and Milliken (2000) pointed out that there are conditions that characterize
numerous organizations regarding the fostering of a culture of organizational silence: lack of
trust of employees and a belief that management knows best. Site administrators at PCUSD need
to establish trust with teachers and provide them with the knowledge and training to skillfully
apply new learning to increase Latino males’ engagement in the classroom. Teachers may be
reluctant or resistant to try new methods to engage students using more effective instructional
strategies, especially if they perceive that it will be used against them in their formal evaluation.
36
Collective Understanding of Students’ Cultural Backgrounds. An organizational change
that looks at how teachers embrace students’ cultural backgrounds and make necessary
pedagogical changes could have a powerful impact on how an entire school district achieves its
global organizational goal of increasing graduation rates. At PCHS, 64% of the staff do not
reflect the school’s primarily Latino/a student body, which could imply a lack of cultural and
community awareness and experience: 53.1% of teachers are female, and 46.9% are male.
Having many years of experience in the same setting allows teachers to develop cultural
competence that is an advantage in the classroom. On average, teachers in the PUSD have 12
years of teaching experience, with 59 first-year teachers who were hired in the past 5 years
(California Department of Education [CDE], 2020). Rumberger (2012) shed light on the
relationship between engagement and achievement for students of color: (a) the cultural
discontinuity model focuses on differences between ethnic culture and mainstream culture that
may affect social and cognitive processes, and (b) the cultural ecological model looks at
discriminatory institutional and policy practices that may stigmatize individuals of particular
ethnic groups who typically are seen as underachievers, compelling them to disengage from a
system where they believe they are set up to fail. Rumberger (2012) posited that teachers’
interactive, assets-based instructional practices support minority students’ engagement.
Narrowing the Focus to a Few High-Impact Instructional Strategies. Teachers need to
be guided by the organization’s goals to focus on providing the knowledge, resources, and
training to effectively use high-impact, high-leverage instructional strategies to engage students
in a relevant way connected to students’ college and career goals and interests. Rumberger
(2012) emphasized that engagement matters for multiple reasons because (a) it is essential to
learning, (b) can be detected early on in schooling, (c) establishes persistence in students that is
37
needed if one is going to graduate from high school and beyond, and (d) students who become
engaged can improve their achievement. The organization can systematically provide training,
coaching, and feedback and identify a few key strategies that can be applied schoolwide. The
organization can set up strategic achievement and graduation goals that can be achieved through
a narrowed focus on high-quality instructional strategies that impact students’ levels of
engagement.
Strategic Planning to Intervene Across the System. There needs to be an organizational
strategic plan that identifies and intervenes when motivation and knowledge/skills gaps emerge
throughout a Latino male student’s school career. As Rumberger (2012) pointed out, at-risk
students’ engagement behaviors show up early on in schooling and are evident later when a
student is ready to drop out. Numerous individual and contextual factors are predictors of Latino
male students dropping out or making it to graduation. Rumberger (2012) referred to a “theory of
dropout prevention” that emerged from a deep analysis of dropout prevention programs that posit
that engagement in education and a student’s sense of belonging and community is affected by
student problems, thereby affecting achievement. Thus, it is important that educational
organizations identify the at-risk characteristics of students and remedy these prior to their
transition to high school and in early schooling (McCallumore, 2010).
Latino males are more likely to drop out because they are Latino, male, and come from
low-income backgrounds (Rumberger, 2012; Galster et al., 2015; Fergus et al., 2014; Chapman
et al., 2011; McKeon, 2015). School systems that have overcome socioeconomic influences
understand that students require strong social supports, have high expectations for good
instruction from their teachers, encourage the development of coherent curriculum, and have
strong leadership (Fergus et al., 2014). There have been various systemic initiatives that have
38
taken on the problem of low graduation rates among minority males, including single-sex
schools and the Expanded Success Initiative in New York City (Fergus et al., 2014; Klevan &
Villavicencio, 2017). Clark and Estes (2008) emphasized the importance of organizations’
setting goals that are clearly understood. A strategic plan aligned to goals tied to Latino males’
improved performance needs to span the K-12 experience and incorporate student-centered and
student-focused experiences (Halx, 2014). Both Fergus et al. (2014) and Halx (2014) emphasized
that traditional pedagogy and deeply ingrained teacher beliefs about Latino males and
achievement must be overcome to reach these students. To address the graduation rates, the
aforementioned factors must be addressed at a systems level while taking into account the
influences that are preventing this from occurring.
39
Table 4
Organizational Influences
Organizational Mission
The Port Century Unified School District’s mission is to provide all of its students with a
high-quality student-centered educational program and to promote their academic, personal
and social growth.
Organizational Global Goal
By May 2021, PCUSD will increase the adjusted cohort graduation rate for Latino males to
100%.
Stakeholder Goal
By May 2022, 100% of teachers utilize research-based strategies that are more effective at
engaging Latino males.
Assumed Organizational Influences Organization Influence Assessment
Cultural Model Influence 1: There needs to
be a trusting, collaborative culture among
faculty and administration that shifts from
an “I” culture to a “we” culture and
is focused on collaborative inquiry
regarding student learning.
Survey or interview questions on respondents’
individual beliefs about collaborative
cultures and their utility in bringing about
student learning as well as their willingness
to participate and become part of a
collaborative culture.
Cultural Model Influence 2: There needs to
be a culture where all faculty,
administration, and staff understand
students’ cultural backgrounds and
incorporate that into the school’s curricular
program.
Survey or interview questions about
respondents’ understanding of students’
cultural backgrounds and how they believe it
influences student engagement.
Cultural Setting Influence 1: Faculty need a
narrowed focus on high-quality
instructional strategies that impact students’
level of engagement.
Survey or interview questions about what the
focus of the district currently is and whether
a narrow focus would help with teacher skill
level and have an impact on student
engagement and motivation.
Cultural Setting Influence 2: There needs to
be an organizational strategic plan that
identifies and intervenes when there are
motivation and knowledge/skills gaps that
emerge throughout a Latino male student’s
school career.
Survey or interview questions about the value
of having an organizational strategic plan for
Latino males or students who are falling
behind.
40
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation, and
the Organizational Context
Maxwell (2013) explained that a study’s conceptual or theoretical framework tentatively
encompasses the ideas and beliefs held by the researcher(s) regarding what is being researched.
The theoretical framework serves as the underpinning for the research problem being examined
while also filling gaps in the current knowledge base (Merriam & Tidwell, 2016). These ideas
and beliefs are utilized to construct this theoretical model that will provide the researcher with a
way to test the study’s overall design, including its goals, questions, methodologies,
assumptions, and conclusions (Maxwell, 2013).
Maxwell (2013) referred to this as the theoretical framework and noted that it should
guide and provide direction during the research process, constructed with the consideration of the
following four components: (a) the researcher’s experiential knowledge, (b) existing theory and
research, (c) the researcher’s pilot and exploratory research and (d) thought experiments
(Maxwell, 2013). Slayton (n.d.) expanded the concept of a theoretical or conceptual framework
by alluding to it as interactive. Slayton emphasized the notion of an interactive conceptual
framework because its construction is subject to revision through an iterative process of applying
concepts deemed to be important to the study. The construction of an interactive conceptual
framework starts with the consideration of identifying key concepts from the literature review,
separately examining assumed influences from the knowledge, motivation, organization in Clark
and Estes’a (2008) gap analysis framework, and ultimately constructing the conceptual
framework by looking at the interaction of the KMO elements to answer research questions.
Once interactions between KMO influences and the establishment of the stakeholder location
within or outside of the organizational context have been concluded, a visual representation can
41
be created (Slayton, n.d.). The most dynamic conceptual frameworks are critically constructed
and non-traditional in that new ideas are applied from outside of given conventional fields of
study (Maxwell, 2013). Such critical construction and subjectivity within the conceptual
framework are important in the light of previous research inquiries (Maxwell, 2013).
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) preferred to use the term “theoretical framework” because it
connotes that the entire study is seen through this lens. In fact, Merriam and Tisdell pictured the
theoretical framework drawn from the literature, research problem, and purpose of the study as
three interlocking frames, with the theoretical encompassing the problem statement and the
problem statement encompassing the purpose of the study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
This study was informed by the constructivist and pragmatic worldviews. Creswell
(2014) described constructivism as generally associated with qualitative research and indicative
of a perspective where subjective meaning is derived from individuals’ experiences. An
understanding of the world is constructed based on people’s subjective perception of reality
(Maxwell, 2013). In the constructivist approach, researchers inductively derive meaning by
examining how individuals interact and by considering operative historical and cultural mores
(Creswell, 2014). This study’s purpose was to examine teachers’ instructional practices and
influences on Latino males. Furthermore, teachers’ assumptions, prior experiences, and everyday
reality shape their beliefs and perceptions (Maxwell, 2013). This worldview is also referred to as
social constructivism (Creswell, 2014), and the goal of constructivist research is to study
participants’ views as they construct meaning through interactions in given situations, shedding
light on the historical and cultural dynamics that are inherent to the participants’ settings.
Constructivist researchers want to understand how historical and cultural settings influence
42
people’s understandings of the world in which they live and work; thus, they tend to focus on the
“processes of interaction” in these contexts (Creswell, 2014).
The pragmatic worldview is the second worldview that influenced this study and focuses
on what Creswell (2014) describes as focused on actions, situations, and consequences.
Pragmatist researchers look at their research questions and problems and try to find the
appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies that will lead to a better understanding
of the research problem, what Creswell describes as multiple methods that will work for the
given situation (Creswell, 2014). For this study, a pragmatist paradigm will help me to explore
research questions on whether the instructional strategies utilized by high school teachers have
influenced Latino male high school graduation rates. Through a mixed-methods approach, I used
qualitative and quantitative research methods to generate knowledge that will allow practical
actions to follow that address the KMO gaps to be identified subsequently.
Using Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis framework, the assumed KMO influences
affecting Latino male high school graduation rates in relationship to teacher instructional
practices were separately analyzed. However, the interaction between the KMO influences is
needed for performance goals to be reached because the assumed influences work together to
address performance gaps (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Individuals’ effective performance in an organization depends on everyone clearly
understanding the organization’s goals. The conceptual framework used in this study entails the
interaction of the knowledge and motivation influences within the organizational context of the
PCUSD to achieve the organizational and stakeholder goals. The organizational global goal is to
increase graduation rates in the PCUSD to 100%, and the stakeholder goal is that all teachers
will utilize research-based strategies that are more effective at engaging Latino male students.
43
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between teacher knowledge and motivation within the
organizational context of the PCUSD and how this leads to increased Latino males’ graduation
rates. The large black circle in the figure represents the PCUSD organization and the types of
cultural models that are a part of it. Within the PCUSD, the cultural influences have to do with
how teachers see themselves in relation to the Latino male, pedagogical strategies used to engage
students, and how they relate (LeFevre, 2014; Rumberger, 2008; Schein, 2004, Schneider, Brief
& Guzzo, 1996; Senge, 1990). The ability to tap into students' cultural assets is important
because it assumes that students have capital that teachers can leverage in the classroom, thus
allowing them to provide culturally relevant and engaging instruction. Using the strengths and
assets that exist for a student builds off existing dreams and aspirations that Latino males already
possess and uses this as a point to build from when teaching (Aganza et al., 2015).
44
Figure 1
Conceptual Model Showing the Interaction of Stakeholder Knowledge and Motivation Within
Organizational Models and Settings
45
Teacher knowledge and motivation work together to bring about the outcome or
stakeholder goal. In the classroom, teacher knowledge and motivation must work together to
improve Latino male students’ self-efficacy and achievement. The black circle represents the
organization that is being studied, inclusive of the cultural backdrop and teacher knowledge and
motivational influences (red circles). Teacher knowledge and motivational influences are
influenced by the organizational culture and by their own inherent biases and beliefs. These must
work together to bring about stakeholder goals (gray rectangle) that are within the scope of
teachers. Collectively, teachers work together within the organization to impact the
organizational global goal.
The knowledge influences include declarative, metacognitive, and procedural as they
relate to teachers’ abilities and beliefs to have the know-how to reach Latino males using
research-based, engaging instructional strategies. The motivation influences include attributions,
self-efficacy, and utility value in relation to teachers’ motivation to utilize these strategies and
the value that they place on their use as they engage Latino males to inspire and motivate them to
fully participate and engage in the classroom and school as a whole. It is important that the KMO
influences come together to interact, influencing the attainment of the global goal (Clark &
Estes, 2008). The conceptual framework presented in this paper theorizes that when the teacher’s
knowledge and motivation are situated within an organizational culture that brings culture and
sociocultural theories together, the stakeholder goal can be achieved.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study was to evaluate Latino male graduation rates in the PCUSD by
examining teacher KMO influences and their impact on progress toward meeting graduation
requirements. Chapter Two reviewed literature on effective instructional practices that motivate
46
Latino males; current research on school experiences for Latino students; Latinos’
disproportionate representation in special education, as English learners and among low-SES
populations; effective and engaging instructional practices; school organizational policies;
characteristics of schools and personnel that support high school graduation and school
engagement; and learning challenges and social supports for Latino male students in elementary,
middle and high school. The literature review emphasizes the importance of Latino male
graduation rates for the PCUSD and their economic implications for Latino males across the
United States. Also presented in Chapter Two is the gap analysis framework that considers the
instructional practices of secondary teachers in PCUSD and their impact on Latino male
engagement in school and subsequent graduation rates. Chapter Three presents an explanation of
the methodology used to apply the gap analysis framework to PCUSD teachers to determine the
impact of teacher instructional practices on Latino male graduation rates.
47
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS
The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing instructional strategies and the
underlying reasons for the lower high school graduation rates among Latino males at PCHS.
Given the disparity in graduation rates between Latino males and White students across the
United States (Rumberger, 2011a), this study aimed to collect data on the impact of teachers’
awareness and use of instructional and motivational strategies on Latino male graduation rates
and school engagement. I selected a mixed-methods approach to fully understand, describe and
shed light on how the KMO influences are affecting Latino male high school graduation rates in
PCUSD. Below, the criterion and rationale are described as well as their alignment to the KMO
influences.
Using Clark and Estes’s (2008) KMO gap analysis framework, this chapter outlines the
research design and analyze data to better understand the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences that affect Latino males’ high school graduation and preparation for
college and/or career. Similarly, Rueda (2011) utilized the KMO framework and applied it to
solving performance issues related to student learning. With a special focus on Latino males, a
needs analysis was conducted to find out the knowledge and skill, motivation, and organizational
elements required to accomplish the PCUSD vision of having all students graduate from high
school fully prepared for college and career. This chapter briefly describes the inquiry problem,
its purpose, and research study questions, along with the methodological approach for data
collection, analysis, and rationale. Four questions framed this evaluation study:
1. To what extent is the organization meeting its goal of a 100% graduation rate for Latino
males?
48
2. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to achieving a
100% graduation rate for Latino males?
3. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context in the PCUSD as it
relates to teacher knowledge and motivation?
4. What are the recommendations for the Port Century Unified School District’s practice in
the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources?
Sampling Strategy and Timeline
Table 5 provides background on the sampling strategy, sample size, and timeline for each
method below. The methods that have N/A were not used in this study.
49
Table 5
Quantitative and Qualitative Methods Used in Study
Sampling
Strategy
Number in
Stakeholder
population
Number of
participants
from
stakeholder
population
Start and
End Date for
Data
Collection
Interviews: Individual
Interviews
Non-random,
Non-
probability,
stratified, and
purposeful
8 teachers and 1
staff
Of the 9
individuals,
all
volunteered
to be
interviewed
Oct 2020 to
May 2021
Documents: Achievement
data and any
publicly
released
information
and/or plans by
the CDE and
local education
agency (LEA)
and any
internal or
publicly
available
documents
made available
by the LEA
N/A N/A Oct 2020 to
May 2021
Surveys: Census sampling 29 of 189
teachers
The researcher
surveyed 28
teachers and
1 staff
Oct 2020 to
May 2021
50
Participating Stakeholders
This study evaluated the teachers’ role in making a difference in classroom and school
engagement over the Latino male student’s high school career. For this study, teachers were
selected as the stakeholders. Given the framing questions for this study, it is important that the
quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were aligned to the research questions. The
following sections describe the criterion and rationale as well as their alignment to the KMO
influences.
Survey Sampling Criterion and Rationale
Current PCHS teachers made up the survey sample. Data collection on teachers’
knowledge, skills, motivation, and organizational influences related to Latino male graduation
rates was imperative to answer Research Question 2 and evaluated the extent to which Research
Question 1 was answered with respect to the organization meeting its goal of a 100% graduation
rate and Research Question 3, allowing recommendations to be generated to address teachers’
instructional practices needs. Teachers have the most direct influence on Latino male students
because of the potential for daily opportunities and interactions that can positively or negatively
influence them versus other stakeholders in the PCUSD organization. Teachers have a strong
influence on whether a student drops out or disengages from school.
Survey Sampling Strategy and Rationale
For the survey (Appendix A), I asked all secondary teachers in grades 9 through 12 to
participate. There were 29 teachers in total. I used Census sampling, allowing for a survey of all
teachers at PCHS and allowed for a whole population to be studied (Johnson & Christensen,
2015). The individuals in the organization that have the most likely impact on Latino male
graduation rates are secondary teachers in the PCUSD. Teachers provided insights into the
51
problem of decreased graduation rates among Latino males. Census sampling was used to
administer the survey because, as Daniel (2012) pointed out, it eliminated random sampling error
and removed selection bias. There is an opportunity to use the entire group because it was a large
yet manageable size to survey and yielded necessary quantitative data to allow enough
meaningful data to be collected and analyzed to help answer the question of why Latino males
are not graduating at the same rates as their peers. Therefore, I sought total population
participation.
The conceptual framework presumed that teacher knowledge and motivation influence
the stakeholder goal and answer the first three research questions. The emerging themes were
representative of the entire set of teachers. A response rate of at least 80% was sought to help
ascertain potential underlying reasons for the low graduation rates. The electronic survey was
given at the beginning of data collection and sent out electronically to all participants via a link
to their email addresses. Each participant was invited to participate in the survey that was
disseminated to all teachers by the principal via email. The intent prior to COVID-19 was to
disseminate the survey prior to a school faculty meeting to take advantage of the time provided
in the context of a faculty meeting. COVID-19 circumstances required me to work virtually with
the school’s principal and leadership team. I requested that the school’s principal share the
survey with the faculty via email since there were no faculty meetings. I was invited to present
the study at a virtual meeting with the school’s leadership team, where she sent out the survey
link and requested assistance in soliciting participants. Responses were kept anonymous to
everyone except me.
52
Individual Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. A smaller group was sought to participate in individual interviews. Thirty
volunteers were selected for the interview and interviewed for an hour each. Volunteers indicated
if they would like to be interviewed on the survey. There was a cross-section of teachers with
more than 5 years and less than 5 years of teaching. The smaller group of the total population of
teachers allowed for more in-depth data collection given the compressed time frame. Both a
priori and ongoing sampling were utilized as themes emerged during individual interviews. The
researcher identified individuals through the individual interviews and constructed categories
that were a part of an evolving theory while also going into depth with a few substantive cases
(Gentles et al., 2015).
Criterion 2. New and veteran teachers were part of the larger populations. There was a
supposition that years of experience may matter in the ability to build rapport with students and
in the knowledge of how to implement pedagogical strategies that were more effective at
engaging students. Additionally, those who had longevity within the PCUSD had also been
exposed for a longer time to the surrounding organizational and community culture and may
have a higher cultural understanding, thereby relating and building relationships that were more
likely to impact students graduating from high school. Public school teachers with 2 years of
experience were considered brand new and in California had 2 years to prove their minimum
level of expertise. Teachers with 3 to 5 years’ experience have become acculturated and have
demonstrated a skillset that the site which administrators deemed effective at engaging and
connecting with students, yet they still may not use instructional strategies with ease. Teachers in
their fifth through 10th year may be more experienced and tend to expertly use instructional
strategies identified as more effective, and they have become routine classroom managers and
53
may be better at ensuring that learning occurs. Teachers with more than 10 years of experience
may either be teacher leaders or teachers who have settled into their career and may or may not
be considered effective.
Interview Sampling Strategy and Rationale
For interviews, the sampling was random and stratified (Creswell, 2014; Fink, 2013;
Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). A semi-structured interview protocol was utilized, allowing me to ask
follow-up questions as needed (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This was a part of the design because
it allowed for the multiple perspectives of teachers at PCHS to share their thoughts and ideas.
The researcher was aware that there are different levels of teaching knowledge and skills and
variable years of experience with similar demographics of students. Therefore, there needed to
be stratification initially when conducting individual interviews. In a stratified sample, Creswell
(2016) described that participants selected based on common group traits for a particular
stratified group were more likely to generally represent sentiments and views of the group as a
whole versus a non-stratified sample.
Explanation for Choices
The choices for data collection were survey and interview data. Observational data were
not used. Survey information was quantitative and required a statistical analysis that allowed me
to identify emerging themes that guided the remainder of the qualitative part of the researcher’s
mixed-methods data approach, utilizing surveys and interviews. The qualitative interview data
provided an expanded view of teachers’ knowledge and skills in the various areas identified in
the conceptual framework outlined earlier in this study.
54
Data Collection and Instrumentation
The aim of this descriptive study was to answer the research questions through the lens of
Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis framework and discover the underlying reasons for gaps in
actual and desired performance in the PCUSD. I sought out the KMO influences on Latino males
by examining teacher beliefs and instructional practices and determining whether these practices
directly impacted these students’ high school completion. Creswell (2014) described qualitative,
quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. He provided quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-
methods models for conducting a descriptive study that led to outcomes that help elucidate
meaning from data (Creswell, 2014). I selected a mixed-methods approach: the methods selected
were both qualitative and quantitative and aligned to the KMO influences.
Studies that are both quantitative and qualitative in design are considered to have mixed
methods (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Creswell (2014) discussed that a researcher can have dual
descriptive and inferential purposes within a study while simultaneously attempting to
understand the meaning, context, and process to understand social phenomena. The use of mixed
methods allowed for the application of both inductive and deductive approaches (Creswell,
2015). It was a thoroughly descriptive approach that provided me the flexibility to gather general
information while examining statistically significant elements and allowed for inductive
knowledge creation as well as in-depth methods, including surveys, questionnaires, and
interviews.
The pragmatic worldview emphasized the use of all available approaches as I focused on
deriving a thorough understanding of the research problem. My worldview was more pragmatic,
thus calling for the use of a convergent mixed-methods approach (Creswell, 2014). In Figure 2,
the convergent mixed-methods parallel design showed that both the quantitative and qualitative
55
data were collected using parallel constructs. Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004) prescribe a
mixed-methods research paradigm because they saw the value in bringing qualitative and
quantitative approaches together, drawing from the strengths of the quantitative and qualitative
research cultures. The authors asserted that anyone conducting research should carefully consider
when mixed methods can be beneficial and that more effective research can be conducted if
researchers accept and embrace this epistemological and methodological pluralism (Johnson &
Onwuegbuzie, 2004).
Figure 2
Convergent Parallel Research Design
56
Pragmatist researchers have used both quantitative and qualitative data because they have
based their research on intended outcomes, thus trying to explain both the what and the how
(Creswell, 2014). This called for a mixed-methods approach and provided the rationale for
seeking both a qualitative and quantitative approach. Having a specific context that included a
focus on high school Latino males’ graduation rates in the PCUSD, my principal focus was that
of a pragmatist and constructivist, utilizing a convergent mixed-methods approach for this study.
This allowed me to construct a more robust understanding of the problem through the
combination of two data sets (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017).
The study’s design mixed the qualitative and quantitative approaches across various
stages of research as suggested in the literature by having a simple three-stage design with the
first stage stating the research objective, the second stage involving data collection, and the third
stage being data analysis and interpretation (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004; Johnson &
Christensen, 2004; Creswell, 2014). Creswell and Plano Clark (2017) suggested that there should
be four steps, one of which precedes the analysis and interpretation of the data. This step called
for the interface and merging of the two sets of data. The resultant outcomes were separately
analyzed to verify quantitative or qualitative data against the other dataset for a confirmatory
purpose (Creswell, 2014). The results were then merged and interpreted. Creswell (2014)
indicated that qualitative and quantitative data collection can take on the traditional forms of
collection. This can be done by collecting data and interpreting it through the development of an
instrument or protocol, document analysis, interviews while quantitative researchers carefully
focused quantitative approaches that measured variables to find answers to generated hypotheses
and research questions. Such methodology included surveys and experimental design (Creswell,
2014).
57
The research design utilized a convergent mixed-methods design that involved following
the four steps suggested: collecting the quantitative and qualitative data in one phase, merging
the results, and then examining the themes to see how the data compared (Creswell, 2014;
Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017; Johnson & Christensen, 2004; Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004;).
Such a structured approach allowed quantitative and qualitative data to be collected
simultaneously within given time restrictions. Qualitative approaches are interviews and analysis
of documents (Creswell, 2014; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The convergent design was widely
used by researchers because of its ease of use, efficiency, and ability to be independently
collected and analyzed (Creswell & Plano, 2017).
This study included quantitative survey measures, document analysis, and individual
interviews. This allowed for multiple ways or methods for data collection, also known as
triangulation (McEwan & McEwan, 2003). According to Maxwell (2013), interview questions
are distinct from research questions. The distinction is that interview questions produce data to
understand the research questions while research questions seek answers on what the researcher
wanted to fully comprehend. In this study, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and document
analysis were utilized, allowing for the data to be interpreted inductively and identifying
emerging themes that linked Latino male high school graduation rates to teachers’ instructional
practices.
Furthermore, Maxwell (2013) saw qualitative studies as having four essential
components: research relationships of those being studied, the settings and individuals that one
observes or interviews, how data are collected, and how one makes sense of data. When
constructing interview questions and determining the settings that were studied, it was crucial to
consider the role of the researcher in establishing trusting relationships and being perceived as
58
non-threatening and supportive (Creswell, 2014; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This was essential
for the inquiry study because it allowed for an accurate picture of the KMO influences to
emerge, allowing the organization to accept the analysis and interpretation of the data and its
implications because it was collected in its purest form.
The quantitative component of this convergent design included descriptive statistics and
group comparisons derived simultaneously alongside a comparative thematic analysis from
triangulated methods, member checking, and descriptive narratives (Creswell, 2014; Creswell &
Plano, 2017). The study was bounded by the population of high school teachers within the
PCUSD. Study participants were recruited from within the school district to conduct in-depth
interviews to find out the perspectives of the stakeholder group on Latino male high school
completion and its relationship to the use of instructional strategies.
Documentation
Achievement data were readily available on the websites for the CDE and the local
educational agency (LEA). Other internally provided documents were utilized to examine Latino
male student achievement. This allowed me to align to the KMO questions regarding graduation
rates and college and career readiness, providing information about the extent to which
graduation rates were being met and the extent to which Latino males were college- and career-
ready. These were obtained from the state and district released public information and were
readily available on the district’s and state’s websites.
Qualitative In-Depth Interviews
I used a semi-structured interview protocol and conducted interviews virtually using the
Zoom application or by phone. Because of COVID-19, the USC Institutional Review Board
(IRB) did not allow in-person interviews. To meet this expectation, I did not hold the interviews
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were in person. The semi-structured interview protocol allowed me to formulate carefully
constructed questions while giving me an opportunity to probe and go in depth when necessary
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I conducted nine virtual interviews were conducted, and each was
approximately an hour long. The virtual interview protocol allowed me to understand teachers’
understanding of engagement, how they used instructional strategies to engage Latino males, and
their understanding of cultural and organizational influences that affect Latino male student
engagement and meeting of graduation requirements.
The questions elicited in-depth answers that unveiled teacher perceptions, knowledge of
engagement strategies, and how these were applied with Latino males in their classrooms and
across the organization to attain the organizational goal. The researcher interviewed teachers at
PCHS and discovered their perceptions, feelings, and thoughts on their instructional decision-
making with regard to Latino males’ graduation rates and ways that the organizational
environment has influenced their knowledge, skills, and motivation to reach Latino males toward
the completion of graduation requirements. Appendix B outlines the interview protocol and
provides a question list. I constructed questions in an intentional sequence that moved from a
broad, generalized understanding of engagement and use of instructional strategies to highly
specific questions about how teachers used instructional engagement strategies with Latino
males and how their understanding of cultural influences impact high school graduation rates.
The interview protocol consisted of interview questions that built on one another, were open-
ended, and aligned to the research questions regarding KMO gaps in performance (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
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Data Analysis
Once interviews were conducted, I transcribed interviews and began looking for
emerging themes and concepts that addressed the research questions for the KMO gap analysis
framework. I recorded the interviews electronically with the consent of the study participants. I
downloaded the recordings to a safe drive from the Zoom application. I examined each recording
individually and compared them for emerging themes. Member-checking was done by the
researcher throughout the interview process as the researcher ensured and checked with each
participant to verify meaning.
I noted observer comments while listening and transcribing (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I
created a codebook with shorthand designations when the analysis began, and this helped to
manage the data (Saldana, 2013). I created an inventory to help track and organize the entire set
of data, and I stored it in multiple places (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I used analytical or axial
coding (Charmaz, 2014; Corbin & Strauss, 2015) to group open codes into categories that helped
me find recurring patterns. I referenced the conceptual framework and cultural models and
utilized similar terms and language to organize themes.
When examining emerging themes, I referred to research by Glaser and Strauss (1967).
Glaser and Strauss (1967) developed the criterion to define when saturation, for a given
participant group, has been reached for a given study’s research categories. Saturation is
theoretically reached when sampling of a group can be stopped because no new themes emerge
from continued interviews. The researcher must make a determination regarding adequate data
collection, a notion that Sandelowski (2008) referred to as informational redundancy, and
Saunders et al. (2018) further delineated a perspective that identified when data saturation is
reached: when it becomes apparent that nothing new is evident. Similar to Strauss and Corbin
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(1998), I determined that while there was the potential for the emergence of new themes,
additional interviews would be counterproductive since more data would not necessarily add
anything to the overall story. I took this incremental approach, thereby looking at saturation, as
described by Sandelowski (2008), as an ongoing process that gave more insight the deeper one
goes and that does not occur at a certain point or particular juncture.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
Patton (2016) associated a researcher’s credibility or trustworthiness and rigorous
methods with the credible outcome of the research conducted. To have inherent trustworthiness
in the data, the researcher must be deemed to be competent. Furthermore, Merriam and Tisdell
(2016) stated that the qualitative research study is credible when the researcher demonstrates
intellectual rigor and has the requisite training and experience. My intent in this study was to find
connections between Latino male achievement, graduation rates, and engagement strategies used
by culturally knowledgeable teachers. Through an analysis of teacher instructional practices and
their disclosure of their knowledge, motivations, and commitment to organizational goals for
Latino males, I gained insights into how to improve their graduation rate and shared the
generalizable findings. As the principal of another comprehensive high school in another LEA in
Southern California, similar in its demographics to the PCUSD, I have a personal, vested interest
in learning how Latino males are engaged throughout their school experience.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) considered the question of validity to be an ethical question,
identifying seven standards that define the researcher’s relationship with research participants.
The collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and the study’s design influence the validity
and reliability of a research study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The four types of reliability or
validity that Salkind (2017) discussed are test-retest reliability, parallel forms reliability, internal
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consistency reliability, and interrater reliability. The key differences are that test-retest is about
taking the same test at different times, parallel forms reliability looks at two similar types of test,
internal consistency is about the reliability of the individual questions, and interrater reliability is
about how raters agree on the rating of the outcome(s).
Utilizing statistics was helpful in minimizing threats to reliability and validity. It was
important to minimize error to increase reliability. I increased reliability by having standardized
instructions, increased number of observations or items on the test, removal of items that were
not clear, having variance in types of questions so that no items were too easy or difficult, and
selecting a time that was not affected by outside events. There are three types of validity:
content, criterion, and construct. Construct validity measures an underlying psychological
construct. Criterion validity measures test taker competence, and content validity measures
whether items truly measure what the researcher wants to measure. To minimize threats to
validity, all items needed to relate well to the criterion and theoretical rationale (Salkind, 2017).
Since this was a mixed-methods study, both quantitative and qualitative criteria were
applied (Creswell, 2015). In this study, qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey were
utilized. Deriving an understanding of the perspectives of the teacher participants was key to
obtaining valid interpretations. Utilizing multiple methods of data collection, as suggested by
Merriam and Tisdell (2016), allowed me to triangulate data against interviews, survey data, and
state data about the school. As Patton (2015) noted, having multiple data sources increases
credibility and the quality of the study. Triangulation was a key strategy to ensure reliability and
validity (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
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Ethics
I utilized a mixed-methods approach to collect data and, as Merriam (2016) emphasized,
concentrated on conducting the study using an ethical approach to ensure trustworthiness.
Furthermore (2016), the study’s purpose focused on survey data and interviews that delved into
how teachers attribute meaning to their interactions and engagement of Latinos in the high
school classroom and how those experiences influenced Latino graduation rates, ultimately
answering the research questions, and leading to meaning making and understanding. I explained
to participants that the data they provided would be analyzed to explain the role of teachers’
instructional practices upon their engagement in school and how that influenced Latinos’
graduation rates.
I respected all human subjects and ensured that the information they voluntarily provided
was safe, secure, and kept confidential. I submitted the study to the IRB at the University of
Southern California, thus ensuring that all guidelines were strictly adhered to and participants’
rights and well-being were safeguarded. Each participant signed and submitted an electronic
consent form confirming their participation in the study with the option to withdraw at any time.
The PCUSD consented and approved of data collection for the study. Rubin and Rubin (2011)
underscored the importance of the researcher respecting and following through on promises,
from voluntary participation agreements to incentives to participants. During the survey and
interview process, I reminded all participants of the voluntary, anonymous nature of the study
with no repercussions for non-participation. Such respect was ensured by providing each
participant with an informed consent form that included clear language that the study was
voluntary; one could withdraw at any time, and there was a full understanding of the objectives
and purpose of the study.
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Additionally, I include the informed consent in the survey as an electronic and emailed
copy for all of the study’s participants, and I included disclaimer language on all invitations and
electronic communications, serving as a reminder that their participation was voluntary and
could be discontinued at any time. This ensured that participation was truly voluntary and
showed an ethical and caring approach. I did not collect IP addresses from surveys to further
protect anonymity. I kept the recordings and results of the survey on a separate encrypted and
password-protected hard drive stored in a location that only I had access to. After the study’s
completion, the recordings will be deleted.
The interviewees were teachers at PCHS. I was careful to ensure privacy and
confidentiality. Glesne (2011) and Merriam and Tisdell (2016) noted how important it is for
participants to be given privacy and the assurance that there would be no admonishments,
criticisms, or impact to performance evaluations for choosing to participate or not. Additionally,
I further assured participants that they could volunteer for the study and could stop their
participation at any time. I did not have an established formal relationship with teachers nor any
district or administrator in the PCUSD.
I am currently also a high school principal in another school district responsible for
student outcomes and teacher performance evaluations. Therefore, my potential bias may have
influenced the survey and interview design and question development. I reviewed the survey and
interview design and questions to ensure that biases were eliminated to the extent practicable. I
took measures to ensure that there was privacy, including the utilization of offsite locations in
private, reserved spaces (virtual and non-virtual options) if necessary, communication from my
personal/school email account, non-work-phone numbers, and personal/ personal information
calendar. This drew a distinction between my role as a professional in another educational K-12
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organization to be studied and my role as a research investigator responsible for conducting an
ethically guided research study based upon her educational research interests.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations that were immediately present in this study have to do with the fact that the
study’s participants were randomly selected and then stratified. Given this limitation and the fact
that the teachers selected were from one K-12 school district in Southern California, the
emerging findings may not be generalizable to all Latino males in high school within the
PCUSD. Data were based on teacher self-reports, survey, and interview information. The
interview protocols were designed to allow teachers to share their knowledge in an individual
setting. They constructed a group understanding that reinforced or created emerging themes
about their collective KMO gaps regarding Latino males achieving the organization’s
performance goal of a 100% graduation rate.
This study’s aim was to understand how teachers used engagement strategies with Latino
males and its impact on high school completion. There was a potential interplay between
teachers’ cultural understanding and instructional decisions about engaging Latino males. The
experiences of Latino males were not collected in this study, so this data cannot be triangulated
with the teacher interview data. Not having the perspectives of how Latino males regarding the
engagement strategies is a limitation of the study. Furthermore, we cannot know from Latino
males how they perceived whether teachers impacted their high school academic progress toward
earning a high school diploma. Since this study was based on one school district with a high
percentage of Latinos, it is not generalizable due to the limitation of it being only applicable to
the PCUSD.
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Conclusion
This study sought to understand why Latino males have a lower rate of high school
completion and the impact that teacher practices had on this population. Using a convergent
design mixed model approach for this study allowed for the collection of complementary
quantitative and qualitative data to further explore the gap within the organization and generate
insights about the national gap in Latino male graduation rates. This gap was the impetus that led
to the selection of a mixed-methods study. Fully understanding the reasons for the gap in
graduation rates will allow solutions to be generated that may be applied to a larger, national
context given the socioeconomic implications.
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CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS
This chapter relied on the gap analysis framework (Clark & Estes, 2008) to examine the
assumed causes that were delineated in Chapter Three and provided broader insight into how the
KMO influences furthered teachers’ abilities to engage Latino males and impact the high school
Latino males’ graduation rates at PCHS in the PCUSD. The results were categorized by the
assumed causes: KMO. A mixed-methods approach, using a convergent parallel design, was
undertaken with both quantitative and qualitative data collected to validate the assumed causes.
Surveys and semi-structured interviews were collected simultaneously, separately analyzed prior
to interfacing and merging the two data sets: documents from the CDE and the LEA. All of the
data were collected and analyzed to help understand the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational issues that affected teachers’ utilization of instructional practices to engage Latino
male high school students, thereby impacting their high school graduation rate.
With the help of the district and site administration at PCUSD, I emailed teacher
participants to solicit interest in participating in the survey and interview. I reached out many
times in an attempt to recruit participants to conduct census sampling. I did all communication
by electronic means, including the administration of the survey. Embedded in the survey was a
question that allowed participants to volunteer to be interviewed. The interviews were conducted
virtually due to COVID-19. The survey administration and interview process lasted for
approximately 12 weeks. Documents from the CDE and LEA were analyzed after the survey
administration and completion of the interviews.
Participating Stakeholders
The participants are teachers at PCHS in the PCUSD. All data and information can be found
in the appendices. The sample consisted of PCHS teachers during the 2020–21 school year. The
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student-to-teacher ratio was 26:1 with 99% minority enrollment and 88% Hispanic/Latino
students. The teachers voluntarily participated in the study, and those quantitatively sampled
represent approximately 21% of the 140 teachers at PCHS. Of those surveyed, eight teachers and
one school staff member volunteered to be interviewed. Of those interviewed, two teachers had
0–5 years of experience, three teachers had 6–10 years of experience, two had 11–15 years of
experience, and two had 16 or more years of experience. Participants were both males and
females. Of those surveyed, 21.4% had 0–5 years of experience; 28.6% surveyed had 6–10 years
of experience; 17.9% surveyed had 11–15 years of experience, and 32% had 16 or more years of
experience. Participants were males and females and had varying lengths of teaching experience
ranging from 0 to 5 years to more than 16 years. Of the 29 individuals surveyed, six (20.1%) had
0 to 5 years of experience, nine (31%) had 6 to 10 years of experience, five (17.2%) had between
11 and 15 years of experience; and nine (31%) had 16 or more years of experience. Their
demographic information was as follows: 17 participants (58.6%) were female and 12 (41.4%I)
males; 14 (48.3) described themselves as Hispanic/Latino, 13 (44.8%) described themselves as
White; 1 (3.4%) described themselves as Black and two (6.9%) described themselves as non-
White or non-Hispanic/Latino. Twenty-eight participants met the main criterion outlined in the
study: being a teacher at Port Century High School.
Determination of Assets and Needs
The sources of data were surveys, interviews, and documents from the CDE and LEA.
The KMO influences were concurrently assessed, and the convergent parallel design allowed for
a thorough understanding accounted for the statistical, quantitative outcomes, and qualitative
interview findings. The multiple methods for collecting data allowed for triangulation (McEwan
& McEwan, 2003). Such triangulation, according to Creswell and Creswell (2018), was possible
69
due to the various data sources, thus allowing me to see the convergence of data sources. The
themes that were recognized from this converging added to the validity of the study. When I
reached the ninth interview, I determined that the information began to support emerging
patterns that were repeated to the point of saturation. I made the determination of whether the
given influences were an asset or need by examining the standard deviations of each survey
question. If the standard deviation was less than 1, then I determined the dataset to be clustered
close to the mean.
Table 6
Standard Deviation and Meaning of Clustered or Non-Clustered Responses
Standard Deviation Survey Responses
Less than 1 Clustered responses, Confidence, Asset
More than 1 Non-clustered responses, Less similarity, Need
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The extent to which the standard deviations for given survey questions were less than 1
shows that the influence was either an asset or a need. It was an asset if the responses were
clustered to indicate confidence that the teacher has the ability and skill to engage Latino males,
these students are engaged in their curriculum, engagement is important, they understand how to
connect and engage Latino males, and their practices are consistent with the research and are
used with frequency. There are areas of need where the responses are spread apart, indicating
that there may be less similarity in teachers’ responses regarding a research-based
recommendation about leadership or engagement, there is infrequent application of research-
based strategy, and the district provides resources to support Latino males. There are also areas
of need where the clustered responses indicate that teachers do not believe there is an association
between student engagement in their classrooms and poor achievement
The qualitative portion of this study allowed participants to give a self-report about the
instructional practices that they considered to be engaging for Latino male students. Standard
deviation for this data should have been clustered or centered and representative of that closest to
what would be considered the asset or need. For interviews, determining an asset or need
depended on the extent of agreement among participants about key areas. Agreement among
participants was positively correlated with supporting Latino males in the classroom. Responses
that were a 1 or a 2 on average on the scale tended to be assets, and a clustering around 1s and 2s
was positively correlated with student achievement or frequently used engaging strategies. The
standard deviations that show data that was spread out and did not indicate agreement about
engagement may have indicated an area where the PCUSD and high school administration can
focus.
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Results and Findings for Knowledge Causes
The assessment of the teachers’ knowledge was conducted through quantitative surveys,
semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The results are described in this section,
using Krathwohl’s categories regarding types of knowledge. The findings were categorized into
the following knowledge types: factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural
knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge.
Factual Knowledge
I conducted surveys and interviews to assess the teachers’ factual knowledge. Factual
knowledge refers to the basic knowledge and ability to classify or categorize information
(Krathwohl, 2002). Participants were surveyed and interviewed about engagement strategies to
see if this factual knowledge influenced Latino male students’ high school graduation rates. The
survey asked teachers to identify instructional strategies that were important for engaging these
students. The factual knowledge influence examined here was that teachers need to have the
factual knowledge regarding the methods that impact engagement for Latino male high school
students leading to increased graduation rates.
Survey Results. I asked teachers to respond to three survey questions about their
knowledge of engagement strategies, the importance of each of the engagement strategies, and
ability to engage Latino males. The first question asked respondents to rate their agreement to the
following statement, “I am equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge to instructionally
support Latino males in the classroom.” Figure C1 shows that 65.5% of participants strongly
agreed or agreed that they were equipped with these skills and factual knowledge. The standard
deviation (Table C1) for this question was less than 1, showing that there was a clustering of
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responses, thus helping to validate that teacher participants feel equipped with this knowledge
and skills.
The second survey question to assess factual knowledge had respondents determine the
level of engagement for the following statement: “Latino male students in my classroom are…”.
Figure C2 and Table C2 show that 85.2% of teacher respondents indicated that Latino males
were either highly engaged or engaged in their classrooms. The ability to recognize whether
engagement is occurring shows that the teachers surveyed possessed a rudimentary
understanding of their role and its connection to Latino males’ engagement in the classroom.
The third survey question to assess factual knowledge had respondents determine the
importance of 21 instructional strategies. The question was “How important are the following
instructional strategies for engaging Latino males?” (on a scale of 1–5, 1 being extremely
important). Table C3 and Figure C3 show that, for 90% of the strategies (19 of 21), the standard
deviation is less than 1, showing that the responses were clustered around the mean (1–1.5),
between levels “extremely important” (1) and “important” (2). This showed that respondents
could identify the importance of instructional strategies for engaging Latino males. The two
strategies where the standard deviation showed a wider spread around the mean, with a standard
deviation above 1, were those having to do with rigid discipline policies and authoritarian school
leadership.
Interview Findings. All eight teachers interviewed showed they had factual knowledge
of specific engagement methods or strategies that increase student engagement, particularly for
Latino males. The interview question asked participants to discuss what they felt were influences
Latino males need to be engaged in school. This question aligned with the survey question on the
level of importance of various instructional strategies. During the interview, the researcher
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identified whether the strategy themes listed in the survey were demonstrated to be important to
the participants. Tables C4, C5 and C6 show whether the participants addressed the instructional
strategy and supports the assertion that participants had knowledge of instructional strategies that
were important for supporting Latino males’ success. During the interview, 5 of teacher
participants were able to identify that 70% or more of the strategies were important. The
emerging themes from the interview regarding factual knowledge influences can be found in
Tables C4, C5 and C6. In Tables C4, C5 and C6, those strategies that were demonstrated during
the interview are identified in the table and those that were not addressed are identified in the
table.
Summary. The assumed influence that teachers need to have basic knowledge of the
instructional strategies that engage Latino males was determined to be a need. While most
participants could identify that the engagement strategies were important on the survey, during
their interviews, not all of the instructional strategies were addressed by four interviewees. In the
interviews, five participants demonstrated the importance of 70% or more of the 21 strategies, as
noted in the percentages in Table C9. All participants (eight teachers and one non-teacher)
similarly emphasized the importance of the following strategies during the interview, consistent
with connecting and engaging Latino male high school students:
● Creating a positive classroom environment
● Establishing relevance in the curriculum
● Developing meaningful relationships
● Building a personalized learning environment
● Having a school culture that affirms learning
● Reconnecting youth to goals and purpose of school
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● Cultural competence
● Creating initiatives tailored to the unique and diverse needs of Latino males
In particular, there was a strong emphasis on the importance of establishing meaningful
relationships and creating a positive classroom environment that supported the needs of Latino
male students. The participants all demonstrated cultural competence through their
understanding of Latino males’ backgrounds and the community from which their students
come. The personal experiences of the interviewees varied from growing up in the community,
having similar cultural experiences because of their background as Latinos/Latinas, and/or
having a good knowledge of the cultural influences of the Latino family. No participants
discussed the importance of having rigorous, high academic expectations for Latino males. I
examined interview data and did not find descriptions of a highly structured curriculum. Several
participants discussed the importance of being role models who were mentors for their Latino
male students and encouraged and guided them to set goals. A few participants discussed the
formal ways their curricula supported Latino males by requiring student portfolios or project-
based learning, while others described opportunities for both teacher-initiated and student-led
discussions about careers and goals.
One of the cultural influences that teachers were very aware of was the importance of
Latino males’ sense of obligation to the family and the push and pull they experience between
finishing high school and starting to work and making money to help support their families. This
was especially evident during the COVID-19 school closure, with distance learning as the
primary method of instruction. Several participants recounted the significant impact that distance
learning had on engagement in a distance learning classroom and Latino males’ struggles. With
five teacher participants interviewed able to identify the importance of 70% or more of the 21
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instructional engagement strategies, this knowledge influence is determined to be a need. I would
have liked to see that all teacher participants could explain the importance of 70% or more of the
surveyed instructional strategies.
Conceptual Knowledge
I interviewed participants about the conceptual knowledge that was needed to engage
Latino males to help them earn a high school diploma. Conceptual knowledge is built on factual
knowledge and refers to the interrelationship between factual knowledge and understanding how
and when to apply that knowledge (Krathwohl, 2002). The conceptual knowledge influence
examined was that teachers need to have conceptual knowledge regarding the methods that
impact engagement for Latino male high school students leading to increased graduation rates.
Survey Findings. I asked teachers to respond to two survey questions about their
knowledge and use of engagement strategies pertaining to engaging Latino males. Results show
that 24 (85.7%) of teacher respondents indicated that these students were either highly engaged
(1) or engaged (2) in their classrooms. The ability to recognize that engagement was occurring as
a result of impactful instructional strategies required conceptual knowledge. The majority of
survey responses showed that teachers surveyed had knowledge of the methods that increased
engagement and that knowledge was connected in a conceptual way to their ability to go beyond
recognition that it was important to use these methods. Figure C4 shows the frequency with
which respondents believed that they, their school, or district applied one of the 21 instructional
strategies. I ordered the standard deviations for the instructional strategies numerically by level
of importance from lowest standard deviation to the highest.
I calculated the coefficient of variation for each instructional strategy for the question on
identifying strategies that were important for Latino males and for how frequently these
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strategies were used by the participant, school, or district. The rationale for examining the
coefficient of variation was to compare the variance among participants regarding the importance
of the strategy versus the frequency of using it. I placed the frequency of the identified strategy
next to the standard deviations, means, and coefficient of variation for “importance.” By
comparing the coefficients of variation, one can see that there was generally more variation with
the frequency of use of instructional strategies. When comparing the responses, each
instructional strategy’s means and standard deviations showed that respondents identified
engaging strategies as both “extremely important” and frequently used, with moderate to some
frequency. I looked at standard deviations below one, where the mean was to determine how
clustered the results were.
In the analysis of responses, participants' responses were spread beyond 2.5 standard
deviations around the mean for the instructional strategies regarding “a school culture with rigid
discipline policies” and “school leadership that is authoritarian,” which both happen to be
negatively associated with Latino male engagement in school. This wide spread of the data
suggests that, of the population sample surveyed that constituted 21% of the teachers at PCHS’
senior campus, there was no consensus about how the participants felt about the importance of
the role that school leadership played nor agreement regarding the type of school culture that the
research indicates was the most supportive of Latino males. A school culture should be positive,
non-authoritarian, and have balanced discipline policies with positive behavioral supports in
place as opposed to rigid, punitive discipline policies. Perceptions of what Latino males need to
be successful in their attainment of a high school diploma varied widely among those surveyed
and suggests an area of need or consideration in the building of a culture where there is
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consensus or understanding of how to support Latino males in classrooms, schools, and districts,
in terms of school leadership and school discipline.
Interview Findings. I asked teachers to answer three questions about the
interrelationship between their knowledge of teaching and how that knowledge is used when
engaging Latino males. The first question asked participants, “What is the extent to which Latino
males are engaged in your classroom? Other classrooms?” An analysis of the responses showed
that 24 (87.5%) of participants described pedagogical examples of engagement within their
classrooms. This level of engagement substantiates the survey results that indicate that most
teachers know how to engage Latino male students highly. When I asked participants to explain
the extent to which their actions showed evidence that they impacted Latino male graduation
rates, 24 could attribute their actions and efforts in the classroom to a positive impact on Latino
male high school graduation rates. These teachers gave specific examples of places in their
curriculum that were highly engaging for Latino male students because there was a value placed
on incorporating students’ perspectives and a strong rapport that engendered trust. Participant 26
commented, “.... our class instruction and methodology is student engagement. We get them
really involved, and they [the students] are part of the teaching and there is a lot of interaction.”
Participant 29 stated,
I really have to make an effort to form that relationship first and get them to speak out
and engage in a little bit of banter before a lecture starts. I think the walls come down and
they aren’t so afraid to make mistakes.
All nine participants, when interviewed, exhibited a high-caring capacity and placed high
importance on relationship building. Participant 26 reported,
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We get them really involved in the teaching and there is a lot of interaction and they [the
students] really enjoy that [we] incorporate a lot of life skills. Their [students’] feedback
is that they enjoy where the teacher engages them in the instruction.
Participant 26 has high expectations and described a highly structured learning environment that
is part of the adopted curriculum that has engagement as the core of its design. Furthermore,
Participant 26 reported how much students enjoy being placed into leadership roles and that
Latino males are influenced by “how much they [teachers] care and their interaction with
students Participant 26 described an extensive teaching background and an expertise in
“cognitive learning practices/techniques.” I classified this level of teacher proficiency as a
necessary starting point for conceptual knowledge regarding student-centered engagement in the
classroom.
Participant 14 discussed the importance of building relationships with students,
I am greeting [students] at the door. To me, you can get to know your students by looking
at faces as they enter the classroom, and it’s important to form relationships with students
That little contact makes a difference overall. They are seeking connection and
validation.
Participant 14 further explained that in their own classroom instruction, they incorporated
strategies such as the Socratic Seminar and other high-engagement strategies, from the AVID
program, learned from extensive professional development at AVID training. Participant 14
emphasized that it is important to engage students in class discussions about how students are
affected by home circumstances, ranging from completing their education, career goals and
gender roles and identity.
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Both Participant 26 and Participant 14 discussed the importance of building cooperative
teams and described an interactive classroom environment where there is a community of
learners. They both attributed their impact as positively affecting graduation rates for Latino
males. Both described an environment with high student involvement and engagement, high
teacher relatability, importance of building relationships on a foundation of trust and openness
and structured lessons where there are discussions and plans created about college and career.
Participant 29 stated,
I try to build relationships by speaking or discussing things they are interested in and then
ease my way into curriculum and engagement. I really have to make an effort to form that
relationship first. They won’t listen to what you say if you don’t care about them. Once
you have their trust then you are more likely to buy into the curriculum or the program
that you have for them.”
Participant 29 also felt that students are influenced by teacher relationships and that teachers
have a strong impact on whether a student decides to stay in school rather than dropping out
Despite being relatively new to the teaching profession, Participant 29 felt that building strong
relationships with students impacts retention rates and ultimately graduation rates
Participant 13 emphasized how male students are engaged in the classroom: “I try to
develop a good relationship and rapport with them when they are in the classroom and take an
interest in their lives and their learning.” This participant has observed “that Latino males in
mainstream classes are less engaged.” This participant, despite stating that there was no direct
evidence of their impact on Latino males’ graduation rates, was able to describe anecdotally how
students gravitate to an area in the classroom where they can visualize the success of other high
school graduates and enrolled in college. The curriculum is relevant, structured and built to
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engage students in the career pathway. Participant 13 went on to discuss how an autobiography
the participant read about a Latino male going through high school truly impacted an awareness
of how that boy felt that the author did not have a role model or anyone that looked like him to
connect to. For this reason, this teacher brings videos and examples of Latinos in this career
industry to connect to the Latino males and ensure that they can see themselves achieving. It is
important for this teacher to make this a part of the curriculum.
An important point that the interviewees raised was that Latino males needed to be
supported with programs, classes, and activities where they have an inherent interest in the topic
or career pathway and teachers who strongly connect with them. The teachers emphasized that
Latino males have great responsibility and make decisions that they believe are in the best
interest of their families as sometimes the only males in the home who have the burden to
economically support the family. Also, teachers felt that school efforts must help them with
resources and support to look beyond the immediate, tangible reward of making money and
understand the purpose of obtaining a high school diploma that will help them see their earning
potential tied to post-secondary goals and opportunities.
Five of the eight teacher respondents described qualitative evidence of their impact on
Latino males’ high school graduation rates. I looked for teachers’ ability to explicitly describe a
deep understanding of their systematic use of engaging pedagogical techniques and strategies to
specifically engage Latino males in their subject matter due to their creation of a positive
environment, making the curriculum relevant to students’ lives, having high academic
expectations, teaching students how to study and be proactive, providing strategic intervention,
finding ways to develop meaningful relationships, being culturally competent and providing a
personalized learning environment. Four teachers interviewed described their methodical
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approach to teaching. Four individuals interviewed could articulate seven of the 21 strategies
listed in the survey, and four individuals interviewed could not articulate the systematic manner
in which they incorporate and integrate these engaging strategies in their lessons to reach Latino
males. Participant 26 indicated that their impact on the success rate was “way above 95%, closer
to 100% with Latino families.” Participant 11 stated,
One of the things that stands out to me is I can’t remember the last time a kid on my
[roster] didn’t graduate. For Latino males, graduating from high school is non-negotiable.
I preach that to them. Graduating is the foundation for everything else that comes after,
and you will have a real difficult time achieving any significant economic status. The
reality is that everyone can relate to money. That sinks into the kids, the more education
you have the more earning potential you have.
According to Participant 13, students often reflect on this and a few have verbalized their desire
to attain this level of success
Participant 3 noticed “that students in [pathway] classes continue on pathway and
graduate in the pathway. I hype them up to go to college, industry, and get them excited.”
Participant 3 shared observations that the number of students in the pathway classes that they
teach have noticeably increased.” Participant 3 noted that having been at PCHS for a very short
time and that this was the participant’s first “brick and mortar” instructional experience at this
high school, due to COVID-19, and having to teach online. This participant stated that “in the
beginning of the year, being online, I was throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what
methods would stick.” Some adjustments were made, giving the Latino male students as well as
other students in the class more options and finding that Latino males, especially during COVID-
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19 and distance learning, needed more help and one-on-one attention. Participant 3 explained
that in their few years of teaching experience,
Effort had to be made to form relationships, especially with Latino males, because they
tend to be very quiet, sitting in the back of the classroom with their head down, and
online they get quiet. They don’t interact. They don’t respond or turn in classwork. I
know there’s a gap in understanding.
To make these additional connections, Participant 3 shared that 70% of Latino male students in
their classrooms have taken advantage of face-to-face tutoring, implying that as a teacher this
direct support helped to contribute to Latino male success toward meeting graduation
requirements. Twenty-five percent of respondents (two participants) felt they had only been at
PCHS for a short time as teachers and that they could not provide sufficient evidence of their
impact on graduation rates. However, they did describe instructional and anecdotal ways they
believe have positively contributed to their students’ achievement. The majority of teachers,
87.5% interviewed, could not definitively provide quantitative evidence of their impact, but
could only provide loose, anecdotal evidence of their success. This signified a need for this
influence, for teachers to readily identify their impact in quantitative measures and to have a
keen sense of how Latino male students are performing.
I asked teacher participants the following second interview question: “Compare your
relationships with male vs. female students?” In response, six of the eight teachers described
having a differential approach. In my assessment of whether this knowledge influence was an
asset, I determined that the responses here demonstrate that teachers have the conceptual
knowledge necessary to build relationships and rapport with Latino males and adjust their
instruction and interactions accordingly when they observe a decrease in engagement. Six of the
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eight teachers interviewed could cite specific teaching strategies that they utilized to fully engage
Latino males. The ability to cite specific instructional strategies and describe building positive,
constructive relationships with students is a positive element that emerged from the interviews
with teachers. However, four of the eight teachers were able to describe a methodical approach
of a system of engagement as opposed to the disparate application of said strategies. This
influence overall was determined to be a need.
Document Analysis Findings. The PCHS Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC) report cites the use of schoolwide AVID strategies and professional development
during professional learning community (PLC) time to support content, increase CAASPP
performance and student engagement. In the past three years, approximately 50% of the senior
campus’s high school certificated staff attended AVID professional development. The report
further describes positive behavioral intervention and instructional activities meant to break
down social and emotional barriers, resulting in a cultural shift with students and teachers
reporting positive behavioral results. Based on this analysis of the documents, teachers had
significant and effective professional development training in research-based strategies that
provide them with the skills to positively impact Latino male high school graduation rates.
The AVID curriculum and strategies focus on engaging students who will be the first in
their families to graduate from college. The AVID approach is about shifting the high school
campus culture driving change and spreading best instructional practices, shifting the campus
culture to drive change and spread best practices (AVID, 2021). Of the 21 instructional
strategies, AVID addresses 12 (see Table C9). There is a focus on setting college and career
goals, students working collaboratively with peers, high academic expectations, organization and
study skills, critical thinking, and inquiry. The documents provided evidence that supported
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findings from the interview and survey data and directly related to the knowledge research
question on how teachers' knowledge influence is related to achieving a 100% graduation rate for
Latino males.
According to the PCHS single plan for student achievement, in 2020, 67.8% of 11th
graders, compared with 93% of seniors, were on track to meet credit requirements for graduation
(Anonymous Single Plan for Student Achievement Report, 2021, pg.18). The interview and
survey data findings show there is not a 100% graduation rate and supports my questions about
how teachers’ conceptual knowledge and application of instructional methods impact
engagement. The PCUSD School Board approved in the Spring of 2020 to use California’s
mandated minimum state graduation requirements to allow seniors to earn a high school
diploma.
A review of the California State Department of Education revealed that the last reported
graduation rate on the California Dashboard was 91.8% in 2019 (CDE, 2019). The CDE did not
release achievement data on the California Dashboard for the 2019–20 school year as a result of
Senate Bill 98 (SB 98, 2020), which waived the statewide accountability and reporting
requirements for the 2019–20 school year (CDE, 2020) thereby affecting my ability to report on
the most recent accountability for graduation rates. For individuals monitoring the graduation
rate data for the PCUSD, it is important to note that the CDE Dashboard reports graduation rates
using a formula that accounts for the four- and five-year cohort data and the change over two
years. Given that SB 98 waived the 2019–20 school year accountability data, the next California
Dashboard report for 2020–21, with graduation rate information, will be in October 2021.
Summary. I determined the assumed influence that teachers need the conceptual
knowledge to apply instructional strategies to be a need based on the interview findings with four
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of eight teacher respondents able to sufficiently articulate the methodical integration and
application of key engagement strategies. It was evident that PCHS provided schoolwide
professional development to support teachers’ acquisition of specific engagement strategies and
methodology, positive behavioral support strategies, developing positive relationships. The
access to many career-technical education pathways and programs helped teachers create
relevance in the curriculum to meet student interests and help students make post-secondary
goals and have a greater purpose.
All teachers highly emphasized the importance of building positive relationships, which
may be an outcome of the school and district’s effort to train teachers. There was full consensus
on the survey (all 29 respondents) when teachers were asked to identify important individual,
school, and district engagement strategies. All teachers surveyed were able to identify the
important engagement strategies. In interviews, four of the eight teachers interviewed were able
to describe how they systematically applied engagement strategies. A review of the graduation
rates for PCUSD shows no data on this accountability measure is currently available through the
CDE but statistics for current seniors showed that they were significantly off track in their junior
years as compared to the seniors of 2020 due to COVID-19 and lower engagement during
distance learning.
Procedural Knowledge
Teacher participants were interviewed and surveyed about the procedural knowledge that
is necessary to connect with Latino males in the classroom. The survey and interview results
were analyzed to assess teachers’ procedural knowledge regarding their level of knowledge
about when to utilize effective, engaging instructional strategies and lessons, thereby helping
Latino male students achieve content outcomes. It is procedural knowledge that Krathwohl
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(2002) describes as knowledge that a teacher possesses about “how” and “when” to apply
methods, protocols, or procedures.
The procedural knowledge influence examined here was that teachers need to have the
procedural knowledge necessary to connect with Latino males.
Survey Findings. I asked participants to respond to the following question with regard to
making connections: “To what extent do you or your school or district employ the strategies
listed above to engage Latino males?” I asked participants how frequently they employed these
strategies that have to do with creating connections in the classroom.
● Creating a positive classroom environment: 24 of 27 responses (92.6%) were with high to
moderate frequency, and two responses were with some frequency, and one response was
with low frequency.
● Finding ways to develop meaningful relationships: 19 of 27 (70.4%) responses were with
high to moderate frequency, and eight responses were with some frequency.
● Providing a personalized learning environment: 17 of 27 (63%) responses were with high
to moderate frequency and nine responses were with some frequency and one with low
frequency
To determine that this influence was an asset, 70% of the teacher participants needed to
respond to these survey items with high to moderate frequency. Establishing a positive classroom
environment is a necessary element that must be present when laying the groundwork for the
development of meaningful teacher-student relationships and creating a personalized learning
environment for students. Given that 17 of 27 (63%) respondents provide a personalized learning
environment with high to moderate frequency, this statistic shows that this influence is deemed
to be a need given that 70% was the threshold required to determine this an asset.
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Interview Findings. I asked participants to respond to the following two interview
questions, “Describe the steps you follow to build relationships with your Latino male students.”
and “How do you engage male students in the classroom?” To determine that this influence was
an asset, 70% of the participants needed to adequately describe effective steps. Five of eight
(63%) teacher participants were able to adequately describe effective steps in building
relationships, making this a validated need. Participant 26 stated, “just being open and honest
with them. That is really the main thing and building their trust. I do that with all students, not
just the Latino students. Having an open discussion and being really friendly and open with
them.” This teacher participant went on to describe that getting students to be engaged and fully
involved needs to be a part of the teaching model and instructional tasks:
We get them really involved and they are part of the teaching and there is a lot of
interaction, and they really enjoy that the feedback [from students] is that they enjoy
where the teacher engages them in the instruction.
The participant explained that the teacher must give the students “a chance to understand,
respond and participate in teaching.”
Participant 14 described that students will “sometimes come and tell me if they need
counseling. We bring family, cultural values, practices, food and all of this creates a sense of
community.” Participant 14 continued to describe the steps followed to build relationships:
To build relationships with the boys, if they talk about soccer, I will try to watch a game
just to feel connected so I can talk about something that relates to them, like football. I do
a questionnaire at the beginning of the year, and then I include those things in class. The
comments from boys and girls is that they feel that they are at home. I tell them I want
you to feel confident to trust me.
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The nature of the course content allows this teacher to have the flexibility to bring in
different subjects and include instructional practices for students to engage in that are connected
to real-world life experiences and to students’ cultural and life experiences. Participant 29 stated,
“I will compliment them, ask them a question about what they ate that weekend, anything I can
make a comment on.” The teacher explained:
I know that males, in particular, are very prideful and afraid of making mistakes. I try to
build relationships by speaking or discussing things they are interested in and then ease
my way into the curriculum and engage and find a relationship between something they
are comfortable talking about and applying it to their interests.
This teacher contrasted observations made about boys, particularly Latino male English learners,
with how girls tend to respond because they [female students] seem to not be afraid of
volunteering answers or afraid to speak up whereas “Hispanic and African American males are a
little more fragile, if I say their answer is wrong, they might not speak out again.” Participant 29
described the concerted effort that they have made and in the past few years of teaching
experience that their observation has been that Hispanic/Latino males are quiet and will sit in the
back of the classroom with their heads down. When describing the steps followed to build
relationships with Latino male students, Participant 11 described,
One of the things I do with all my students is to get to know their names, get to know
something about them. The first day of class, you learn about kids, icebreakers, you’re
opening your door. I feed off that, expand off that, get to know them better, find common
interests, family, classes, sports, other activities and take interest in who they are as a
person? That works out really well. It is a natural, organic process, not concrete steps.
This teacher described having classes where the majority of students are males and said,
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I feel that the level of engagement in my class is pretty high. I have really high
expectations. It goes back to creating relationships and connections. Is the student feeling
supported and valued? Do you [the teacher] really care for me?
All teachers interviewed in this study described the importance of building relationships
with students by finding out what they are interested in and recounted specific ways that they
relate through organic interactions or formal questionnaires and check-in forms. All interviewees
conveyed how much they cared for students and described rapport-building techniques that they
use as the basis to build relationships. Anecdotally, seven of the eight teachers described positive
student feedback that reinforces strong teacher-student relationships and evidence of their
positive impact on student achievement. Each teacher interviewed was able to describe that they
show they care about students, develop mutual trust by sharing about themselves, understand
student perspectives, respectful and fair treatment, and take an interest in their home and family
lives. No one interviewed described an in-depth system of detailed steps regarding how to build
relationships and engage Latino males. Participant 19 summed it up well when describing their
teaching experience:
I knew my purpose and passion were aligned and felt there was a high need for great
teaching but care and concern, true for emotional concerns, behavioral concerns and
getting to the root of why their [students] behaviors have impacted their learning.
Teachers’ abilities to form meaningful relationships and support students through positive
interactions was determined to make this a validated asset.
Document Analysis. A key document analyzed was the WASC 2021 report. This report
shows that teachers and staff from PCHS senior campus all participated in a training titled
Capturing Kids’ Hearts. Teachers learned to engage, explore, communicate, empower, and
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launch their students. Therefore, teachers introduced greetings at the door, social contracts, and
positive interactions with students as well as initial contacts with parents. The report states that in
addition to this, a positive behavioral intervention approach has had a positive impact on
reducing behavior referrals, and a training program called Breaking Down the Walls has engaged
students and staff to help break down social and emotional barriers to improve staff to student
connections. Overall, according to the report, teachers and students have shared positive results
leading to a cultural shift at PCHS.
Summary. With this influence, there is an assumption that teachers need to support
students by building relationships and having the ability to execute instructional steps required to
fully engage Latino males in the classroom. All nine interviewed described and communicated
how they connected and built relationships with Latino male students and demonstrated a
cultural awareness and understanding of the barriers Latino males face. This assumed influence
is considered to be an asset. While using these strategies, five of the eight (62.5%) teacher
participants provided sufficient responses relating to the high engagement they observe using
their instructional methodology, specifically referencing research-based strategies used to engage
students. A few participants made specific references to highly structured curricular programs
built on foundational principles to rigorously engage students in a student-centered approach.
This suggests that teachers have been well-supported at PCHS in their efforts to use a robust set
of strategies to emphasize how to build positive relationships. Regarding how to engage Latino
males, the evidence suggests a need to support teachers in developing systematic, structured
curricula for their content areas that help them build their capacity to consistently utilize high-
leverage engagement strategies. Given the regular opportunities that teachers have to meet to
discuss student achievement, the PLC teacher meetings provide an opportunity for teachers to
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embed schoolwide engagement strategies learned through professional development such as
AVID institutes.
Metacognitive Knowledge
Interview results were evaluated to assess teachers’ metacognitive knowledge regarding
their awareness of selecting and applying instructional strategies to engage Latino male students.
Krathwohl (2002) described metacognition as knowledge of cognition and an awareness of one’s
own thinking or cognition.
Metacognitive Influence 1. Teachers need to have knowledge of their own self-
reflection and self-awareness of how to engage Latino male students.
Interview Findings. To assess teacher participants’ metacognitive knowledge about
engaging students, I asked the eight teacher participants the following interview questions:
“Describe what happens in your classroom when students are not engaged” and “Considering
how you build and establish relationships related to Latino male students, how does this impact
the instructional methods applied toward the achievement of content outcomes?”
Six of the eight (75%) interviewed teacher participants gave responses that adequately
articulated their metacognitive knowledge regarding how aware and reflective they are regarding
when there is a lack of student engagement in their classrooms. This was deemed an asset if 70%
or more of the participants described their method of positively re-engaging students. In response
to the question about what happens when students are not engaged, Participant 18 indicated that
they constantly, when in the classroom, walk around and check for understanding. The mental
process involved when walking around the classroom and checking for understanding requires
very deliberate thinking by the teacher to ensure that students are engaged and how one will
pedagogically respond if students are not. I asked this question to unveil the dimensions of
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thinking that are happening as a teacher pulls from their repertoire of knowledge of instructional
strategies to self-reflect and select an appropriate strategy that addresses engagement issues.
A teacher’s level of awareness and choice of instructional strategy to address a lack of
engagement may be indicative of their own internal knowledge framework that is a complex
interplay between personal understanding and relationships with students, knowledge of
adolescent development, cultural awareness and background of students and general pedagogical
and pedagogical content knowledge. These elements of the knowledge framework converge to
help a teacher determine how their instructional design and set of tasks has been executed and
whether student behaviors are focused on understanding those tasks. Having metacognition in
the classroom requires a level of meta-awareness about these framework elements so that there
are structures, routines, and deliberate consideration when ascertaining how to approach a lack of
engagement in the classroom. While “checking for understanding,” a teacher is simultaneously
observing whether or not students are engaged in the task at hand and determining how to
respond. One aspect of this is the act of interacting directly with the student/students by speaking
with them and delving into a conversation about how they are coming to understand a given
instructional activity.
To assess someone’s level of engagement and understanding of a task requires the
teacher to make any necessary adjustments to instructional methods if a student has become
disengaged. The thinking that occurred for Participant 18 related to Latino boys in the classroom
was that “most of my boys with me, in the past, have a condition, ADHD, and targeting those
strategies, creating a relationship where he feels empowered, and support him so he doesn’t feel
doubtful that can’t do something as well.” Participant 19 stated that there is a “way I articulate
things that are difficult,” and described that as the teacher,
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There is a ‘let’s get it done’ mentality and sometimes we have things in our curriculum
that are a bit dry. The way you present yourself determines the amount of engagement.
We come up with themes for the month, bringing it down to a level where there is some
background knowledge even if it is a small level and opening up to students and talking
about the importance of a topic.
Participant 26 described that when students are not engaged:
Honestly, we don’t point it out but do everything we can to get involved, ask questions,
open-ended questions and try to facilitate a discussion between me and the student in
question or between students themselves and trying to get that interaction and to facilitate
a discussion.
Participant 26 described having a cognitive learning framework from work in multiple
professions in addition to teaching at a high school. This cognitive framework helps Participant
26 to break down complex tasks for students.
Participant 14 stated,
I try to keep class engaging and before I became a teacher, a teacher would use us
[students] in the sentences that we would analyze. I liked it because we would laugh, and
we are learning. I use them [students] in stories, while we are talking, and I include
everyone in the story and that is how I engage them. When a student isn’t engaged, I talk
with them at the end of class. I don’t confront. If something is happening, we talk about it
at the end. It is difficult early because they don’t trust you yet.
All teacher participants were able to articulate an awareness of what it looks like when
students are not engaged. This recognition of a lack of engagement is the first step in recognizing
when Latino male students are not focused on instructional tasks. Two participants described the
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behaviors that they observed. Participant 29 stated, “When we are in person, I would have
students put their head down and give up. Online they get quiet, they don’t interact, they don’t
respond or turn in classwork.” Participant 3 described how it feels in the classroom:
It feels dead, and there is a lot of silence. Students get checked out and they are on their
phone. The body language tells you. It’s quiet and I’m forcing people to try new things,
and there is more direction versus when engaged. I have to give more direction and walk
hand in hand with them. It is not student-centered learning. With distance learning we
don’t have that peer-to-peer support or collaboration because the engagement across the
board is hard. That relationship is gone.
Regarding the second question that was asked to examine metacognitive knowledge,
most participants were able to articulate what instructional strategies or methods were utilized in
connection to their way of building relationships with Latino male students. Five of the eight
(62.5%) could adequately articulate instructional methods that were aligned with their way of
building and establishing relationships. Participant 19 felt that bringing in realia or social media
(i.e., YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, etc.) allows for connecting to student interests. Participant 29
discussed that they “walk around, check for understanding and make sure people are on task”
and they intervene if someone has difficulty by trying to help them. Participant 29 went on to
discuss how they use instructional strategies that will best benefit the boys with ADHD and the
importance of “creating a relationship where he [male student] feels empowered and not feel
doubtful that he can’t do something well.”
Participant 26 and Participant 13 described a structured curriculum framework, specific
to their subject matter, that is performance-based and relies upon an engaging, learner-centered
approach requiring peer collaboration, problem solving, and critical thinking. There is what
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seems to be a natural relationship-building element embedded in the units, lessons and projects
that required student interactions with their peers and with the instructor:
Quite frankly, it correlates, and all falls in line with the teaching techniques and trying to
get students engaged with critical thinking as well, and let students solve the problem on
their own and giving them confidence.
Likewise, participants 11, 14 and 19 all take a positive, respectful approach with students
that redirects or reorients students toward the instructional task and during the interviews,
teachers articulated that they were aware of the relationships they have built. Participant 19
stated that “I respond in a multitude of ways and swinging by the desk to ask if everything is ok.
If I start off on a positive note and positive approach, it leads to positive responses.” Participant
11 stated that he builds “closer relationships with them [students]”, the Latino males:
I demand more of them. When it comes to collaboration, I expect them to be more active,
with classroom presentations. I expect them to take more of a lead role. In my classroom,
I provide more support. When I see male Latinos, I like to expect high expectations from
them. I expect the same from them as I do for myself. The support is there to maintain
that engagement.
It is important to know that as a Latino male, Participant 11 sees himself in his Latino male
students.
This influence was determined to be an asset.
Document Analysis. The WASC report for the PCHS cited a training program, Capturing
Kids Hearts, that all staff went through and its focus on building positive relationships with
students. This corroborated interview evidence through statements by a few participants
impacted by the training that they thought was substantive and shaped staff perspectives about
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the importance of building relationships and trust as the foundation of learning. Likewise,
examination of lesson plans provided by teacher participants showed student engagement by
using AVID strategies such as the Socratic Seminar and student portfolio presentations in a
career-technical education (CTE) pathway. PCHS has a cord ceremony to celebrate the
completion of CTE pathway programs at the end of each school year, and this requires students
to put a portfolio together with their post-secondary plan, and samples of student work from their
pathway courses. According to the PCHS Cord Requirements, “There will be a CTE Cord
Ceremony at the end of each school year to present the cords to all eligible students in the CTE
program at Port Century High School.”
Participant 13 had a written lesson plan, aligned to the CTE pathway standards.
According to the lesson plan document, the standards listed that the aim of the lesson was to
“develop a career plan that reflects career interests, pathways, and postsecondary options” and to
have students “create a portfolio, or similar collection of work, that offers evidence through
assessment and evaluation of skills and knowledge competency as contained in the anchor
standards, pathway standards, and performance indicators.” In the written lesson plan, the
teacher noted how they would address any students struggling: “The teacher will check up
frequently on the students who struggle and provide encouragement to persist on the
assignment.”
Summary. The evidence for this influence shows that teacher participants have an
awareness of how they engage students who are disconnected and that teachers have knowledge
about building and establishing relationships with Latino males, and subsequently instructional
methods can be applied toward the achievement of content outcomes. All participants
emphasized the importance of building relationships, some through empowerment, others
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through recognition that boys with higher incidences of ADHD require the application of
alternative instructional strategies, and others through highly structured hands-on activities. The
theme of building positive relationships was a universal theme that emerged across those
interviewed. All participants cited the importance of relationship building with students, and all
described their instructional decisions with regard to how they establish rapport with students to
achieve content outcomes. The establishment of rapport, explained several participants, starts
with the greeting and welcoming of students as they enter the classroom and explicit strategies
for creating connections based on an understanding of Latino male students’ unique preferences.
For this influence to be considered an asset, 70% or more of teacher participants, either surveyed
or interviewed, needed to describe specific ways in which they engage Latino males. Participant
responses met this metric for this influence. Six of eight (75%) participants interviewed
demonstrated metacognitive knowledge (self-reflection and self-awareness) indicating that this
influence is an asset. There were documented schoolwide trainings on relationship building,
lesson plans and student documents showing engagement and system support for students to
complete graduation requirements.
Metacognitive Influence 2. Teachers have knowledge and self-awareness that allows
them to reflect upon and adjust their skills and knowledge about how to develop strong,
consistent relationships with Latino students.
Interview findings. To be considered an asset, 70% or more of the participant responses
needed to be sufficient. The interviews determined this influence to be a need. I averaged the
responses to the four interview questions, and four of eight (50%) of teacher participants
provided adequate responses. To assess participants’ metacognitive knowledge about this
influence, I asked them the following questions: How are successful and unsuccessful Latino
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males influenced by teachers? (6 of 8 participants or 75%); What teacher knowledge, skills and
dispositions are necessary to successfully impact Latino male achievement?” (6 of 8 participants,
62.5%); How do you use students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds to help students make
needed bridges to learning? (3 of 8 participants, 37.5%); How does your personal understanding
of culture and race influence your thinking about instructional planning and practices? (2 of 8
participants or 25%).
Overall, participants could not adequately articulate how teachers influence Latino males
or whether they have the robust knowledge, including cultural and teaching knowledge, of how
to develop strong, consistent relationships with these students. Three-fourths of participants
could articulate the importance of developing caring relationships with Latino males. However,
four of eight (50%) could not articulate detailed, more in-depth aspects of how teachers impact
Latino males. I was looking for more in-depth explanations and rationale of how specific
engagement strategies were selected with a self-awareness that emanated from their pedagogical
framework aligned to cultural awareness. Participant 26 responded to the questions as follows:
I think it [teacher influence] is based on how much they [teachers] care and their
interaction with the students and asking them and saying, hey what are your plans after
high school, where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Participant 26 discussed it is important that the curriculum emphasize post-secondary
preparation such as note-taking, responsibility, time management, organization, study habits,
resumes, and portfolios. This participant was aware of programs at PCHS like AVID, Junior
Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) and CTE pathways that “take students out of the core
arena and are looking at life skills.” The teacher dispositions that are needed, according to
Participant 26 are honesty, open and effective communication, and ability to overcome language
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barriers, and ability to engage students. To help make needed bridges to learning and using
students' linguistic and cultural backgrounds, Participant 26 believes that bilingual students have
a cognitive advantage over other students. This teacher stated that they use students' linguistic
backgrounds by saying words or phrases in Spanish, using Spanish root words and having others
help to interpret and when needed helping students to make relationships to things. With a
multicultural background, Participant 26 shared that the approach to instructional planning and
practices incorporates their personal understanding of culture and race and is applicable to any
culture.
Participant 14 commented that Latino males were “seeking connection and validation.”
Participant 14 believes that teachers need to have skills, knowledge and dispositions that are
related to cultural background:
It is difficult, but it has to do with cultural background. Do you know the baggage that
these kids are carrying and that can make the difference between graduating and not?
Having a little background knowledge and why they act like that. Sometimes, we see a
student not engaged (at home, you can’t show your feelings). Knowing this can help
students. One kid, for example…. didn’t tell us what was going on for his application to
school [college]. He didn’t want help. It [led] to behavior issues. He didn’t have money.
Participant 14 believes that “to understand race, [the student] needs to understand [their] origin. I
give my example as a Mexican-American, even though I’m born here.” As a former ELD
student, Participant 14 shared that she relates to students and presents things that “they can relate
to. We can relate on the culture and can talk about things that they like or don’t like or the way
they speak, and they don’t want to speak because they have a funny accent.” Participant 29 felt
that a student that was lost to dropping out wouldn’t have done so and described,
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If he would have had a relationship with a teacher before this school year, he wouldn’t
have dropped out. I called him and called him. I felt that I was too late. If a teacher would
have formed a strong relationship one or two years ago, he wouldn’t have. Teachers have
a big say. Unsuccessful males have found something else on the streets that they are more
drawn to that they respect. There are students in gangs who can make money and it
makes them feel more empowered. If as teachers we are giving them tools to be
empowered, then we can make a big difference in retention rates. They [students] aren’t
going to a teacher who can’t relate to them? They won’t listen to what you say if you
don’t care about them. Once you have their trust then they [the student] are more likely to
buy into the curriculum or program that you have for them.
Participant 29 connects to students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds by using “visuals and
translated content. I’ve also tried using cognates.” Participant 29 continued to describe how their
personal understanding of culture and race influenced instructional planning and practices, “I try
to ignite them [students] to have discussion about the different races, holidays, cultural practices
and everything and get everyone’s input.”
Participant 13 emphasized that “it is critical for teachers to impact Latino male
achievement” by having a “good relationship and rapport with students; taking an interest in their
lives and their learning, and making the content relevant, engaging, structured, challenging, and
diverse.” This participant stated,
To enrich content, I show some short video clips of topics and people working in the field
[industry]. I’ve noticed there are a good number of Latinos in these videos, so I think
these are great to show that Latinos can work in any field they choose and should not be
limited to certain types of jobs.
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Participant 11 remarked, “There might be a lot of barriers we teachers need to get
through, as long as teachers remain supportive, have patience and students see that.” This teacher
participant believes
Every kid wants to do well. The students can tell when you are genuine, truly care or
don’t. The main thing we do is care for students. Once a Latino male finds a teacher, they
can make a connection with and that teacher begins to guide them in the right direction,
they’ll be more open to that teacher.
Participant 11 used students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds to make needed bridges
to learning by breaking down technical, content vocabulary into prefixes, suffixes, word roots,
and contexts. Participant 11 is a math teacher and stated,
I do teach math, so it’s tough to bring in a lot of culture. We were talking about the
similarity of pyramids, and I compared the ones in Egypt to ones you’d see in Mexico.
Whenever there are opportunities to tie in math, everything in life has connections to
math. Anything that is math-related I introduce it in the classroom and am consciously
aware of what the students are going to relate to. It applies to all students, but it helps the
male Hispanics also.
When planning, Participant 11 explained that they bring in math examples from various
countries and time periods and research mathematicians. An example that students particularly
connect with, given a high Latino population at PCHS, is on waterfalls and cliff diving off of
Mexico’s cliffs. Participant 11 shared that they are aware that Latino students travel back and
forth between the U.S. and Mexico a lot and relied on what the students bring and then embeds it
into instruction.
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Participant 3 brought in a personal understanding of culture to connect students to content
and talked about “cultural remedies, teas, and massages. Our grandma used to massage stomach
and castor oil but telling them [students] why it works. She is moving food through the GI tract,”
Participant 3 explained to students using the term “empachada” (symptoms associated with
gastrointestinal irritation). As a Latino/a teacher, Participant 3 connected instruction to stories
from their Mexican heritage such as Mexican grandmas having some sort of remedy for
everything: “I’ve used cultural tools to bridge the learning, especially in the field [industry], you
have to learn how to use layman's terms instead of [technical] terminology.” Participant 3 shared
that there is a personal focus on careers whereas the teacher there is an opportunity to share
his/her story as the first in the family to go to college:
I always focus on the careers and share my story, I was first generation, first to go to
college, graduate. I am mindful that a lot of students are in the same situation as I was in
and giving them real-life examples and this is how we are going to do it and giving them
practical but substantial tips and wisdom and resources since I know not every parent is
going to be able to afford.
Participant 3 explained efforts to connect with Latino parents to help their children be more
connected to schools and access the needed resources to help them be more successful. These
efforts to help struggling students with intervention were sometimes rebuffed because of cultural
norms and beliefs. This influence was validated to be a need.
Document Analysis. The WASC report documents ways that the school community
supports teachers to help struggling students with a training program called Capturing Kids’
Hearts and Breaking Down the Walls. The Capturing Kids’ Hearts training, according to their
website (Flippen Group, 2020), takes teachers and educators through training focused on the
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implementation of “transformational processes focused on social-emotional well-being,
relationship-driven campus culture, and student connectedness.” Similarly, the Breaking Down
the Walls training program focuses on social-emotional learning, building relationships to help
high school students feel connected to school (Boyte, 2020). The school describes a “conscious
shift” where they have embedded more social-emotional learning into the curriculum and
partnered with school social workers and support from the Los Angeles County Office of
Education.
Summary. The assumed influence that teachers have metacognitive knowledge that
contributes to an awareness of how to develop strong, consistent relationships with Latino
students was determined to be a need. Teachers interviewed were able to articulate that students
need caring teachers who understand Latino males and described other desirable dispositions that
were necessary to support Latino males being successful. The second part of the interview
question was where the need is and highlights the need for teachers to understand their personal
pedagogical framework that undergirds their approach with establishing Latino male
relationships and why they use instructional strategies. A review of the documents showed that
there is a strong focus at PCHS on social-emotional learning and building relationships. Some
teachers shared that they believe more of a focus on social-emotional learning and understanding
cultural backgrounds would help the teacher approach. Teachers could not explicitly describe a
systematic approach about how they selected instructional strategies based upon established
relationships. All participants emphasized the importance of establishing caring, open
relationships with Latino males, and identifying discrete instructional strategies. This
metacognitive influence has been deemed to be a need.
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Results and Findings for Motivation Causes
The teachers’ motivation was assessed through findings from interviews, surveys, and
document analysis. In the section that follows, results are presented for each of the assumed
motivation influences in the following areas: attributions, self-efficacy, and expectancy value.
Expectancy Value
Interviews were conducted and survey questions were administered to assess teachers’
expectancy value. Teachers were interviewed based on the value that they place on using or
changing instructional practices to meet the needs of Latino male students to meet graduation
requirements.
The expectancy value influence examined was that Teachers need to see the value in
changing their instructional practices to meet the needs for Latino males so that they can
graduate from high school.
Survey Results. To assess expectancy value influences, I asked teachers one survey item
(Question 14). This survey question was aimed at assessing teachers’ expectancy value as it
relates to using engaging instructional practices. The written survey item reads as follows “It is
important for me to use engaging instructional practices to meet the needs of Latino males.” I
asked participants to rate their responses on a 5-point scale from Strongly Agree to Strongly
Disagree. Figure C5 shows that 92.59% of the respondents strongly agreed or agreed with this
statement. The standard deviation is 0.64, indicating that the results are clustered together and
not very spread out. Twenty-five of 27 teachers who responded to this question see the value in
changing instructional practices to meet the needs of Latino males. The majority of teacher
participants, according to survey data, place value on utilizing instructional practices that meet
the needs of Latino males.
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Interview Findings. I asked participants to “Explain to what extent your actions show
evidence that you impact Latino male graduation rates.” I examined the extent to which
participants described actions that show they value instructional practices that meet the needs of
Latino males. To be considered an asset, 70% or more of the teacher participants needed to see
the value in using instructional practices to meet Latino males’ needs to support their completion
of graduation requirements. Four of the eight teacher participants interviewed gave sufficient
responses that showed that they saw the value of specific instructional actions, through the
intentional establishment of relationships and selection of engagement strategies to connect
students to their content and leading to an impact on Latino male high school graduation rates.
Participant 26 described using development profiles and portfolios and attributed that the
impact on Latino students was “way above 95%, closer to 100%.” Participant 26 described
important instructional practices such as taking notes, managing time, prioritizing
responsibilities, teaching students organization and study habits, how to do resumes. Participant
10 described how reaching out to students and requiring them to meet one-on-one, prevents
students from failing. Participant 29 described that the personal actions taken that impact Latino
male graduation rates are reliant on the established relationship between themselves and their
student. Participant 29 believed that the efforts at building relationships has an impact on Latino
male graduation rates. Participant 29, Participant 19, and Participant 14 all focused on the
primary action of relationship building and associated that with anecdotal outcomes that they
believe led to impacts on graduation rates.
I also looked for descriptive explanations that also focused on pedagogical strategies
associated with engagement in class and strategies that empower Latino male students.
Participant 13 provided qualitative evidence that demonstrated a positive impact of empowering
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and engaging instructional strategies that lead to completion of CTE pathway(s) and serve as
motivators to Latino males. This teacher described an area in the classroom highlighting portraits
of seniors going onto 4-year programs and how students look at it often and have come up to the
teacher and stated,
They’re going to be on that wall in a few years. I think the previously mentioned items
would be critical for teachers to impact Latino male achievement. Good relationship and
rapport with students, taking an interest in their lives and learning; and making the
content relevant, engaging, structured, challenging and diverse.
Participant 11 indicated that all of the students that are on their caseload have all
graduated. This participant described specific content examples, particularly “different real-
world examples that are relevant.” With regard to relationship building, Participant 11 stated that
they engage in conversation with Latino males, ask them what they want out of life and get them
thinking. To introduce math concepts, this teacher uses video games:
Games are predominantly male. I played a video clip and within that getting them
engaged. You see a lot of enlargement and reduction. Moving on in the lesson, I moved
to scale cars. It gets them engaged a little more to tie them into their interests.
Participant 3, similar to Participant 13, described the importance of providing relevant
curriculum through the CTE pathways and motivating students using their interests, and showing
them the possibilities after high school.
Document Analysis. An in-depth look at district and site instructional plans verifies that
the vision of the LEA and the school validate the support given for teachers acquiring and adding
to their repertoire of instructional tools and strategies. In the Strategic Plan (Anonymous PCUSD
Strategic Plan, 2017–2022). The strategic plan for PCUSD states that teachers will ensure
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“implementation of high-quality instruction and personalized student learning” and that its
students will “actively engage with the curriculum and learning activities.” Two sets of lesson
plans provided by Participant 13 and 14 (2 of 8 teachers interviewed submitted lesson samples)
show the use of engaging instructional strategies that were student-centered, showed student
active engagement and were personalized.
Summary. The assumed influence that teachers need to see the expectancy value in
changing instructional strategies to help Latino males meet high school graduation requirements
was determined to be a need. Four of the eight (50%) the teachers interviewed could adequately
explain how the engaging pedagogical strategies had value for Latino males. Teachers were able
to adequately identify the value in establishing relationships with Latino male students. Teachers
surveyed were able to adequately identify (70% or above) the value in establishing relationships
with their Latino male students. Throughout the interview, most teachers cited individual
engaging, instructional strategies, and half gave a detailed explanation of their instructional
framework for addressing the needs of Latino males. The other half of teachers did not
adequately articulate or mention the value of using specific engaging instructional strategies.
Self-Efficacy
Interviews were conducted and survey questions administered to assess teachers’ self-
efficacy. A document analysis was conducted to validate this influence.
The self-efficacy influence examined was that, to assess their self-efficacy, teachers need
to believe that they can effectively impact Latino males’ academic achievement and ability to set
goals to graduate from high school.
Survey Results. To assess the self-efficacy influence, I asked teachers to rate themselves
on the following survey item “I am confident that I can influence Latino male success.” It was a
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5-point Likert rating scale with the following choices: strongly agree, agree, somewhat disagree,
disagree, strongly disagree. Figure C6 shows that 27 of 29 respondents who responded to this
question are confident in their ability to influence Latino male success. Ninety-three percent of
the respondents strongly agreed or agreed with this statement. The standard deviation is 0.6,
indicating that the results are close together.
The second survey item was, “I feel confident about my ability to academically prepare
Latino males for high school graduation through goal setting.” It was a 5-point Likert rating scale
with the following choices: highly confident, confident, somewhat confident, low confidence).
Figure C7 shows that 81.4% of teacher participants (27 of 28 teachers) answered this survey
question. To be considered an asset, 70% of responses needed to indicate that teachers felt highly
confident or confident in their abilities to help students academically prepare for high school
graduation through goal setting.
Interview Findings. I asked participants, “How do you feel about your ability to
contribute to Latino males’ progress toward completion of high school?” I examined the
confidence levels of teachers regarding their ability to contribute to Latino males’ graduation
from high school. To be considered an asset, 70% or more of the teacher participants needed to
see the value in showing that they have the confidence in their abilities to contribute to Latino
males’ progress toward completion of high school graduation requirements. Generally, teachers
felt confident in their abilities. Six of the eight (75%) teachers were very confident and two were
more tentative. This equates to 75% of teachers feeling very confident in their abilities to impact
male Latino students progress to meet graduation requirements. Participant 26 stated that in the
program that students are enrolled in at PCHS,
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Instructors and teachers, we see each other as mentors and as successful in our
profession. They [students] see us as mentors and good role models. They see where we
can actually come from too; a lot of us have come from low SES or broken homes.
Sometimes when teaching we show what we did, here’s my resume and what it looks
like. They get to see all of us and the way that we have grown up.
Participant 29 indicated, “I feel like I can make a big difference. It is kind of scary to think about
because sometimes I’ll lay in hard for a student because I think it is what they need. It is a fragile
balance; you want to push them to do well but not too hard so where they don’t come back.”
Participant 11 said,
I feel I contribute a good amount and think of myself as a positive role model. I take a
parental role, trusting relationships that will help them overcome. Building that trust and
that bond with Latino male students is huge. It is just providing that support system.
Participant 13 and Participant 3 seemed more tentative, Participant 3 said, “I think I feel
good about it and am able to contribute a good amount especially since I’m trying to find a
different way and it may not be where you [the student] need to be.” Participant 13 explained,
I hope that it’s effective but don’t have direct evidence of that. I am not Latino, so I don’t
have first-hand knowledge of the issues they face, but I am always trying to learn and
grow more. I do get students who say they enjoy my class a lot, so that could potentially
contribute to them completing high school.
Participant 19 felt strongly confident about abilities:
I feel very confident because I am relentless. I’ll keep asking, calling, and holding them
accountable, having the conversations, and having that one-on-one real-life conversation.
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Having hard conversations with students, I do well, with tact and with care and concern
and finding that balance.
Participant 18 felt similarly, “I feel very strong in this area where most of my boys, unless they
got into a fight where they got kicked out, are pretty rare. If I had them as sophomores, they'd
have graduated.”
Document Analysis. According to the Anonymous WASC Report (Anonymous Self-
Study, 2020, pg. 18), 109 staff members have attended AVID training, and regular training is
provided during PLC time to support teachers with how to engage students in their content. A
specific focus is on student engagement. In addition to the training on how to engage students
through the WICOR AVID framework (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading)
the school trained all of its staff using the Capturing Kids’ Hearts training model. According to
the Anonymous WASC Self-Study (2020), “teachers learned to daily engage, explore,
communicate, empower, and launch their students.” PCHS also had its staff engage in the
Breaking Down the Walls training to help staff engage students and “break down social and
emotional barriers to better connect with each other on campus. This resulted in a cultural shift at
PCHS with many students and staff reporting positive behavioral results after participating.”
Summary. The assumed influence that teachers need to believe that they are capable of
effectively impacting Latino males’ academic achievement to meet graduation requirements is
considered an asset. Six of the eight (75%) teachers interviewed sufficiently responded, sharing
their levels of confidence in addressing this need. This validated the survey results where 93% of
teachers strongly agreed or agreed in their ability to meet the needs of Latino male students and
23 of 28 (82%) teachers felt highly confident or confident in their ability to have Latino male
students set goals for meeting graduation requirements. In the interview responses, teachers cited
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different reasons for their confidence levels, including having a strong sense of being a role
model building trusting relationships, and holding students accountable. Those teachers with the
highest confidence levels had a strong sense of the challenges that Latino males face.
Attribution
I administered surveys to assess teachers’ attributions regarding underlying reasons for
student achievement. Throughout the interview, I looked for their reasoning for Latino males’
student achievement. I conducted document analysis to validate this influence.
The influence examined was that, to assess attributions teachers should feel that Latino
males performance has to do with teachers’ own abilities to successfully and effectively instruct
and support a mastery environment.
Survey Results. To assess the attributions influence, I asked teachers to respond to
indicate the extent to which they agreed with the following two statements, using a 5-point Likert
scale from Highly Agree to Strongly Disagree: If Latino male students have poor achievement,
in my class, it is because I did not engage students in my lesson design. Figure ## shows that
there were 11 of 27 (40.7%) of respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with this statement
and 16 of 27 (59.25%) selected that they “neither agreed nor disagreed,” “disagreed” or “strongly
disagreed.” This survey data indicates that the majority of teachers surveyed do not attribute
students’ poor achievement to their own abilities to engage students in their lessons. To be
considered an asset, 70% of respondents needed to attribute their students’ poor achievement to
their own ability to incorporate engaging, instructional strategies within their lessons. This
response suggests that the majority of respondents do not attribute poor achievement to their own
efforts to engage students in their lessons. It is, therefore, an influence that is validated to be a
need.
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Interview Findings. To assess teacher participants’ attributions regarding Latino male
students and graduation rates, I reviewed interview responses, and I asked teachers, “What do
you know about what influences Latino males to be engaged in school?” I looked for responses
from teachers in terms of what they feel influences Latino male engagement. Participant 26,
indicated that “the family has a huge influence as I see it, depending on how that interaction and
family incorporates the education with family needs results in how successful the individual is in
school.” Participant 14 attributed engagement to Latino male interest in “jobs that are going to
make them money and not going to school and there are influences at home. Sometimes sports
engage them. A common complaint is that there aren’t enough activities for them to do [at
school] to engage them. Bringing things that they are interested in helps them to get more
engaged and they miss that” Participant 29 indicated,
I am still working on this [influences on Latino male engagement] but I know that, in
general male Hispanic students are more comfortable becoming or staying with what
their relatives do for a living. I always talk about them wanting more for themselves. I
want them to pursue education and to look for more. A lot of my Hispanic males are at
the level where they see what is in front of them and that is what they are comfortable
with.
Participant 13 stated,
I don’t feel that I know all that much about this topic, but I would think it would be
similar to what influences any person to be in school. I think most students would be
engaged where there is high-quality teaching, engaged teachers and students, as well as
diverse courses, resources, and support.
Participant 11 noted,
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That is a tough one for me. When I think of families, Hispanic families, from what I’ve
noticed, really value education and want their kids to do well, but at the same time, they
lack the supportive system to do well academically. A lot of parents aren’t at home,
working, SES [socioeconomically] disadvantaged, single homes and I think Latino males
lack the support system at home. Therefore, that is where the school needs to fill in the
gap through supportive teachers, extra-curricular, admin, counselors. Even though the
expectation is there from home, it creates stress, confusion, disconnect. the pressure is
there to do well but the support isn’t. We as a system need to fill that void, and there’s
potential to lose kids, dropping out or not graduating on time.
Participant 3 identified that “a lot of my students talk about money,” and asked, “Is this going to
make me money? How will this make life better? It is always men who are in the side-hustle
mentality.” With them they are always asking how it is going to make me win, make life easier,
why do I need it? The main one [question] is how can I make money off of this?” Participant 19
described that Latino males are influenced by teachers:
I think that it has to do with the teacher’s energy, excitement about, supplemental
supports and anything that kids can relate to and it isn’t foreign or some worksheet and is
more hands-on and more relatable to get away from the old school mentality of teaching.
We [teachers] need to find some way to apply it to whatever content you are trying to
push out.
Participant 18 identified family as the biggest influence on Latino male engagement,
“Sadly it comes back to cultural norms and having family first. Sometimes they don’t have that
opportunity and have to help dad with family business and they start realizing that money comes
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first.” Participant 18 described the importance of allowing students to learn a trade and see value
in coming to school:
Being able to have those different pathways because not all want to go to college or
spend 10 years of their life to become doctors and lawyers which society leans toward.
There is nothing wrong with being a mechanic. When I was younger there was ROP, auto
mechanics, woodshop. If we get them intrigued in one class, we are going to get them for
the rest.
Twenty-five percent of teacher respondents attributed influences on Latino males back to
strong teacher and school engagement. To be considered an asset, 70% or more of the teacher
participants needed to attribute Latino male engagement in school to their ability to engage
students and provide support toward meeting graduation requirements.
Document Analysis. By examining communications from site administration to teachers
and the student body, it is apparent that the culture of PCHS is one that takes responsibility for
providing support to students to cultivate student success. The PCHS administration and
leadership team take responsibility for engaging students through mentorship, access, and
recruitment to academic and CTE pathways. The language in the strategic plan suggests a strong
link between student engagement and learning to teachers providing and planning challenging
instruction. PCHS, during COVID-19, requested that all teachers submit weekly reports of
teacher engagement. The second goal in the strategic plan focuses on providing high-quality
teaching and learning and ensuring that “teachers and staff will create specific standards-based
achievement expectations for all students, provide experiential learning opportunities for all
students” so that students can “actively engage with the curriculum and learning activities.”
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Summary. The researcher determined the assumed influence that teachers should
attribute Latino male academic performance to their own abilities to be a need. The survey data
show that less than 42% of those surveyed believe that poor achievement by Latino male
students has to do with whether or not they engaged students in the lesson design (Figure C8).
The interview data supported the survey data. Although teachers are confident (81.48%) about
being able to prepare Latino males for high school graduation and 92.59% of teachers surveyed
see the value in changing instructional practices. It appears that there is a gap in motivation when
teachers were asked to attribute struggles in student performance or poor achievement to a lack
of engagement in their instructional plans. Throughout the interview, when asked what they
knew about what influences Latino males to be engaged in school, most teachers, six of eight
(75%), attributed influences on Latino male engagement to factors outside of their control, such
as family and need for making money to support their families. Two of the teacher participants
were definitive about the importance of strong teachers, active school support, and their own role
in impacting students through engaging instructional strategies.
Results and Findings for Organization Causes
Survey items were administered and interview questions were asked to determine
teachers’ level of understanding of the cultural model of the organization and how it sheds light
on their abilities to create strategically planned cultural settings where high-quality instructional
strategies are used to engage Latino male students in the classroom. To achieve the goal of
ensuring that Latino male high school students meet graduation requirements, there must be
shared cultural values about the specialized needs of Latino males throughout the organization.
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Cultural Models
Interview questions were administered to assess teachers’ understanding of cultural
models for engagement. Throughout the interview, I looked for explanations from teachers that
described a culture of trust and collaboration among and between faculty, staff and
administration as they work together to meet the organizational goal of engaging Latino male
students.
Influence 1. To assess the cultural model influence, teachers should have responded that
they are part of a “we” culture and culture of trust and collaborative inquiry regarding student
learning.
Survey Results. There were no survey questions regarding cultural models.
Interview Findings. To assess teacher participants’ cultural model influence regarding an
organizational culture of trust and collaborative inquiry regarding Latino male student learning, I
asked participants to respond to the following question, “To what extent do you discuss Latino
male academic progress with colleagues, other staff and/or administration?” The researcher
looked for responses that indicated that teachers regularly collaborate with colleagues and
administration to improve student learning. Participant 26 indicated,
We don’t specifically talk about Latino males but talk about academic progress and
different types of interventions that we use and the collaboration is not specific to a
student, it is general. Collaborations and interventions are what we talk about.
Participant 14 expressed, “We usually don’t cover male Latinos. It is usually graduation
rates, ELD kids, African American. Many ELD kids that are not passing are boys.” Participant
29 agreed that the extent that Latino males’ achievement is discussed is “probably not enough. In
IEP and special education meetings but not in our content meetings. We don’t talk about ELs
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[English learners] or Hispanic males. Not enough all around.” Participant 9 [not a classroom
teacher] shared that Latino male academic progress “is discussed in our admin meetings across
the board but isn’t broken down into African American, Latino or cultural ethnicity.” Participant
13 concurred: “I have not really specifically discussed this topic with others. Although we
generally discuss student academic progress in schoolwide and department meetings.”
Participant 14 indicated that discussion about Latino male academic progress happens “to
a fairly large extent. I truly believe that it takes a village.” Participant 18 described there are
“PLCs that happen every week on Friday with all of the CTE teachers to discuss various topics.
Unfortunately, grad rates with males is not something that we address.” To be considered an
asset, 70% or more of the teacher participants needed to describe a collaborative, trusting culture
focused on Latino male student achievement and graduation rates. The collaborations should
have described a dialogue between faculty and their colleagues as well as between administration
and faculty.
While all participants described a culture where they talk among colleagues about student
achievement and graduation rates, only one of the nine (11%) described collaborative dialogues
focused specifically on male Latino students and graduation rates. Only one participant, a non-
teacher, described collaborative discussions among administration about student achievement.
The interviews did not have a consistent theme that emerged describing structured collaboration
despite one individual mentioning PLCs as a specific collaborative structure. The researcher was
looking for a system of collaborative inquiry that consistently and formally allowed for
methodical discussions about student achievement and recognized the needs of Latino male
students. This influence is considered to be a need based on the interviews.
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Document Analysis. Multiple documents from the PCUSD refer to collaborative
structures in the form of PLCs that support a trusting, collaborative culture focused on examining
student achievement. The PCHS WASC mid-cycle progress report makes five references to
PLCs. The PCHS staff receive regular professional development during “PLC time” focused on
AVID strategies, state, benchmark, and common assessment achievement data, and student
engagement. They also use PLC groups to integrate social-emotional learning into the
curriculum and pacing guides. The report states that collaboration meetings among departments
allow the school to work as one toward continuous improvement and schoolwide outcomes. The
school is providing many learning opportunities for teachers.
Summary. The assumed influence was determined to be a need based on the interviews.
The many learning opportunities for teachers suggest that the school is transitioning to a
collaborative culture. The influence described that there needs to be a culture of trust and
collaboration that shifts to a “we” culture and not an “I” culture focused on collaborative inquiry
regarding student learning. There are two aspects to this particular influence. The first piece is
the collaborative culture, and the second piece is that the collaborative culture is focused on
Latino males.
According to teacher interview feedback and document analysis, it does appear that there
are PLCs that support various activities from teacher collaboration, schoolwide professional
development and training, and summative and formative assessment data review. From the
document analysis, the administration supports collaboration and PLCs. PCHS seems to be in the
middle of a cultural shift from an “I” culture to a “we” culture. While most teachers interviewed
described talking with colleagues in formal and informal settings, it was not apparent that there
was a consistent framework to guide student-centered dialogue focused on student achievement
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and Latino males. There was also no evidence of collaborative inquiry and discussion between
administration and teachers. The researcher determined this to be a need. I determined that there
is a need to develop a systematized and methodical process for teachers to have focused,
collegial, student-centered dialogue with colleagues and administration about Latino male
student achievement.
Influence 2: To assess the organizational cultural models’ influence, the culture of the
organization should be one where faculty, administrators, and staff understand cultural
backgrounds and incorporate that across the curricular program of the school.
Survey Results. To assess this cultural models influence, I asked the teachers to indicate
the extent to which the organization promotes the understanding of cultural backgrounds and
supports its use in the curricular program. Participants responded to the following survey item:
School district administrative officials value supporting Latino males (5-point Likert scale from
Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree). Figure C9 shows that 23 of 29 respondents either strongly
agree or agree that school district administrative officials value supporting Latino males. To be
considered an asset, more than 70% of respondents needed to indicate that administrators in the
organization value supporting Latino males. The standard deviation is 0.73, indicating that the
results are clustered together around the mean.
Interview Findings. To assess the cultural models influence, I asked participants to
respond to the following interview items/questions:
● What opportunities and/or challenges are encountered by Latino males within the
PCUSD?
● How does your organization support teachers so that Latino males are ready to complete
high school?
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● What prior experiences impact Latino males in and out of the school setting?
To be considered an asset, 70% or more of teachers needed to address how the organization
promotes teachers’ understanding of cultural backgrounds and supports Latino male student
engagement across the school’s curricular program. Participant 26 stated, “I think they
[organization] go above and beyond and do everything they can to help these students, especially
with ELD and all types of instructional aides that they have, also making tools accessible to
them. I’ve never seen a college and career office so large and also family partnership and
interaction.” When asked about the challenges and opportunities that Latino males face within
the school or district setting, Participant 26 said that education is not the biggest challenge:
The family environment and more or less the economic situation that they are in. That is
why we have food programs which is fantastic, even now when we are doing this remote
teaching. It is more challenging for the students because they are getting much more
distracted. Right now, our kids are having a lot more issues.
Participant 26 described experiences that impact Latino males: “It is the interaction with the
community and activities. We are so successful. We did a tremendous amount of getting
involved and interacting, seeing how the community works and understanding what a school
board, town meeting…stuff like that.” Participant 29 explained that the answer to whether the
organization supports teachers so that Latino males are ready to complete high school, “I am
going to say no.” Participant 29 did describe programs that the organization has provided to
teachers during online teaching:
We have a couple of different programs that the district has provided, 24/7 tutoring. It is
called mytutor.com. Different platforms like Pear Deck, Nearpod to help students with
virtual field trips. EdPuzzle, that is a really cool tool, especially for ELs who can watch a
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YouTube video and they can rewatch the video and it checks for understanding along the
way. We haven’t had any professional development about this, we’ve discussed SEL
[social-emotional learning] and getting students to attend. I tie SEL into trauma-informed
care. Many students have been displaced. They are homeless, many parents are gone
most of the day, students are struggling to do schoolwork and finding the internet.”
Participant 29 identified the following issues that impact Latino males in and out of the school
setting, “attitudes toward education by friends, peers, relatives; adverse childhood experiences;
past successes and failures in the classroom; relationships; good and bad teachers; good and bad
coaches; bullies; traumatic experiences (ACE scores).” According to Participant 9, a non-teacher,
the organization supports teachers in the following way:
They provide the same opportunities they would provide any other students; our Latino
students are the highest population on campus. It is geared toward them: support from
career counselors, regular teachers, parent workshops to help fill out financial aid. Our
culture is predominantly Latino. Whatever we have is for them and for anyone else. It’s
not like we have something like we need separate.
Participant 9 questioned whether the school is doing enough to motivate students and impact the
graduation rate. However, they did indicate, “There are things in place in terms of different
applications to support students. There are things in place for students to access support.”
Participant 13 stated that PCHS is about 88% Hispanic and has multiple supports for Latinos:
There are of course the regular counselors available. There is also a very helpful college
and career center in the middle of campus with full time staff available for help with
planning for life after high school. There are also parent information nights,
college/career workshops, and a CTE department with a wide range of career focused
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classes. PCHS has many staff who are bilingual and put out their information in English
and Spanish. For teachers, I think specific information on issues Latino males face would
be helpful. I don’t recall hearing information on this before. But it shouldn’t be a typical
training that’s a drab PowerPoint packed into the 30 minutes before school starts. I
should be engaging, interactive, and relevant. Delivered in the same way that
administration expects teachers to teach content to students.
Participant 9 further explained that PCHS is a low-income school and both parents and students
have stress and difficulties, such as male students who have part-time jobs outside of school and
that gets in the way of schoolwork
So, education and thinking more about the choices for life after high school has
sometimes not been a high priority. I believe early exposure and engagement with
education impacts Latino males a lot such as pre-K schooling. This ideally should come
from both home and school settings.
Participant 11 described an organization where “there is a lot of professional development the
district provides to teachers to bring culture into the classroom and embed it into the material.”
Participant 3 listed several programs that have been in place to support teachers,
I think the programs we’ve had, Breaking Down the Walls program, get everyone to
break down emotional barriers and look at everyone as the same. Capturing Kids Hearts
and building one-on-one relationships has been helpful. The Male Alliance, there’s some
type of alliance that specifically empowers and works alongside them.
Two teacher participants described an organization that provides training that promotes teacher
understanding of cultural backgrounds and supports Latino male student engagement. Generally,
it appears that the organization is working hard to address social-emotional needs and providing
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specific cultural support for African American males through the Male Alliance. Across the
curriculum, PCHS administration supports career pathways, college readiness programs such as
AVID, JROTC and a college and career center. Seven of nine (77.8%) participants felt there was
a need for administration to provide training about cultural backgrounds to better help teachers
support Latino male student engagement in the classroom.
Document Analysis. Through an examination of the organization’s documents and data,
it is apparent that the district administration is working to support all students’ needs by creating
opportunities for student engagement and supporting its students and teachers to understand
social-emotional needs. The SEL training was described in the mid-term WASC review and
promoted teachers building relationships and helping students to break down emotional barriers.
The school is aware of the needs of students to be engaged in school and has CTE pathways and
teachers who have attended AVID training. Specific cultural training about the local community
and Latino males, since the demographic is 88% Latino, is not described in the documents. The
WASC review shows a decline in suspension rates among Hispanic students, suggesting that
there may be an increase in student engagement in instruction. In the WASC report (2021), there
is a description of community and school partnerships to allow students to explore their talents,
interests, and college opportunities. Schoolwide events that show the school is interested in
supporting cultural awareness are Multicultural Night, Black Family Forum and the Women’s
Empowerment Conference that aim to “create a culture of diversity and Pirate pride while also
connecting our students, families and community.”
Summary. The assumed influence was determined to be a need. The influence described
the organizational culture as one where faculty, administrators, and staff understood Latino male
cultural backgrounds and then incorporated it into the school’s curriculum. The survey results
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showed that more than 70% of teachers believe that school district administrators value
supporting Latino male students. The value shown by administrators was supported by evidence
also seen in the document analysis and there was support for providing training to teachers about
the overall social-emotional needs of students. Additionally, the document analysis revealed that
PCHS has several CTE programs and promotes a college-going culture with 18 Advanced
Placement courses, AVID and the JROTC. Yet the interview responses show that only 25% of
teacher participants described the organizational culture as one that specifically provides focused
training and support for Latino males that is then incorporated into the curriculum. Seventy-five
percent of teacher participants expressed that they felt that this was necessary, and that
administration should embed training for staff and teach them about the community. Two of the
nine (22%) teacher participants indicated that they did not feel a specific training about Latino
males was necessary, although both did acknowledge the need for teachers to know and
understand the community, which is predominantly Latino.
Cultural Settings
Interview questions and a document analysis were administered to assess teachers’
understanding of cultural settings focused on engaging and high-quality instructional strategies
for Latino male students.
Influence 1: To assess the cultural settings influence, the organization and its teachers
should have a focused approach on using high-quality instructional strategies that impact Latino
male students’ level of engagement.
Interview Findings. To assess the cultural settings influence, I asked participants to
respond to the following interview item: How does the PCUSD prepare Latino males for
graduating from high school? To be considered an asset, 70% or more of teachers needed to
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identify how they utilize high-quality instructional strategies to impact Latino male student
engagement. When responding to this question, I wanted to see teachers prioritize the importance
of their own engaging, instructional strategies as the primary mechanism to help prepare Latino
males for meeting graduation requirements. Participant 26 stated,
Again, just more or less giving them the tools to succeed. That plays a really big part and
having the staff, counselors that are constantly with the students, a lot of electives for the
students so they have other opportunities to excel in other areas. It is a community and
school effort to get these kids to move on with their education.
Participant 14 shared,
school is pushing college-oriented culture, but Latino kids are struggling because they
aren’t allowed to be themselves at home. If they can find a way to relate at school; just a
program that has a formal title especially for them.
Participant 23 stated, “I don’t see anything for Hispanic males; 70% of Latino males have taken
advantage of face-to-face tutoring with me.” Participant 23 listed county office training in
English language arts (ELA) and math, counselor grade-checks, providing digital versions of
novels and materials, webinars for students, enrichment and intervention opportunities, credit
recovery programs, resume and college supports, co-teaching, and support for special education
students, math assessments. Participant 11 stated that he thinks Latino males need more
vocational programs and more support groups:
For African American males there are counselors that come in a couple times a week and
they provide further support and create that small community and support system. We
need more stuff like that for the Hispanic students. All students are looking for some kind
of connection and look for different avenues to provide that kind of connection.
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Participant 3 shared,
I don’t really know other than what I shared: college- and career-ready courses that help
them. Instead of suspension, we will do a different alternative, I know they do that. They
[district/school administration] do a lot of parent nights and want to better equip their
parents. I think really understanding culture and having more cultural awareness night
will give us true, first-hand experience. A lot of our staff may never truly understand it
and have a different lifestyle. It needs to be a real-world experience of what a Mexican
household goes through. The expectations of a male student in their own household,
work, provide and truly understand the stress and the demands, the pressure that a
Hispanic male has. A cultural night where we get to see real-life scenarios.
Four of the eight teacher participants (50%) interviewed responded to this question by
identifying how their CTE or college curriculum uses engaging, instructional strategies. In
response to this question and other interview questions, teacher participants described AVID,
inquiry- and problem-based learning in the curricula that appears to be connected to the school’s
cultural setting which provides a systematic way for teachers to impact Latino male student
engagement. This influence was determined to be a need.
Document Analysis. The district’s strategic plan focuses on high-quality teaching and
learning, equity and access, and research-based practices and innovation. The district states that
it strives to provide environments conducive to learning and that the “staff will hold high
expectations for the achievements of all students and student groups and will provide
personalized and differentiated support to ensure their success.” The infographic states that all
students in the PCUSD will be provided with daily instruction that is standards-based, relevant,
personalized, and rigorous.
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The PCHS WASC mid-cycle progress report states that teachers regularly receive
professional development that focuses on AVID strategies to support student engagement. Since
the 2017–18 school year, PCHS “began a cultural shift toward student-centered learning.
Teachers are utilizing AVID strategies across content areas.” The AVID program has grown
from 67 to 330 students and makes up 7.6% of the student population between 9th–12th grades
and schoolwide implementation of AVID strategies. It is important to note that PCHS is
comprised of 10th–12th-grade grade students. Also, PCHS has adopted novels in their ELA
courses written by racially diverse authors. Additionally, the WASC report cites that “course
pathways such as our CTE and project-based learning (PBL) classes strongly support student-
centered learning and PCHS is increasing the number of these courses each year. PBL was
introduced in 2019 to further the shift toward student-centered teaching.” Lastly, the
administration brought in the University of Washington’s Center for Educational Leadership to
train teachers in ELA and history/social science in the five dimensions of teaching and learning
that were then adopted schoolwide and allowed a deeper understanding of student engagement.
Summary. This assumed influence was determined to be a need, with 4 of 8 (50%)
teacher respondents, when interviewed, sufficiently being able to describe the organization’s
cultural setting as focused on providing engaging, high-quality instructional strategies. The
influence described the need for teachers to describe the organization’s cultural setting as one
that is focused on engaging, high-quality instructional strategies for Latino male students.
According to interview responses, less than 70% of teachers responded to the question of how
the PCHS prepares Latino male students from graduating from high school and meeting
graduation requirements. By looking at documents, the analysis shows a cultural setting focused
and having a strong vision as it moves toward student-centered teaching and learning and the
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development of PBL meant to interest and engage students. Due to less than 70% of participants
interviewed identifying a setting where there is a focus on high-quality instructional strategies
that are systematically used with the intent of impacting and engaging Latino male students, this
influence has been determined to be a need and not an asset. Seven participants felt there was a
need for the organization to provide additional training in how to reach and engage Latino male
students.
Influence 2. To assess the cultural setting influence, teachers needed to convey that their
organization values having an organizational strategic plan for Latino male students who are not
engaged and are unmotivated, affecting their ability to meet graduation requirements.
Survey. No survey items were administered for this influence.
Interview Findings. To assess the cultural settings influence regarding whether the
organization values a strategic plan to help more Latino males succeed, the following interview
question was asked of respondents: “To help more Latino males succeed in your school district,
what programs, policies and practices for teachers do you think need to be put into place?”
Participant 26 answered,
I think it is just supporting them. In our schools, just having the assets really helps. The
more assets we have, the better for these students. After school activities and study hall is
probably one of the major things for them to have.
Participant 14 shared,
I think maybe a program especially targeted for them [Latino males] where they can hang
out, relate and express. A Latino male place where they can find information. School is
pushing college-oriented culture, but Latino kids are struggling because they aren’t
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allowed to be themselves at home. If they can find a way to relate at school, just a
program especially for them.
Participant 14 noted, “if we don’t make connections, we need to facilitate that connection
with more SEL activities more relationship-based practices in the classroom would help as well.
If I knew more, I think I would be doing it. I’m doing all I know.” Participant 9 indicated,
If the district is looking to shift, it needs to start with the lower level, start at the bottom
and have them [students] filter with the same mindset throughout I don’t know if we are
doing enough to motivate the graduation rate.
Participant 13 explained that “for teachers, I think specific information on issues Latino
males face would be helpful. It [training] should be engaging, interactive and relevant.”
Participant 19 described the need for students to be exposed to trade schools:
We are so focused on 4-year colleges to have this number on the dashboard. California
public schools aren’t offering this for students and leaving an entire group out. Also, we
should have more training on subgroups of Latinos where they’ve come from, knowing
who is in foster, Latinos too, and how we are equipped with knowledge to support these
students in the best way we can. We need more training and exposure to teaching in
urban settings.
I was looking for responses that indicated that teacher participants were aware of a
strategic plan with multiple prongs and could connect their suggestions to existing programs,
policies, and practices that they were aware of. Each teacher participant mentioned elements of
programs, policies, and practices. Four of 8 (50%) of teachers interviewed mentioned a concrete
element of the described strategic plan that needs to be developed and identified in the WASC
mid-cycle progress report as a critical academic need. To be an asset, more than 70% of those
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interviewed needed to have a sense of how their suggested policies, practices and programs
connected to the framework for the district’s strategic plan and the school’s developing strategic
plan. Therefore, this influence was considered a need.
Document Analysis. A strategic district plan exists at the district, and I identified the
need for creating a schoolwide strategic plan for struggling students as a need. The district’s
strategic plan for 2017–2022) addressed preparing students for college and career, having
relevant, personalized, and rigorous instruction, as well as the importance of establishing a
positive school climate that is conducive to learning. The strategic plan also emphasized high-
quality teaching and learning and creating parent and community partnerships.
The school’s WASC mid-cycle progress report discussed developing a schoolwide
strategic plan that includes “the addition of social workers and [teachers on special assignment]
to both campuses, the re-engagement plan, and the emphasis on social-emotional learning.” The
WASC report further described how “each subject, counseling, and discipline department” has
tiered intervention systems in place. The report described a “critical academic need” for creating
“a schoolwide strategic plan to support students who are struggling academically, behaviorally,
and socio-emotionally.” The report further identified the elements for this schoolwide strategic
plan that include quarterly SMART goal development, use of the cycle of inquiry, use of
academic coaches, identification of a schoolwide area of need (reading), monthly staff meetings
focused on strategies for student success, social-emotional supports, bringing social workers on
full time, workshops on restorative practices and integration of SEL into pacing guides and
curriculum.
Summary. The assumed influence of having an organization that values having a
strategic plan for Latino male students was determined to be a need. The influence described the
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need for teachers to describe the organization’s cultural setting as one that values having a
strategic plan. Teachers interviewed made disparate, unintentional connections to elements of the
strategic plan described as a critical academic need in the WASC mid-cycle progress report
(2021). The district and PCHS are progressing toward achieving this need and will arrive at this
place when teachers understand and can describe how the prongs of the developing plan are
infused throughout their instruction and curriculum to meet the needs of Latino males and
strategically intervening for all groups of students to ensure they are accomplishing the
organization’s goal of graduating 100% of students.
Summary of Validated Influences
This chapter utilized a mixed-methods approach to address the first three research
questions. First addressed was the question regarding the extent to which the organization and its
teacher stakeholders are meeting the goal of Latino males meeting graduation requirements.
Subsequently, KMO influences were validated or determined to be assets.
The threshold for determining whether a KMO influence was an asset on survey items
was 70% or above. For interview data, teacher respondents had to have 70% or more similar
themes that emerged to be considered an asset and less than 70% to be considered a need. Tables
9, 10, and 11 show each of the KMO influences for this study and their determination as assets or
needs.
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Table 7
Knowledge Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data
Assumed Knowledge Influence Asset or Need
Factual
Teachers need to have the factual knowledge
regarding the methods that impact
engagement for Latino male high school
students leading to increased graduation rates
Need
Conceptual
Teachers need to have the conceptual
knowledge regarding the methods that impact
engagement for Latino male high school
students leading to increased graduation rates
Need
Procedural
Teachers need to have the procedural
knowledge necessary to connect with Latino
males
Asset
Metacognitive
Teachers need to have knowledge and a self-
awareness of how to engage Latino male
students
Asset
Metacognitive
Teachers need knowledge that contributes to an
awareness of how to develop strong,
consistent relationships with Latino students
Need
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Table 8
Motivation Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data
Assumed Motivation Influence Asset or Need
Expectancy Value
Teachers need to see the value in changing
their instructional practices to meet the needs
for Latino males so that they can graduate
from high school
Need
Self-Efficacy
Teachers of Latino males need to believe that
they themselves are capable of effectively
impacting Latino males’ academic
achievement thereby motivating them to set
goals to graduate from high school
Asset
Attributions
Teachers should feel that Latino males’
performance has to do with their own ability
to successfully and effectively instruct and
support a mastery environment
Need
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Table 9
Organizational Assets or Needs as Determined by the Data
Assumed Organizational Influence Asset or Need
Cultural Model
There needs to be a trusting, collaborative
culture among faculty and administration
that shifts from an “I” culture to a “we”
culture and is focused on collaborative
inquiry regarding student learning.
Need
Cultural Model
There needs to
be a culture where all faculty, administration
and staff understand students’ cultural
backgrounds and incorporate that into the
school’s curricular program
Need
Cultural Setting
Faculty need a narrowed focus on high-quality
instructional strategies that impact students’
level of engagement
Need
Cultural Setting
There needs to be an organizational strategic
plan that identifies and intervenes when there
are motivation and knowledge/skills gaps that
emerge, throughout a Latino male student’s
school career.
Need
In Chapter Five, solutions recommendations are presented for the KMO needs that were
determined for the assumed knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences. These results
address the second research question regarding gaps in KMO. The solutions for these influences
are based on the empirical evidence collected. Based on the findings from this chapter,
recommendations for the areas of need will be provided through the lens of implementation and
evaluation. It is important to note that the findings cannot be generalized given that the sample
size is too small, and findings are specific to the organization studied.
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CHAPTER FIVE: RECOMMENDATIONS AND EVALUATION
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the degree to which the PCUSD is achieving
its goal of 100% graduation rate for Latino males. The analysis focused on KMO influences
related to achieving the organizational goals. The stakeholders in this analysis were teachers. The
questions that guided the evaluation study that addressed knowledge, skills, motivation, and
organization influences were as follows:
1. To what extent is the organization meeting its goal of a 100% graduation rate for Latino
males?
2. What are the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences related to achieving a
100% graduation rate for Latino males?
3. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context in the PCUSD as it
relates to teacher knowledge and motivation?
4. What are the recommendations for the Port Century Unified School District’s practice in
the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources?
Recommendations to Address Knowledge, Motivation, and Organization Influences
Knowledge
The assumed knowledge influences are outlined in Table 10. The assumed knowledge
influences identified as a gap in knowledge are as follows:
1. Teachers had limited factual knowledge of how to engage Latino male students
(Procedural)
2. Teachers had limited conceptual knowledge of the methods that increase student
engagement, particularly for Latino students (Declarative)
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3. Teachers had limited metacognitive knowledge of how to develop strong, consistent
relationships with Latino male students.
I prioritized knowledge influences based on those influences known to have the highest impact
on learning that included being engaged in high-interest lessons that were relevant and made
connections that students care about. Teachers who utilize instructional strategies that Latino
males find to be relevant tend to find individuals with increased engagement (Camarota, 2007).
Likewise, the ability to develop strong, positive, consistent relationships helps to increase school
participation and engagement (David, 2008). Individual interviews, surveys, and document
analysis provided the data utilized to determine assumed knowledge influences. The Anderson
and Krathwohl (2000) framework specifies four types of knowledge: factual, conceptual,
procedural, and metacognitive. Rueda (2011) cites these as a major contribution to cognitive
approaches to learning. This cognitive approach/framework frames the knowledge influences
and recommendations.
As noted in Table 10, these influences were validated based on my collection of
empirical evidence and knowledge of stakeholders and the literature review. Theoretical
principles were identified in Table 10, and recommendations are suggested so that the
stakeholders’ goals will be achieved.
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Table 10
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Knowledge
Influence
Asset or
Need
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Teachers need to
have the factual
knowledge
regarding
methods on how
to impact
engagement for
Latino male high
school students
leading to
increased
graduation rates
(P)
Need Y Information learned
meaningfully and
connected with
prior knowledge is
stored more quickly
and remembered
more accurately
because it is
elaborated with
prior learning
(Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Provide a job aid
containing the steps
and methods that are
contextualized for
how to engage Latino
male students
Teachers need to
have the
conceptual
knowledge
regarding the
methods that
impact
engagement for
Latino male high
school students
leading to
increased
graduation rates
(D)
Need Y Procedural
knowledge
increases when
declarative
knowledge required
to perform the skill
is available or
known. (Clark et
al., 2008).
Learning tasks that
are similar to those
that are
common to the
individual’s
familiar cultural
settings will promote
learning and
transfer
(Gallimore &
Goldenberg, 2001).
Provide informational
training to help
teachers identify,
understand and
incorporate the
methods that are
effective in engaging
Latino males
Provide a job aid in
helping teachers to
develop engaging,
outcome driven
lessons and provide
teachers with models
of how to create
highly engaging
lessons with
embedded learning
tasks that are diverse
and challenging
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Assumed
Knowledge
Influence
Asset or
Need
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Teachers need
knowledge that
contributes to an
awareness of
how to develop
strong,
consistent
relationships
with Latino male
students. (D)
Need Y Social interaction,
cooperative
learning, and
cognitive
apprenticeships
(such as reciprocal
teaching) facilitate
construction of new
knowledge (Scott &
Palincsar, 2006).
Building supportive
and caring personal
relationship in the
community of
learners (Pintrich,
2003).
Provide teachers with
job aid in how to
build and develop
rapport with Latino
male students using
mentoring techniques
and positive feedback
to build trust and
assist teacher to
define and integrate
this into their
instructional practice
Increasing Teachers’ Factual Knowledge of How to Engage Latino Male Students.
The results and findings of this study indicated that 47% of teachers interviewed needed more in-
depth procedural knowledge about the best ways to engage Latino male students. I selected a
recommendation based on information processing theory to close this procedural knowledge gap.
Schraw and McCrudden (2006) found that information learned meaningfully and connected with
prior knowledge is stored more quickly and remembered more accurately because it is elaborated
with prior learning. This would suggest that providing teacher-learners with meaningful learning
experiences about ways to engage Latino male students will allow teachers to build prior
knowledge they can access when teaching. The recommendation then is to provide teachers a job
aid in the form of listing the steps of how to engage Latino male students.
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Krathwohl (2002) discussed the importance of knowing when to apply a particular
method or procedure. An example of procedural knowledge is that teachers know how to engage
Latino male students. Halx (2014) found that traditional pedagogy was failing Latino males and
pointed to teachers developing a student-centered mindset, relevant and reflective pedagogy.
Johnson et al. (2014) identified warning signs years before a student disengages from school and
dropping out that teachers need to be aware of. Schraw and McCrudden (2006) discussed the
importance of helping individuals connect new knowledge to prior knowledge to construct
meaning. Knowing that engagement is occurring requires teacher knowledge of whether the
instructional strategies or methods used are engaging Latino male students in critical thinking
and learning (Campos, 2013). According to Noguera (2012), knowledge of designing a positive
learning environment should be a part of teaching methods to engage Latino males.
Increasing Teachers Conceptual Knowledge of the Methods That Increase Student
Engagement for Latino Male Students. The results and findings of this study indicated that
50% of teachers at PCHS need more in-depth declarative knowledge about the instructional
methods required to increase student engagement for Latino males. I selected a recommendation
rooted in sociocultural theory to close this declarative knowledge gap. Clark et al. (2008) found
that procedural knowledge increases when declarative knowledge required to perform the skill is
available or known. Additionally, Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) found that learning tasks
similar to those common to the individual’s familiar cultural settings will promote learning and
transfer. This would suggest that providing teachers with information to help them identify
effective methods to engage Latino males will increase classroom engagement. The
recommendation is to provide teachers with training utilizing the methods corresponding to
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rigorous learning tasks that mirror Latino males’ cultural settings to promote learning and
transfer of knowledge.
Regarding academic rigor, this depended on teachers’ procedural knowledge about
creating effective, robust, engaging lessons that engaged Latino males, created clarity, and
helped them to achieve the content outcomes and objectives. I selected an additional
recommendation rooted in social-cognitive theory and goal orientation to close this procedural
knowledge gap. Denler et al. (2009) found that modeled behavior is more likely to be adopted if
the model is credible, similar (e.g., gender, culturally appropriate), and the behavior has
functional value. Additionally, Yough and Anderman (2006) found that designing learning tasks
that are novel, varied, diverse, interesting, and reasonably challenging promotes mastery
orientation. This would suggest that providing teachers with models of how to create highly
engaging lessons with embedded learning tasks that are diverse and challenging will promote
mastery learning that is likely to be adopted and support Latino male learning. The
recommendation then is to provide training to teachers in creating effective, engaging learning
tasks and providing a job aid on the steps for developing outcome-driven lessons.
Sciarra and Whitson (2007) discussed variables affecting Latinos’ low achievement,
including lack of rigor in the curriculum and low-quality teachers. The ability to create a high-
quality, rigorous curriculum begins with teachers’ abilities to create effective and engaging
lessons. Jones and Fuller (2003) advocated that engaging lessons are collaborative and allow
for problem solving. Lessons that challenge students intellectually motivate and push them to
be creative, analytical, and practice in-depth thinking (Gandara & Contreras, 2009).
Additionally, teachers who infuse their lessons with experiential learning expand students’
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content learning and allow students to see application outside of the school walls (Valverde,
2006).
Increasing Teachers’ Knowledge of How to Develop Strong, Consistent
Relationships with Latino Male Students. The results and findings of this study indicated that
63% of teachers needed more in-depth procedural knowledge about how to build positive,
impactful relationships with Latino male students to help them remain more engaged in school
and more likely to achieve their graduation requirements. I selected a recommendation founded
in sociocultural and attribution theory to close this procedural knowledge gap. Scott and
Palinscar (2006) found that social interactions, cooperative learning, and cognitive
apprenticeships facilitate the construction of new knowledge. Additionally, Pintrich (2003)
found that it is important to build supportive and caring personal relations in a community of
learners. This would suggest that providing teachers with support in having positive social
interactions whereby students are engaged in cooperative learning would help build a
supportive and caring environment. The recommendation then is to provide teachers training in
the form of an immersive experience that models how to build positive social interactions that
help teachers to build rapport with Latino male students, provide them with feedback, and
provide steps teachers can follow to use cooperative learning strategies.
Noguera (2012) has researched schools that successfully provided support to help
Latino boys graduate at higher rates, showing that this success is based on teachers and the
strong and positive relationships they develop. To develop strong, positive relationships,
Weinstein et al. (2003) posited that it is important that teachers use culturally responsive
classroom management where there is a deliberate effort to appreciate diversity in
communicative, caring, and inclusive ways. This forms the basis of strong, positive
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relationships and, as Weinstein et al. argue, provided students with equitable opportunities for
learning. Campos (2013) posited that a responsive learning environment establishes boundaries
wherein teachers show that they care and are genuinely interested in their students’ lives.
Valverde (2006) emphasized using cooperative group activities to tap into Latino boys’ sense
of community and duty.
Motivation Recommendations
The motivational influences table has data collected from interviews, surveys, and
document analysis. The assumed motivational influences were validated as a gap in motivational
knowledge about Latino males and high school graduation rates. The assumed motivation
influences were as follows:
1. Attributions Theory: Teachers lacked the effort to instructionally support a mastery
environment for Latino males (Attribution)
2. Expectancy Value Theory (Utility value): Teachers did not see usefulness to themselves
in changing their instructional practices to meet the needs for Latino males.
This section presents each assumed motivational influence is discussed and context-
specific recommendations given. Each context-specific recommendation is based on the given
core principle and identified in Table 11.
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Table 11
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Motivation
Influence
Asset or
Need
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Teachers should feel
that Latino males’
performance has to
do with their own
ability to
successfully and
effectively instruct
and support a
mastery
environment.
(Attribution)
Need Y Learning and
motivation are
enhanced when
individuals
attribute success
or failures to
effort rather than
ability.
(Anderman &
Anderman,
2009).
Provide teachers
a positive
emotional
environment for
individuals and
teams at work.
Provide
teachers a job
aid that helps to
create value by
giving positive
feedback
regarding
effort,
providing
incentives and
describing the
utility of
supporting a
mastery
environment.
Teachers need to see
the value in
changing their
instructional
practices to meet
the needs of Latino
males so that they
can graduate from
high school.
(Expectancy
Value)
Need Y Rationales that
include a
discussion of the
importance and
utility value of
the work or
learning can help
learners develop
positive values
(Eccles, 2006;
Pintrich, 2003).
Provide teachers
rationales on
the usefulness
to themselves in
changing their
instructional
practices related
to Latino
Males.
144
Increase Teachers’ Attributions. Approximately 42% of teachers attributed their failure
in supporting a mastery environment to their own capabilities. A recommendation to close this
gap is based on attribution theory, identified by Anderman and Anderman (2009), who found
that learning and motivation are enhanced when individuals attribute success or failure to effort
rather than ability. Thus, providing individual teachers positive emotional environments creates
value by giving reinforcing feedback about effort. The recommendation is to incentivize effort
and provide training to show teachers the utility of supporting a mastery environment.
Academic support positively enhances Latino academic motivation to be engaged and
complete high school graduation requirements (Alfaro et al., 2006). Tellez (2004) emphasized
that teachers with cultural awareness have a greater impact on students’ academic achievement.
This emphasis helps teachers understand the utility of creating a teaching environment to support
learning. Landes (1965) showed teachers unsuccessfully making efforts to intervene and
encourage Latinos, which led to understanding students better. Landes raised questions of how to
enlighten teachers of these cultural differences. Tellez (2004) attributed this to teachers’ inability
to link home culture and school knowledge. Schiefele (2017) confirmed that teachers’
educational interest was a predictor of their use of instructional practices to promote a mastery
environment.
Increase Teachers’ Expectancy Value. Approximately 50% of teachers in this study did
not see the usefulness of changing their instructional practices. Expectancy value theory supports
a discussion of the importance and utility value of the work or learning that will help learners
develop positive values (Eccles, 2006; Pintrich, 2003). The recommendation is to provide
teachers rationale through training on the usefulness to themselves of changing their instructional
practices related to Latino males. According to Clark and Estes (2008), understanding the later
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utility of the work task can directly help to create value for the teacher, thereby helping to build
buy-in through focused benefits that come when finishing the task. Bradley and Renzulli (2009)
found that students who were more often pushed out of school and non-completers reported less
often that their teachers expected success in school. This lack of expected success resulted from a
low expectancy. Rueda (2011) pointed out that an important motivational principle is that an
individual will persist and engage in an activity when that individual values the activity.
Organization Recommendations
In Table 12, a set of assumed organizational influences are listed and prioritized as they
pertain to the stakeholder goal. The assumed influences noted in Table 12 were validated. This
validated influence was supported in the literature review and principles in organization and
culture theory. Clark and Estes (2008) posited that ameliorating performance gaps relies on
accounting for organizational culture. These organizational influences envelop the cultural
models and settings so teachers can positively impact Latino male high school graduation rates.
Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) analyzed cultural models and settings because of their
implications for minority children, schools, and teaching. Table 12 shows the recommendations
for the assumed organizational influences based on the identified organizational and cultural
theoretical principles.
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Table 12
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Organization
Influence
Asset or
Need
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
There is an
organizational
cultural model
where the
teachers focus on
self and not on
collaborative
inquiry and
feedback about
student learning
(Cultural
Model).
Need Y Organizational
effectiveness
increases when
leaders facilitate
creative and
collaborative
problem solving.
Related Research:
Adult learners
resist learning
when they feel
others are
imposing
information, ideas
or actions on them
(Fidishun, 2000).
It is recommended that
the organization
focus on developing
teachers’
collaborative inquiry
skills, teamwork
training and provide
regular feedback
about plans and
progress.
147
Assumed
Organization
Influence
Asset or
Need
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
There is an
organizational
cultural model
where teachers
do not
understand
students’ cultural
backgrounds as
evidenced in the
school’s
curricular
program
(Cultural
Model).
Need Y Effective leaders
are aware of
biases and
prejudices in the
organization at
individual and
structural levels.
They
acknowledge their
biases and
prejudice and
protect the
organization from
their negative
impact. (They
challenge their
biases). They also
recognize and
address micro-
aggression and
other covert ways
of expressing bias
and prejudice.
Related Research:
Bensimon (2005)
Chavez, Duran,
Baker, Avila &
Wallerstein
(2008).
It is recommended that
the organization
provides knowledge
and regular
communication on
the importance of
students’ cultural
backgrounds and
how to incorporate
this effectively into
the curricular
program.
There needs to be
a narrowed focus
on high-quality
instructional
strategies that
impact students’
level of
engagement
(Cultural
Setting).
Need Organizational
priorities require
everyone
understanding
how to align with
organizational
priorities as
effective change
efforts require
everyone to have
the resources for
their job (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
It is recommended that
the organization
identify its high-
engagement, high-
priority instructional
strategies and
communicate and
follow up on this
with all teachers.
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Assumed
Organization
Influence
Asset or
Need
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
There needs to be
an organizational
strategic plan
that identifies
and intervenes
when there are
motivation and
knowledge/skills
gaps that
emerge,
throughout a
Latino male
student’s school
career (Cultural
Setting).
Need Y Organizational
effectiveness
increases when
leaders ensure
employees have
the resources
(Clark & Estes,
2008).
Related research:
Meeting resource
needs correlates
with increased
learning outcomes
(Waters et al.,
2003).
Effective leaders
know what
dimensions of
diversity include
and integrate them
and the
intersection of
identities into
their practice.
Related Research:
Angeline (2011)
Cornell and
Hartman (2002)
Prieto et al. (2009)
It is recommended that
the organization
strengthen teachers'
abilities to
systematically
engage, identify and
effectively intervene
to support struggling
Latino male students
by routinely
communicating and
soliciting needs and
establishing
priorities. Provide
teachers with an
accountability
structure so they can
set achievable goals
aligned to the
school’s strategic
plan that allows them
to self-evaluate.
Cultural Models: Developing Teachers’ Collaborative Inquiry and Teamwork
Skills. Results and findings indicated that approximately 50% of teachers did not focus on
collaborative inquiry and feedback about student learning. I selected a recommendation rooted in
leadership theory to close this organizational gap. Schein (2004) asserts that necessary changes
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are often not made because of strong organizational cultures that control organizational behavior.
This suggests that the organizational culture must shift to provide teachers with the ability to
work together collaboratively. The recommendation is for the organization to focus on
developing teachers’ collaborative inquiry skills through teamwork training and by providing
regular feedback on teacher teams’ progress in acquiring these collective skills and their impact
on student learning. For example, a job aid can be short videos highlighting effective
collaborative team processes as they examine student work and learning.
Clark and Estes (2008) stated that when making organizational culture change, a
consideration should be determining the type of support provided. Clark and Estes (2008) further
explained that there is a special type of support that is needed when there is a major change in a
team-based organization composed of people of both the “I” culture and “We” culture.
Neglecting the needs of teachers could have negative outcomes. A factor in bringing about
positive student outcomes is the quality of teacher-student interactions (Lundberg & Schreiner,
2004). Ikpeze (2015) pointed out that teachers need to understand the meaning of culture, as it is
not a well-understood concept in educational realms. Erickson (2010) emphasized that educators
should reflect on the importance of understanding how culture influences curriculum and
instruction. Furthermore, LaBoskey (2004) emphasized the importance of teachers interacting
with their immediate colleagues professionally. Therefore, the recommendation to improve
teachers’ abilities to work in collaborative teams to collectively inquire about Latino male
student learning to lead to improvements in achievement and teacher skill in reaching these
students.
Cultural Settings: Strengthening Teachers’ Abilities to Support Latino Male
Students. Results and findings indicated an organizational setting where 75% of teachers
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reported that they did not know how to identify and effectively intervene to support struggling
Latino male students in their attainment of a high school diploma. The recommendations for this
organizational influence are rooted in leadership and diversity theories to close this
organizational gap. Clark and Estes (2008) affirmed that performance improvement depends on
considering a specific organization’s culture because organizational culture will inevitably
permeate and impact performance efforts. This suggests that teachers need to expand their
understanding of Latino culture to effectively intervene to support struggling Latino males. The
recommendation is that the organization strengthen teachers' abilities to systematically identify
and effectively intervene to support struggling Latino male students while routinely
communicating priorities and soliciting needs. For example, a job aid could be provided that
describes schoolwide intervention strategies in videos and short weekly bulletins that Latino
male students would more likely respond to because of their alignment to cultural norms and
values. Teachers would then be encouraged to share their needs about implementing these
schoolwide intervention strategies.
Rueda (2011) stated that understanding cultural settings can shed light on why people
behave in certain ways and why certain policies and practices exist in a specific organizational
context. In an educational setting, teachers and student learning are inextricably linked, and
teacher success is built upon the assumption that both students and teachers get the needed
resources to accomplish learning goals and objectives (Clark & Estes, 2008). In the case of
teachers in the PCUSD, it is essential that the organizational cultural setting systematically
supports them to identify and effectively intervene to support struggling Latino male students in
their attainment of a high school diploma. Many researchers argue for an approach that is not
one-size-fits-all but one where teachers have the cultural knowledge and resources to plan to
151
address student needs at the outset of the learning trajectory (Rueda & Stillman, 2012; Lee,
2007; Moll & Arnot-Hopffner, 2005). They refute the notion that there should be differentiation
or intervention by teachers to address cultural, linguistic and/or ability differences and that the
best way to serve students is through re-thinking teacher training to have a more expansive view
of culture. Therefore, it is recommended that the organization, the PCUSD, provide teachers with
the necessary resources to support Latino male students and routinely communicate its priorities.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations
The organization's mission and goal and this study’s focus was to evaluate the degree to
which the PCUSD achieved its goal of 100% graduation rate for Latino males. This analysis
focused on KMO influences related to achieving the goals. This study’s stakeholders were
teachers. The questions that guided the evaluation study address knowledge, skills, motivation,
and organization influences:
1. To what extent is the organization meeting its goal of a 100% graduation rate for Latino
males?
2. What are the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences related to achieving a
100% graduation rate for Latino males?
3. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context in the PCUSD as it
relates to teacher knowledge and motivation?
4. What are the recommendations for the Port Century Unified School District’s
practice in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources?
152
The rationale for selecting this goal was to highlight the need for organizations to examine the
widening achievement gap in Latino male performance in light of gaps in teacher knowledge,
motivation, and organization. The organization’s goal was to reach 100% of its Latino males.
The desired outcome was that the organization focused on how its Latino male students
were faring across their high school experience and that the KMO recommendations become a
part of the strategic plan. Teachers have the most influence on students in their classrooms. The
organization must promote working together on the systematic engagement and application of
instructional engagement strategies while helping teachers have a metacognitive awareness that
allows for self-reflection and opportunities for collaboration about Latino males when they are
not being academically successful. Connectivity and the ability to be engaged in authentic tasks
that emulate similar cultural learning experiences are important. Collaborative opportunities in
PLCs are needed for sharing knowledge about Latino male students and what increases their
engagement toward meeting the graduation requirements. Using an inquiry framework such as
the plan-do-study-act inquiry cycle (PDSA) to share effective integration and methodical use of
strategies in daily instruction will allow collaborative teams to examine frequent student progress
to intervene and act quickly.
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
This implementation and evaluation plan was based on the Kirkpatrick Four-Level Model
of Evaluation (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2007) which evolved into the New World Kirkpatrick
Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2017). The Kirkpatrick model has four levels of evaluation,
and the core belief is that evaluation must begin with the end in mind. There are four levels of
evaluation that include: Results (Level 4), Behavior (Level 3), Learning (Level 2), and Reaction
(Level 1). Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick (2017) note that level 3 (Behavior) is a system that requires
153
comprehensive, continuous performance monitoring and requires defining critical behaviors that
will bring about organizational outcomes. Leading indicators are resultant behaviors that can be
observed or measured that positively impact key organizational goals. Required drivers are
processes and systems that provide support and accountability when performing critical
behaviors. The final evaluation level, Level 4 (Results), is the ultimate set of results, measured
by Level 3 leading indicators that show organizational outcomes were achieved (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2017).
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 13 shows the proposed results and leading indicators as outcomes,
metrics, and methods for the external and internal outcomes for the PCUSD. The external
outcomes should be achieved if the internal outcomes are met as a result of the comprehensive
training approach and if there is a systematic identification of struggling Latino male students
and organizational support provided.
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Table 13
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
1. Latino male students
graduate from high
school
Percentage increase of the
ACGR is high
ACGR rate as measured by
cohort data in California
Longitudinal Data System
(CalPADS) and CDE
Dashboard System
2. Latino male students
staying in high school
Decrease in number of dropouts
using ACGR cohort data
The dropout rate as
measured by cohort data
(ACGR) in CalPADS
3. Public approval of
school district
Percentage of increase in parent
ratings
Track approval ratings
through survey responses
Internal Outcomes
4. Improved teacher:
student relationships
across all classrooms
a. Increased percentage of
student engagement
Student engagement survey
b. Increased percentage of
student satisfaction
Student satisfaction survey
5. Improved instructional
quality
a. Increased state standardized
test scores, CTE completion
rates, reduced dropout rates
California Dashboard with
annual assessment scores
released by the CDE
b. Improved number of A, B and
C grades (lower overall D/F
rates) by individual teacher
and schoolwide
Quarterly grade reports
Level 3: Behavior
Critical Behaviors. The stakeholders of focus were teachers of Latino male high school
students. The first critical behavior is that teachers must develop strong relationships with these
students so that they are highly engaged in the classroom and motivated to learn and complete
each high school graduation requirement. The second critical behavior is that teachers must
systematically utilize instructional strategies that highly engage these students. The third critical
155
behavior is that teachers must work collaboratively with their colleagues to examine student
work and apply what they learn to their teaching and provide students with opportunities to
demonstrate mastery. The metrics, methods, and timing for each of the outcome behaviors
appear in Table 14.
Table 14
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
1. Teachers develop
strong relationships
with Latino male
students so that they
are highly engaged
in the classroom and
motivated to learn
and complete each
high school
graduation
requirement.
The number of
students indicating
positive
relationships with
teachers.
Assistant Principals will
observe and document
the level of student
engagement and types
of interactions
teachers have with
students during class
and develop a weekly
schedule for classroom
visitation and
providing feedback to
teachers.
Students will be
surveyed by their
teachers regarding the
rapport and positive
connections. The site
administration will
work with the site
leadership team to
construct a survey.
Site administrators
will visit
classrooms
during instruction
daily during first
30 days of
school, thereafter
– weekly visits
and feedback will
be given by
department.
Student survey
data will be
compiled
quarterly by
teachers so it can
be reviewed
during PLC time.
Annually this
survey will be
administered 4x,
the first
administration
will be a pre-
survey and the
last will be a
post-survey.
156
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
2. Teachers
systematically
utilize instructional
strategies that highly
engage Latino male
students
The percentage of
increase in quantity
and quality
instructional
strategies.
Intervention
Coordinator will
identify teams of
teachers to observe
across classrooms and
document level of
engagement associated
with use of identified
engaging instructional
strategies. Teams of
teachers will compile
data by department
and discuss quantity of
engaging strategies
and quality with
documented
anonymous evidence
in follow-up staff
meeting.
Teachers will develop
surveys to administers
to students to obtain
feedback about use of
specific schoolwide
engagement strategies
that were identified by
Site Administration &
Leadership Team.
Department Chairs
& Leadership
Team will work
with
administration to
schedule monthly
classroom visits
and design
quarterly
professional
development to
support teacher
knowledge and
application of
engagement
strategies.
Teacher teams will
be assembled and
make classroom
monthly visits
and take notes to
share in follow-
up staff meetings.
Quarterly staff
meetings will
incorporate
documented
evidence for
purpose of
discussing school
wide engagement
and use of
strategies and
impact on
subgroups of
students
including Latino
males.
157
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
3. Teachers work
collaboratively with
their teacher
colleagues to
examine student
work and apply
what they learn to
their teaching and
provide students
with opportunities to
demonstrate
mastery.
The number of
collaborative inquiry
cycles focused on
student work that a
teacher team has
analyzed and
identified an
instructional
strategy to use.
Department Chairs and
Leadership Team shall
monitor and track the
collaborative inquiry
cycles (Plan-Do-
Study-Act or PDSA),
documentation of
student work and
identification of
instructional
strategy/strategies that
will be used
Site administration will
work with Leadership
Team to develop
SMART goals aligned
with use of
engagement strategies.
Site administration will
develop a motivational
survey with items on
attributions, self-
efficacy, and
expectancy value to
measure alignment
with use of
engagement strategies
and level of student
engagement.
Monthly report by
Department
Chairs and
Leadership Team
at Leadership
Meetings
Annual SMART
Goals will be
developed, and
progress assessed
by PLC’s
quarterly
Assistant
Principals will
create a Google
Classroom for
Teachers and ask
that PLC Teams
upload quarterly
evidence of their
PDSA cycles and
analysis of
student work.
Teachers will
share lesson
plans with
schoolwide
engagement
strategies and
student work that
shows mastery of
the intended
concepts/standar
ds
158
Required Drivers. Teachers in the organization require support from their administrators
and the school district to reinforce instructional strategies that are learned in training and
encourage them to apply what has been learned. Reinforcements and rewards should be
established for the achievement of performance goals to enhance organizational support for
teachers. Table 15 shows the recommended drivers to support teachers’ critical behaviors.
Table 15
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing
Provide a job aid containing
the steps of how to engage
Latino male students
Ongoing 1 and 2
Providing information to help
teachers identify the
methods that are effective in
engaging Latino males
Ongoing 1 and 2
Provide education in how to
build and develop rapport
with Latino male students
using mentoring techniques
and positive feedback to
build trust
Quarterly 1 and 2
Providing training to teachers
in how to create effective
engaging learning tasks
Quarterly 1 and 2
Provide a job aid on the steps
for developing outcome
driven lessons for Latino
male students
Ongoing 1 and 2
Provide teachers rationales on
the usefulness to themselves
in changing their
instructional practices
related to Latino male
Ongoing (as needed in
training)
1, 2, 3
159
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Encouraging
Provide positive feedback Weekly 1, 2, 3
Provide teachers a positive
emotional environment for
individuals and teams at
work.
Weekly 1, 2, 3
Provide supportive coaching
and help those people who
are under confident by
helping them to break or
chunk tasks into component
parts.
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Collaboration and peer
modeling during department
meetings.
Weekly 1, 2, 3
Rewarding
Performance incentive when
collaborative inquiry cycles
are used
Monthly 1, 2, 3
Public acknowledgement at
faculty meetings when team
performance hits a
benchmark.
Monthly 1, 2, 3
Monitoring
It is recommended that the
organization focus on
developing teachers’
collaborative inquiry skills,
teamwork training and
provide regular feedback
about plans and progress.
Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Conduct organization
meetings to communicate
the vision, mission and
goals and individual and
team accomplishments.
Ongoing 1,2,3
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Organizational Support. The critical behaviors and required drivers monitored for
performance improvement are based on implementing recommendations at the organizational
level. Through drivers that reinforce, encourage, reward, and monitor, the school district will
hold teachers accountable to ensure that the drivers are implemented continuously. For the
teachers to achieve the organizational goals, the PCUSD needs to provide training and job aids to
support them in how they engage Latino males, collaborate with colleagues about student
learning, and build up their knowledge of how to identify the most effective instructional
methods. Additionally, the organization needs to support teachers in building and developing
rapport and meaningful relationships with Latino male students so that students connect to
school and are motivated to meet graduation requirements and attain their high school diplomas.
It is recommended that the organization provides knowledge and regular communication
on the importance of students’ cultural backgrounds and how to incorporate this into the
curricular program by working with colleagues collaboratively. It is recommended that the
organization strengthen teachers' abilities to systematically identify and effectively intervene to
support struggling Latino male students by routinely communicating and soliciting needs and
establishing priorities for budgeting purposes. By encouraging teachers to engage in these
behaviors, the organization will provide a positive environment for individual teachers and teams
through supportive coaching and modeling. Using both public acknowledgement and
performance incentives, teams and individuals will be rewarded when using collaborative inquiry
cycles and teams perform at high levels, hitting benchmarks along the way. Regular feedback
and communication is needed on how individuals and teams are progressing toward the
accomplishment of their goals.
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Level 2: Learning
Learning Goals: Following completion of the recommended drivers (solutions), the
teacher stakeholders will be able to
1. Execute and explain the steps of how to engage Latino male students (M).
2. Value and understand the cultural backgrounds and implications for learning for Latino
male students (Value).
3. Recognize and apply the effective methods to engage Latino male students in outcome-
driven lessons( P).
4. Implement mentoring techniques with Latino male students that help to build trust,
rapport, and engagement (P).
5. Value a positive emotional environment for individuals and teams at work (Value).
6. Integrate supportive coaching practices and analyze tasks to break them into their
component parts (M).
7. Explain and execute an annual plan with a timeline utilizing the collaborative inquiry
cycle (Plan-Do-Study-Act) (M).
8. Value the planning and monitoring of collaborative work (Value).
9. Indicate confidence that they can engage Latino male students and collaboratively use the
collaborative inquiry cycle (Confidence/Self-Efficacy)
10. Value feedback that is given from administrators and peers (Value).
Program. The learning goals will be achieved through a professional development
training program. Teacher learners will be engaged in face-to-face professional development
training that consists of five 7-hour workshops spaced throughout the year.
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During the professional development workshops, teachers will receive a job aid of key
engagement learning strategies and examples of applying these strategies that will be more
effective with Latino male students. Teachers will receive case studies about Latino male
students and a book by David Campos entitled Educating Latino Boys. Excerpts of that book will
be utilized throughout the professional development workshops to teach about cultural
backgrounds and implications for learning and effective mentoring strategies for Latino male
students. Teachers will be engaged in learning tasks with specific content and social-emotional
outcomes that are explicitly shared at the beginning of the lesson and intended to increase
engagement and establish a positive relationship between teacher and Latino male students.
Subsequently, teachers will create engaging lessons that demonstrate their understanding of the
needs of Latino male students and their ability to implement key instructional practices
effectively. Demonstrations, modeling, practice, and feedback will be the approach used to help
teachers feel confident that they can identify engaging instructional strategies for Latino male
students, embed them into a content-based lesson and receive feedback on their lesson.
An additional job aid will provide a plan-do-study-act flow chart of the collaborative
inquiry cycle and a notebook of resources aligned to each stage of the plan-do-study-act cycle.
The job aids will be referenced and posted on the training room walls, and each step will be
modeled. Each step of the inquiry cycle will be demonstrated and modeled. Following the
demonstrations, teachers will practice, referencing the job aid and resource notebook, and
facilitators, administrators and peers will provide feedback. As each step is modeled focused on
student work analysis, using both video scenarios and fishbowl method where a scenario is acted
out, the facilitator will reference the job aid and discuss key actions with teacher participants.
There will be frequent checks for understanding to allow teachers to process their learning.
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Teachers will work in collaborative teams to generate, produce, and monitor an annual plan,
including a timeline, based in the plan-do-study-act collaborative inquiry cycle.
Evaluation of the Components of Learning. Anderson and Krathwohl (2000) present
cognitive process and knowledge dimensions in hierarchical steps but note that the boundaries
between the categories are not always apparent. They distinguish between factual, conceptual,
procedural, and metacognitive knowledge. Declarative (factual and conceptual) and procedural
knowledge often forms the basis of more complex knowledge required to solve more difficult
problems. Therefore, it is necessary when evaluating learning to ensure that there is declarative
and procedural knowledge. Teachers must exhibit confidence in their ability to apply their
learning knowledge and skills and be committed to using these in their classrooms to enhance
student learning. Table 16 provides a list of the evaluation methods and timing for the declarative
and procedural components for learning.
Table 16
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity/Activities Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
Knowledge check questions Embedded within the electronic portion of the
presentation within the professional
development workshops
Knowledge checks using “think-write-pair-
share”
Used frequently during professional
development workshops and documented in
observation notes
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Demonstration in collaborative groups and
individually using the job aids to successfully
perform various skills
During professional development workshops
Quarterly professional development
Pulse-check of teacher participants to see how
they are feeling about applying the skills
Informally during the professional
development workshops
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Method(s) or Activity/Activities Timing
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Quality of the feedback from peers during pair
shares and group sharing
Post-survey questions after the professional
development workshops
Individual application of skills with authentic
classroom application
Teacher teams will gather information
quarterly when visiting colleagues’
classrooms
Retrospective pre and post-test assessment
survey asking participants about their
proficiency levels prior to and after training
At the end of the professional development
workshops
Dedicated observer for collaborative inquiry
cycle practice
During the professional development
workshops and quarterly visits to classrooms
by teacher teams and weekly visits by
administration
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Facilitators’ or Administrators’ observation of
participants’ statements and actions
demonstrating that they see the benefit of
what they are being asked to do on the job
During the professional development
workshops and weekly visits by
administration
Discussions of the value of what they are
learning and being asked to apply in the
classroom
During the professional development
workshops and quarterly surveys
administered to teachers
Retrospective pre- and post-test assessment
item
After the professional development workshops
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Survey items using a Likert scale Following each professional development
workshop topic done quarterly
Observations of discussions after practice and
feedback session
During the professional development
workshops, done quarterly
Retrospective pre- and post-test assessment
item
After the professional development workshops,
conducted quarterly
165
Method(s) or Activity/Activities Timing
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
Discussions following practice and feedback During the professional development
workshops and at weekly PLC meetings
Creation of individual and group collaborative
inquiry plan
During the professional development
workshops and at PLC meetings at least once
per quarter
Retrospective pre- and post-test assessment
item
After the professional development workshops
and quarterly survey
Level 1: Reaction
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) explain that the Level 1 evaluation of stakeholder
learning, assessing their reaction to the program or training, should be determined in both a
formative and summative manner. When formatively assessing Level 1, Kirkpatrick and
Kirkpatrick identify that this consists of engagement, relevance, and customer satisfaction.
Below is a list of the components to measure reactions for Kirkpatrick’s Level 1. Table 17
presents the methods and timing for measurement.
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Table 17
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Observation by instructor/facilitator During the workshops
Course survey/evaluation (anonymous) After the workshops
Attendance records At the beginning of the workshops
Ask meaningful questions During the workshops
Completion of lesson plans incorporating
engaging tasks
After the workshops teachers will apply
learning to daily lesson plans, share lessons
weekly in PLC’s and upload evidence each
quarter to the Google Classroom for Faculty.
Relevance
Pulse-check During the workshops each quarter and in
weekly site administration visits
Course survey/evaluation (anonymous) After the workshops and in quarterly post-
surveys
Customer Satisfaction
Pulse-check During the workshops and in weekly site
administration visits
Course survey/evaluation (anonymous) After the workshops and in quarterly post-
surveys
Dedicated observer who gauges discussion and
body language
During the workshops and quarterly
department team classroom visits
Evaluation Tools
Immediately Following the Program Implementation. During each of the five face-to-
face professional development workshops, a survey will be administered to collect data on
167
teachers’ learning experiences at Level 1 and Level 2. During the workshops, to ensure full
engagement, the facilitator/instructor will make observations and ask meaningful questions.
After the workshops, teachers will be asked to collaboratively complete lesson plans that
incorporate engaging instructional tasks to address the needs of Latino male students. At the
conclusion of each workshop, there will be a post-workshop evaluation to determine learning of
new knowledge and skills, engagement, relevance, and teacher satisfaction with the content and
facilitation of each professional development workshop.
For Level 1, the facilitator will log attendance and take pulse-checks multiple times
during each workshop by asking participants about how the content of the workshops relates to
their design and delivery of curriculum and instruction in addition to whether the material is
relevant to their job, barriers to implementation, if there are clear expectations about the use of
collaborative inquiry, and if content is organized and easy to follow. To fully determine the level
of teacher satisfaction, a dedicated observer will gauge participants’ discussion and body
language while the facilitator takes pulse-checks by observing the level of satisfaction. The
course survey/evaluation given at the end of the workshop will have items to measure
engagement, relevance, and customer satisfaction.
The facilitator will assess declarative and procedural knowledge and skills throughout
each session by asking knowledge check questions and having participants utilize think-write-
pair-shares frequently during the workshop. Facilitators will document their observations of
knowledge and skills in their notes. Using collaborative group demonstration and practice, as
well as written job aids, participants will practice the performance of important collaboration and
lesson planning skills. The facilitator will take pulse-checks to determine how participants are
feeling about applying the skills.
168
Throughout each of the workshops, there will be a dedicated observer for collaborative
inquiry cycle practice. Additionally, peers will provide feedback to one another, and the
facilitator will assess the quality of that feedback. In a post-workshop survey immediately
administered at the end of each of the workshops, teacher participants will be asked to apply
skills in an authentic classroom application individually. In a post-survey, participants will be
asked to assess their proficiency levels before and after training in a retrospective pre- and post-
test assessment survey. Level 2 attitudes, confidence, and commitment will be measured during
the workshops through facilitator observation, documentation of discussion, and individual and
group collaborative planning. Upon completion of each workshop, attitude, confidence, and
commitment will be determined using survey items and retrospective pre and post-test
assessment items for attitude and commitment.
Delayed for a Period After the Program Implementation. District administration will
administer a survey approximately six weeks after the professional development workshop and
then a second time at 12 weeks post-implementation. Using Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016)
guidelines, both scaled and open-ended items will be used in a blended evaluation. The following
levels will be included in the blended evaluation: Level 1 reactions (relevance and satisfaction)
and Level 2 (learning) attitudes about workshop content; Level 3 application of content to
classroom instruction and collaborative lesson planning using a collaborative inquiry cycle and
the impact on student achievement and student learning (Level 4). Appendix E shows sample
items from a blended evaluation that incorporates all four Kirkpatrick levels, aligned to the
organizational outcomes and leading indicators listed in Table 4 and required drivers to support
teacher critical behaviors listed in Table 6.
169
Data Analysis and Reporting
One cannot understate the importance of measuring the learning that occurs for teachers
in K-12 schools across the United States and the impact this could have on an organization’s
outcomes. The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) ensures there is
a robust evaluation plan aligned to an organization’s outcomes. Such an evaluation plan requires
strong evaluation tools that measure the reactions, learning, and behavioral changes to bring
about organizational outcomes. The Level 4 goal of the PCUSD is measured by Latino males’
completion of graduation requirements and an overall increase in the ACGR. Weekly,
administrators will document the frequency of use of engagement strategies that affect student
achievement in their courses. The infographic in Figure 3 is a visual representation of data trends
and patterns regarding engagement. The data will be utilized to monitor and keep accountability.
Similar infographics will be created to monitor Level 1 (reaction), Level 2 (learning), and Level
3 (behavior).
The data will be gathered throughout the five face-to-face training sessions, using pulse-
checks, job aids, demonstrations, and pre- and post-surveys (immediately after and delayed
administration). This will help to inform the facilitator and site administration regarding the
learning that is or is not occurring and will allow for mid-workshop corrections as well as
support learning through accountability.
170
Figure 3
Engagement Strategies
Summary of the Implementation and Evaluation
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) designed a model framework that was applied to
increase Latino males’ graduation rates. Research was done prior to developing an integrated
implementation and evaluation plan to identify gaps regarding teachers and the goal of
increasing the use of engagement strategies to increase Latino male student engagement that
would contribute to their success in courses required for graduation. Based on CDE data and the
disparity between the number of male and female graduates, a few KMO influences highlighted
gaps in teacher pedagogy and positive relationship building. Once the KMO influences and
constraints were identified, research was done to formulate recommendations that would
171
effectively address them. For our teacher stakeholders, teachers utilized engagement strategies to
varying degrees and had a range of levels of self-awareness about strategies that more effectively
engaged Latino male students. When teachers do not describe effective utilization of engagement
strategies, Latino male students’ engagement will most likely significantly decrease. In
classrooms where the teacher utilizes the recommended job aid and documents provided during
the professional development workshop with key information on the procedural steps necessary
to put the strategies into action, there will most likely be higher engagement by Latino male
students.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach
In this study, Clark and Estes’s (2008) KMO gap analysis framework and the New World
Kirkpatrick Model were two of the methodological approaches used. Clark and Estes’s
framework informed the literature review, the methodological design and protocols, the data
analysis, and the recommended solutions. The New World Kirkpatrick Model was then utilized
to create a plan that could be implemented and evaluated. Each of these frameworks has
strengths and weaknesses.
Clark and Estes’s (2008) framework’s main strength is its applicability for researchers to
solve problems in education. The framework provides a pathway for educational researchers to
identify a goal to be researched and measured after identifying stakeholder and organizational
goals. The framework allows any researcher to reliably identify and measure gaps and then
analyze what the cause of the gap is. It provides a process to analyze and identify the cause of the
gap as attributed to a lack of KMO elements. This gap analysis framework helps researchers to
determine and explain performance problems in organizations. On the other hand, there are
possible weaknesses with the model in that its framework could be limited if a performance
172
problem is attributed to something other than gaps in KMO. Additionally, a gap in the
determination of validated influences does not show if there is progress toward validating the
influences. Through the analysis, I identified elements within each KMO area that showed
progress toward closing the gap but did not note partial validation of influences. Other non-
educational organizations might not be able to apply the model as readily. For this study, the
KMO gap analysis framework could be readily applied given my educational context.
The New World Kirkpatrick Model allowed me to put together a program for teachers for
the KMO influences. Due to a focus on the teacher as a stakeholder, in this study, I was limited
in evaluating the KMO influences of Latino male students. Also, given that the teachers are
subject to the organization's requirements, it is the organization that must work with its teachers
collectively to achieve organizational and stakeholder goals.
Limitations and Delimitations
At the end of Chapter Three, there was an initial consideration of the possible limitations
and delimitations of this study. These will be further discussed given that the data analysis and
recommendations regarding solutions has been completed. It is important to note that the
findings are not generalizable given the small sample size and specific organization studied.
A mixed methodology, quantitative and qualitative measures, was used, including
surveys, interviews and document analysis, allowing for data triangulation. Given that this
study’s data collection took place while California was in quarantine due to the COVID-19
pandemic, I had difficulty obtaining the ideal number of teacher participants and could not
stratify interviewees. I originally planned to go to a face-to-face staff meeting to administer the
survey and recruit participants for the interview. However, I was unable to do so. Due to there
being no scheduled virtual or face-to-face faculty meetings, I could not address the faculty and
173
had to rely on emails sent to the staff by the principal. I did attend a virtual meeting with the
principal and teacher leadership team to request help with participation. A strong limitation of
this study is the strong reliance on teacher self-report about their own skills and abilities. Had
Latino male students been interviewed, and teachers observed interacting with them in the
classroom, there would have been even stronger themes. A major limitation of this study is its
applicability to only the studied organization and its comprehensive high school. Another strong
limitation is that there were interview questions that could have had better phrasing.
A study’s delimitations are choices made by the researcher. I hoped to have a stratified
sample of teachers based on years of experience and representation across subject areas. The
teachers interviewed tended to be teachers in special or alternative elective settings. Of the 29
participants surveyed, one was not a teacher. Given the small sample of teacher volunteers (8), I
allowed one non-teacher participant to participate. One teacher participant began the virtual
video interview and could not complete it. This interview participant finished answering the
interview questions by email, and this took away my ability to ask follow-up questions in the live
context of the interview.
Recommendations for Future Research
The study examined the knowledge, motivational and organizational gaps by teacher
stakeholders and how they utilized engagement strategies to help Latino male students meet their
graduation requirements. I selected this focus because of observations I made in my own
organization, with similar demographics to the studied organization, where Latino males have
poorer achievement, higher dropout rates, and a larger percentage who do not make it to
graduation from their ninth-grade year. There is also a body of research on Latino and Black
males and data from years of data collection on graduation rates tracking Latino and Black male
174
achievement that show a wide but narrowing gap between White and Latino or Black male
graduation rates. Additional research could be conducted on the self-efficacy of Latino male
students in classrooms across this and multiple organizations. Further research is needed to
assess how successful teachers build relationships with Latino males and what successful
teachers do to impact Latino male self-efficacy as it relates to students' likelihood to remain in
school to graduate. Something to be further studied and observed is the relationship between
teacher self-efficacy regarding their ability to effectively engage Latino males and their actual
ability to positively affect Latino males’ choice to remain in school and complete graduation
requirements. Future studies can address the role of Latino male students and replicate the study
with a larger sample size in and across school districts. District personnel can play a greater role
in collecting observational, interview, and survey data among various stakeholders.
Conclusion
This study explored the relationship between Latino male high school graduation rates
and teacher engagement strategies using Clark and Estes’s (2008) KMO framework. A more in-
depth understanding of teachers’ knowledge and motivation within the PCUSD provided insights
into what recommendations I can provide to the organization. This study was situated within the
PCUSD organization that had a cultural model with underlying expectations, structures, and
policies where teachers work together on instructional planning and have opportunities for
formal collaboration. The PCHS administration created a cultural setting that values professional
development training to help teachers connect and build relationships with students and learn
about engaging strategies through training like AVID.
The organizational goal motivated this study. This is aligned with the PCUSD’s strategic
plan. In the strategic plan, Goal 1 is that all students will graduate on time. The school district’s
175
strategic plan outlined its goals that were derived after a thorough KMO analysis. The following
strategies, as outlined in the PCUSD’s strategic plan, determined after a KMO analysis, directly
focused on supporting teachers to achieve this goal: supporting students’ social emotional and
academic needs; regular communication with parents and students; providing rigorous
instruction in a safe learning environment.
This evaluation study has concluded that teachers have assets with the basic procedural
and metacognitive knowledge regarding connectedness and underlying self-awareness of how
they engage with Latino male students. Teachers expressed high self-efficacy in their abilities to
effectively impact Latino males’ academic achievement to get them to graduate from high
school. What emerged from this study was that teachers value and want to engage with all
students and learn how to best address the needs of Latino male students, but it was clear that
there are sill KMO gaps. Data analysis showed that teachers needed to attribute and connect
Latino male academic performance to their own abilities to effectively identify and use high-
engagement instructional practices to lead to greater Latino male student success. As the
organization continues to carry out its strategic plan, it was apparent that there were supports to
drive teachers in the direction of continuing to close the gaps in KMO. This study will hopefully
inform that direction by providing greater focus on how teachers understand their impact on the
use of engagement strategies that directly influence Latino male students’ achievement and
graduation rates.
176
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APPENDIX A: SURVEY DISTRIBUTION
There are 189 high school teachers that comprise a majority of the population of
secondary teachers in the PCUSD. All high school teachers at PCHS will be invited to participate
in this study by the researcher. Each will receive the Consent Cover Letter for Survey Research.
The researcher will conduct the survey using the script included in the cover letter. The survey
will be disseminated with assistance from a district administrator with access to email addresses.
The researcher will reach out to teachers through email, hard copy of letter and/or a phone call
inviting them to participate. The high school principal and district officials will send out the
emails for the researcher and assist with the distribution of hard copies of the questionnaire
survey. The survey will also be disseminated via an electronic link to all participant-teachers.
The survey will be available for 4–6 weeks and collected in October 2020 to May of 2021. All
participating teachers will be thanked and entered into a raffle for a $50 gift card (five of these
will be given). The survey, as constructed, should take no more than 20 minutes to complete.
Consent Cover Letter for Survey Research (Script for Survey Questionnaire)
Understanding the Reason for Variation in High School Graduation Rates of Latino Males
Dear Participant,
I invite you to participate in a research study entitled: Understanding the Reason for Variation in
High School Graduation Rates of Latino Males. I am currently enrolled in the Doctor of
Education in Organizational Leadership and Change program at the University of Southern
California Rossier School of Education in Los Angeles, CA and am in the process of writing my
Doctoral Thesis. The purpose of the research is to determine how teacher engagement strategies
impact Latino male high school graduation rates. I want to gather information about instructional
practices in your school district that are being utilized to engage Latino males in completing high
school graduation requirements that affect the high school graduation rates. I will also be
examining teacher understanding of the organizational, knowledge and motivational influences
that impact Latino male high school graduation rates in your school district and study how
organizational culture affects teacher knowledge and motivation regarding Latino males.
197
The enclosed questionnaire has been designed to collect information on the organizational,
knowledge and motivational influences that impact Latino male high school graduation rates.
Your participation in this research project is completely voluntary and anonymous. You may
decline altogether or leave blank any questions you don’t wish to answer. There are no known
risks to participation beyond those encountered in everyday life. Your responses will remain
confidential and anonymous. Data from this research will be kept under lock and key; electronic
data will be password protected on an external hard drive and destroyed upon completion of the
study. Data will only be reported as a collective combined total. No one other than the researcher
will know or have access to your individual answers to this questionnaire.
Upon completion of the questionnaire, volunteer participants will be able to opt in to being
interviewed and can provide their contact information to the researcher on an index card that is
separate from the survey. As the principal investigator, I will contact volunteer participants to set
up an interview (up to one hour) at a time we mutually agreed upon.
If you agree to participate in this project, please answer the questions on the questionnaire as best
you can. It should take approximately (15 minutes) to complete. Please return the questionnaire
to the researcher who is administering the questionnaire.
If you have any questions about this project, feel free to contact PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
ELIZABETH M. GARCIA at 310-200-7071 (cell number) or garciaem@usc.edu (email address)
Information on the rights of human subjects in research is available through the USC
Institutional Review Board at USC’s Office of Research at:
Office of Research
3720 S. Flower Street
Third Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0706
Telephone: (213) 740-6709
Fax: (213) 740-8919
vice.president.research@usc.edu
Website: https://research.usc.edu/institutional-review-board-irb-101/
Maja Matarić, Interim Vice President of Research, vpres@usc.edu
Thank you for your assistance in this important endeavor.
Sincerely yours,
Elizabeth Garcia, Principal Investigator
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Study Title: Understanding the Reason for Variation in High School Graduation Rates of
Latino Males
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth M. Garcia
INFORMED CONSENT FOR RESEARCH
Study Title: Understanding the Reason for Variation in High School Graduation Rates of
Latino Males
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth M. Garcia
Department: Rossier School of Education
24-Hour Telephone Number: Not applicable
INTRODUCTION
We invite you to take part in a research study. Please take as much time as you need to read the
consent form. You may want to discuss it with your family, friends, or colleagues. If you find
any of the language difficult to understand, please ask questions. If you decide to participate, you
will be asked to sign this form. A copy of the signed form will be provided to you for your
records.
KEY INFORMATION
The following is a short summary of this study to help you decide whether or not you should
participate. More detailed information is listed later on in this form.
1. Being in this research study is voluntary – it is your choice. The entire process will be
conducted in a virtual manner and there will be no in-person element. During COVID-
19, USC IRB has an expectation that there will be no in-person interviews and that any
virtual meetings will be held on Zoom or by phone.
2. You are being asked to take part in this study because you are teachers that impact
Latino male high school graduation rates. The purpose of this study is to determine
how teacher engagement strategies impact Latino male high school graduation rates.
Your participation in this study will last for no longer than an hour and a half. The
study will be conducted between October-April 2021. Procedures will include taking a
survey questionnaire, in a group setting, for no more than 15 minutes and will request
30 volunteers to participate in an hour-long interview.
3. There are minimal risks from participating in this study. The most common risks are
possible discomfort with the topic of the question. More detailed information about the
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risks of this study can be found under the “What are the risks and possible
discomforts?” section.
4. The possible benefits to you for taking part in this study may include that your
participation in this study may help us learn how to improve the graduation rates of
Latino males and its impact on society.
5. If you decide not to participate in this research, your other choices may include
participating in the interview only or choosing not to participate.
DETAILED INFORMATION
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to determine how teacher engagement strategies impact Latino male
high school graduation rates. I want to gather information about instructional practices in your
school district that are being utilized to engage Latino males in completing high school
graduation requirements that affect the high school graduation rates. I will also be examining
teacher understanding of the organizational, knowledge and motivational influences that impact
Latino male high school graduation rates in your school district and study how organizational
culture affects teacher knowledge and motivation regarding Latino males. We hope to learn how
Latino male high school graduation rates are affected by teacher engagement strategies and how
the organizational culture supports teacher knowledge, understanding and motivation required to
impact Latino male achievement. You are invited as a possible participant because you are a
teacher in the PUSD. About 189 participants will take part in the study’s survey and 30 will take
part in the interview. This research is being conducted by the principal investigator as part of her
graduate thesis.
PROCEDURES
If you decide to take part, this is what will happen:
● All parts of this study will be conducted virtually or by phone and through electronic
communications that include survey links, virtual or phone interviews that are
electronically recorded and safely stored on encrypted devices, then deleted upon
completion of the study.
● All electronic documents will require a digital signature.
● All teachers at PCHS will be asked to participate in taking an electronic survey that is
sent to them by email.
● All teachers will be given a cover letter, sent via email, with an overview of the study and
given the opportunity to voluntarily participate.
● Those who volunteer will be asked to sign an IRB consent form, sent to them
electronically.
● Volunteer participants must take the survey electronically.
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● Using email and virtual meetings, volunteer participants will be solicited to participate
and can opt in to being interviewed and asked to provide their contact information to the
researcher.
● The principal investigator/researcher will contact volunteer participants via Zoom or by
phone and set up an hour-long interview at a time mutually agreed upon by the
investigator and volunteer participant/teacher.
● The principal investigator/researcher will send each volunteer participant an electronic
file of their transcript of their interview for accuracy and review by the participant to
ensure accuracy of their responses.
RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
Possible risks and discomforts you could experience during this study include:
Surveys/Questionnaires/Interviews: Some of the questions may make you feel uneasy or
embarrassed. You can choose to skip or stop answering any questions you don’t want to.
Breach of Confidentiality: There is a small risk that people who are not connected with this study
will learn your identity or your personal information.
BENEFITS
There are no direct benefits to you from taking part in this study. However, your participation in
this study may help us learn how to improve the high school graduation rates of Latino males
and how teachers’ use of engagement strategies impact Latino male achievement in high school.
This may lead to ways to intervene to have a positive impact on closing achievement. gaps that
exist between Latino males and non-Latinos.
PRIVACY/CONFIDENTIALITY
We will keep your records for this study confidential as far as permitted by law. However, if we
are required to do so by law, we will disclose confidential information about you. Efforts will be
made to limit the use and disclosure of your personal information, including research study and
medical records, to people who are required to review this information. We may publish the
information from this study in journals or present it at meetings. If we do, we will not use your
name.
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The University of Southern California’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) may review your
records.
Your data or specimens will be stored by the Principal Investigator on her external hard drive.
They will be destroyed after completion of the study and will be retained prior to this for 4
months. Only the Principal Investigator will have access to these records.
Your information or samples that are collected as part of this research will not be used or
distributed for future research studies.
ALTERNATIVES
There may be alternative(s) to participating in this study. These include not participating in the
study. The risks and benefits will be explained to you.
PAYMENTS
Each participant taking the questionnaire will receive a $5.00 gift card and each participant who
is interviewed will receive $10.00. The disbursement will occur upon completion of the
questionnaire and then after the interview.
COST
There are no costs related to participation.
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
It is your choice whether or not to participate. If you choose to participate, you may change your
mind and leave the study at any time. Refusal to participate or stopping your participation will
involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. If withdrawal must be
gradual for safety reasons, the principal investigator will tell you.
If you stop being in the research, already collected data may not be removed from the study
database. You will be asked whether the investigator can continue to collect data from your
records. If you agree, this data will be handled the same as the research data. No new information
or samples will be collected about you or from you by the study team without your permission.
The study site may still, after your withdrawal, need to report any safety event that you may have
experienced due to your participation to all entities involved in the study. Your personal
information, including any identifiable information, that has already been collected up to the
time of your withdrawal will be kept and used to guarantee the integrity of the study, to
determine the safety effects, and to satisfy any legal or regulatory requirements.
If you want to withdraw from the study, please contact the principal investigator.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, complaints, or think the research has hurt you, talk to the
principal investigator, Elizabeth Garcia at 310-200-7071 or garciaem@usc.edu.
This research has been reviewed by the USC Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is a
research review board that reviews and monitors research studies to protect the rights and
welfare of research participants. Contact the IRB if you have questions about your rights as a
research participant or you have complaints about the research. You may contact the IRB at
(323) 442-0114 or by email at irb@usc.edu.
STATEMENT OF CONSENT
I have read (or someone has read to me) the information provided above. I have been given a
chance to ask questions. All my questions have been answered. By signing this form, I am
agreeing to take part in this study.
Name of Research Participant Signature Date Signed
(and Time*)
Person Obtaining Consent
I have personally explained the research to the participant using non-technical language. I have
answered all the participant’s questions. I believe that the participant understands the information
described in this informed consent and freely consents to participate.
Name of Person Obtaining Signature Date Signed
Informed Consent (and Time*)
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Table A1
Survey Items
Research
Question/Data
Type
Influence KMO
Construct
Survey Item Scale Potential
Analyses
Visual
Demographics N/A I have been teaching for _____ years.
(0–5yrs, 6–10 yrs., 11–15 yrs., 16 or more,
decline to state)
Interval Percentage,
Mean,
Median,
Mode
Table and
pie or bar
chart
Demographics N/A Please identify the race(s) with which you
identify (see choices listed below this
table)
White
Hispanic or Latino
Black or African American
Native American or American Indian
Asian / Pacific Islander
Other
Decline to State
Nominal Frequency,
Percentage,
Mode
Table and
pie or bar
chart
203
204
Research
Question/Data
Type
Influence KMO
Construct
Survey Item Scale Potential
Analyses
Visual
Demographics N/A What is your gender? (Male, Female,
Non-gender conforming, Decline to state)
Nominal Frequency,
Percentage,
Mode
Table and
pie or bar
chart
To what extent
is the
organization
meeting its
goal of a 100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
lack
adminis-
trative
support for
increasing
Latino male
graduation
rates.
O-CS School district administrative officials
value supporting Latino males (strongly
agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
lack
knowledge
that fully
equips them
to support
Latino
males in the
classroom.
K-F I am equipped with the requisite skills and
knowledge to instructionally support
Latino males in the classroom (strongly
agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
204
205
Research
Question/Data
Type
Influence KMO
Construct
Survey Item Scale Potential
Analyses
Visual
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
lack self-
efficacy in
their ability
to influence
Latino male
success.
M-Self-
efficacy
I am confident that I can influence Latino
male success (strongly agree, agree,
disagree, strongly disagree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
lack
understandi
ng of how
to connect
with Latino
males in the
classroom.
K-P I understand how to connect with Latino
male students in the classroom (strongly
agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
mode, range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
205
206
Research
Question/Data
Type
Influence KMO
Construct
Survey Item Scale Potential
Analyses
Visual
What is the
interaction
between
organizational
culture and
context in the
PCUSD as it
relates to
teacher
knowledge and
motivation?
Teachers
lack
resources to
help them
support
Latino
males in the
classroom.
O-CS My district provides me with the resources
to support Latino males in the classroom
(strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly
disagree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
mode, range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
lack
knowledge
that fully
equips them
to highly
engage
Latino
males in the
classroom.
K-F Latino male students in my classroom are
(highly engaged, somewhat engaged, not
engaged)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
median,
mode, range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
206
207
Research
Question/Data
Type
Influence KMO
Construct
Survey Item Scale Potential
Analyses
Visual
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
need to
know the
methods
that
increase
student
engage-
ment
particular-
ly for
Latino
students
K-F How important are the following
instructional strategies for engaging
Latino males? (Scale of 1–5, 5 being
extremely important) For each item
below, respondents will select a
response:
· Positive classroom environment
· Making the curriculum relevant to
student’s lives
· Having high academic expectations
· Finding ways to develop meaningful
relationships
· Providing a personalized learning
environment
· A school culture that counters negative
influences
· A school culture with rigid discipline
policies
· A school culture that affirms the
importance of learning
· A school culture that values intervening
early and effectively when problems are
identified
· School leadership that is authoritarian
· School leadership that are strong and
effective
· School personnel who act as mentors
· Peer who value learning
· Addressing the underlying factors for
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
bar chart
207
208
behavior issues
Research
Question/Data
Type
Influence KMO
Construct
Survey Item Scale Potential
Analyses
Visual
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
need to
know the
methods
that
increase
student
engage-
ment
particular-
ly for
Latino
students
Reconnect-ing offending youth to the
goals and purpose of school
· Improved study habits
· Adults who are culturally competent
· Teach students to be more proactive at
seeking help
· Adults who are well-trained
· Hire adults who are highly skilled
· Create initiative that are tailored to the
unique and diverse needs of Latino males
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
Teachers
need to
know the
methods
that in-
crease
student
engageme
nt,
particularl
y for
Latino stu-
dents
K-F To what extent do you or your school or
district employ the strategies listed above
to engage Latino males? (very high
frequency, high frequency, low frequency,
very low)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
Bar Chart
208
209
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
M-GO To what extent do you agree with this
statement: If Latino male students have
poor achievement, in my class, it is
because I did not engage students in my
lesson design (Highly agree, somewhat
agree, do not agree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
Bar Chart
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
M-GO I feel confident about my ability to
academically prepare Latino males for
high school graduation through goal
setting (highly confident, somewhat
confident, low confidence)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
Bar Chart
209
210
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
M-GO It is important for me to use engaging
instructional practices to meet the needs of
Latino males (strongly agree, agree,
somewhat agree, do not agree)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
Bar Chart
What are the
knowledge,
motivation and
organizational
influences
related to
achieving a
100%
graduation rate
for Latino
males?
M-GO To what extent do Latino males engage in
your curriculum? (high, medium, low)
Ordinal Percentage,
frequency,
mode,
median,
range
Table,
stacked
Bar Chart
210
211
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APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
The following introductory language will be communicated to the interviewees. Initially,
the interviewer will introduce herself, the purpose of the study and the ethical considerations.
Script: Hello, my name is Elizabeth Garcia. The purpose of the study is to gather information
about instructional practices in the PCUSD that teachers utilize to engage Latino males in high
school coursework as measured by rates of completion from high school to be college- and
career-ready. Our research is being conducted to build understanding as to the gaps that exist in
knowledge, motivation and the organization that impact Latino male high school completion
indicating college and career readiness. What we want to learn is dependent upon your
participation. You will help us to understand how classroom and school experiences of Latino
males contribute to their readiness and high school completion. A dissertation will be written
with major themes that emerge from this conversation. Ethical considerations that are important
for this study include the anonymity of the organization and study participants, confidentiality of
the data and the ability for study participants to not answer questions and/or withdraw from the
study at any time.
A consent form for recording (below) will be presented to the teacher participant since they will
be recorded. The recordings will only be accessed by the researcher and the identity of each
interview participant will be kept confidential. Participants will know that their participation is
completely voluntary and anonymous.
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INFORMED CONSENT FORM (VIRTUAL RECORDING)
Consent form for Virtual Recording and Transcribing Interviews
Title of Study:
Understanding the Reason for Variation in High School Graduation Rates of Latino Males
Principal Investigator/Researcher
Elizabeth Garcia
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
This study involves the virtual recording of your interview with the researcher. The interviews
will be conducted virtually through Zoom or by phone. Neither your name nor any other
identifying information will be associated with the virtual recording or the transcript. Only the
researcher will listen to the recordings.
The virtual recordings will be transcribed by the researcher and deleted once the transcriptions
are checked for accuracy by each participant. Transcripts will be saved in an electronic format
and the transcript file will be emailed to each interviewee/participant to review and provide
feedback. Transcripts of your interview may be reproduced in whole or in part for use in the
dissertation and defense presentation that is an outcome of this study. Neither your name nor any
other identifying information (such as your voice) will be used in presentations or in the writing
resulting from the study. Immediately following the interview, you will be given the opportunity
to have the recording deleted if you wish to withdraw your consent to recording or participation
in this study. At the end of the study, recordings will be deleted. All recordings will be safe and
secure throughout the study and will be stored on an encrypted hard drive that is not connected to
the internet.
By signing this form, you are consenting to:
o ______ Having your interview virtually recorded.
o ______ Having the recording transcribed.
o ______ Use of the written transcript in the dissertation and defense presentation
By initialing in front of each item, you are consenting to participate in that procedure.
This consent for recording is effective until May 1, 2021. On or before that date, the recording
will be destroyed.
Participant’s Name (please print) ________________________________________________
Participant’s Signature ____________________________________ Date _____________
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Individual Interview Protocol & Questions
Protocol
The following introductory language will be communicated to the interviewees. Initially,
the interviewer will introduce themselves, the purpose of the study and the ethical
considerations.
Script: Hello, my name is [Elizabeth M. Garcia, Principal Investigator]. Today, I am here to talk
with you as the principal investigator and researcher who currently is attending the Rossier
School of Education and enrolled in the Doctor of Education program in Organizational
Leadership and Change. The purpose of the research is to determine how teacher engagement
strategies impact Latino male high school graduation rates. I want to gather information about
instructional practices in your school district that are being utilized to engage Latino males in
completing high school graduation requirements that affect the high school graduation rates. I
will also be examining teacher understanding of the organizational, knowledge and motivational
influences that impact Latino male high school graduation rates in your school district and study
how organizational culture affects teacher knowledge and motivation regarding Latino males.
My research is being conducted to build understanding as to the gaps that exist in
knowledge, motivation and the organization that impact Latino male high school completion
indicating their level of readiness for college and career. What we want to learn is dependent
upon your participation. You will help the educational community to understand how classroom
instructional and school experiences of Latino males contribute to their readiness and high
school completion. A dissertation will be written with major themes that emerge from this
conversation. Ethical considerations that are important for this study include the anonymity of
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the organization and its study participants, confidentiality of the data and the ability for study
participants to not answer questions and/or withdraw from the study at any time.
Here is a consent form for your review (present the consent form for recording). This study
involves the virtual recording of your interview with the researcher using Zoom or phone. All
recordings will be safely and secured on an encrypted hard drive. Neither your name nor any
other identifying information will be associated with the recording or the transcript. Only the
researcher will listen to the recordings. This is completely voluntary and anonymous.
Participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any time. The recordings will not be
shared with anyone and will be electronically stored during the study and will be deleted after
completion and acceptance of the dissertation. This recording will be conducted to gather
information to inform the writing of my dissertation at the University of Southern California on
graduation rates of Latino males. The recordings will be electronically transcribed, and the
transcriptions will be used to note emerging themes regarding knowledge, motivation and
organization gaps. No names will be used in the dissertation and the identity of each interview
participant will be concealed and identities or identifiable characteristics shared with no one.
Recordings and transcripts will not be shared and be stored in a safe, secure location. Each
person being virtually interviewed will have the opportunity to review the electronic transcripts
for accuracy. The researcher will share this with each participant through electronic means.
For today’s interview, I will define engagement according to Wentzel (2003) and
Newman (1992).
● Engagement is described as a psychological investment in learning that impacts
students’ effort in trying to learn in school. Internally students take pride in
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achieving success through academic indicators such as grades but also find value
in incorporating it and internalizing it in their own lives (Newman, 1992).
● Wentzel defines engagement as relational (the quality of students’ interactions in
the classroom and school community), cognitive (the quality of students’
psychological engagement in academic tasks, including their interest, ownership,
and strategies for learning) and behavioral (the quality of students’ participation
in the classroom and school community).
The first set of questions will ask you about your experience and focus on general engagement in
your classroom.
Pre-Questions
● How long have you taught?
● Where have you taught?
● What courses have you taught?
1. What do you like about teaching? Has your experience as a teacher been a positive one?
(Patton). Conceptual knowledge
2. How do you engage male students in the classroom? How are these steps different from
what you might do for other students? (Patton) Procedural knowledge
3. What is the extent to which Latino males are engaged in your classroom? Other
classrooms? (Patton) Conceptual knowledge
4. Describe what happens in your classroom when students are not engaged? (Patton)
Metacognitive knowledge
5. Describe the steps you follow to build relationships with your Latino male
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students? (Patton) Procedural knowledge
Transition: We are going to transition to discussing engagement as it pertains to building
relationships with males and females in your classroom.
6. How does your style compare when building relationships with males vs females?
(Patton) Metacognitive knowledge
7. Compare your relationships with male vs. female students (Patton). Conceptual
knowledge
8. Considering how you build and establish relationships related to Latino male students,
how does this impact the instructional methods applied toward the achievement of
content outcomes? (Patton) Metacognitive knowledge
Transition: We are now transitioning to discuss your considerations and thinking about cultural
and racial influences on achievement, particularly Latino males.
9. What do you know about what influences Latino males to be engaged in school?
(Patton) Factual knowledge
10. Explain to what extent your actions show evidence that you impact Latino male
graduation rates? How are successful and unsuccessful Latino males influenced by
teachers? What teacher knowledge, skills and dispositions are necessary to successfully
impact Latino male achievement? Conceptual and Metacognitive knowledge
11. To what extent do you discuss Latino male academic progress discussed with colleagues,
other staff and/or administration? Organizational Cultural Models This question will
provide data about cultural model influence on trust and collaborative culture (whether
teachers find it important to talk with their colleagues)
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12. How do you use students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds to help students make
needed bridges to learning? (Patton) Metacognitive knowledge.
13. How does your personal understanding of culture and race influence your thinking about
instructional planning and practices? (Patton) Metacognitive knowledge.
14. How do you feel about your ability to contribute to Latino males’ progress toward
completion of high school? (Patton) Motivation Self-efficacy.
14. How does your organization support teachers so that Latino males are ready to complete
high school? Organization Settings Model Influence.
15. How does the Port Century Unified School District prepare Latino males for
graduating from high school? Organizational Settings Model Influence.
16. To help more Latino males succeed at Port Century Unified School District, what
programs, policies and practices for teachers do you think need to be put into place? This
question will elicit data to help identify organizational gaps in the cultural setting of
PCUSD and metacognitive knowledge. Organization Settings Model Influence. This
question will provide data on how the PCUSD organization, according to teachers,
perceive that Latino males are being prepared for graduation. It will provide data to
address cultural model and setting influences and how understanding of cultural
backgrounds are incorporated into the curriculum and whether the setting is focused on
high-quality instructional strategies.
17. What opportunities and/or challenges are encountered by Latino males within the Port
Century Unified School District? Organization Settings Model Influence. This
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question will address research questions on organizational gaps regarding cultural model
influences and how cultural backgrounds are incorporated into the school’s curricular
program. The second question will provide the researcher with data regarding knowledge
gaps that teachers may have about outside prior experiences that have an impact on
Latino males.
18. What prior experiences impact Latino males in and out of the school setting?
Organizational Settings Model Influence.
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APPENDIX C: SURVEY RESULTS AND INTERVIEW TABLES
Figure C1
Survey Question 1 Responses: Skills & Knowledge to Support Latino Males
Table C1
Survey Question 1 Statistics: Skills & Knowledge to Support Latino Males
Survey Question (5 Point Scale from Strongly Agree to
Strongly Disagree)
Average
Value
Variance
Standard
Deviation
I am equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge to
instructionally support Latino males in the classroom 2.206897 0.884236 0.940338
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Figure C2
Survey Question 2 Responses: C: Latino Male Engagement in the Classroom
Table C2
Survey Question 2 Statistics: Latino Male Engagement in the Classroom
Survey Question (5 Point Scale Very Engaged to Very
Disengaged)
Average
Value
Variance
Standard
Deviation
Latino male students in my classroom are: 2.111111 0.333333 0.57735
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Figure C3
Survey Question 3 Responses on Importance of Engaging Instructional Strategies
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Table C3
Survey Question 3 Statistics Importance of Engaging Instructional Strategies
How important are the following instructional strategies for
engaging Latino males (5 Point Scale with Very Important
to Not Important)
Average
Value
Variance
Standard
Deviation
Creating a positive classroom environment 1.107143 0.099206 0.31497
Making the curriculum relevant to students’ lives 1.25 0.194444 0.440959
Having high academic expectations 1.357143 0.312169 0.558721
Finding ways to develop meaningful relationships 1.071429 0.068783 0.262265
Providing a personalized learning environment 1.357143 0.238095 0.48795
A school culture that counters negative influences 1.142857 0.126984 0.356348
A school culture with rigid discipline policies 2.285713 1.396825 1.181875
A school culture that affirms the importance of learning 1.142857 .126984 0.356348
A school culture that values intervening early and
effectively when problems are identified 1.107143 0.099206 0.31497
School Leadership that is authoritarian 3.107143 2.025132 1.423071
School Leadership that is strong and effective 1.392857 0.395503 .62889
School personnel who act as mentors 1.25 0.416667 0.645497
Peers who value learning 1.148148 0.131054 0.362014
Addressing the underlying factors for behavior issues 1.107143 .099206 0.31497
Reconnecting offending youth to the goals and purpose of
school
1.428571 0.550265 0.741798
Improving study habits 1.357143 0.312169 0.558721
Adults who are culturally competent 1.392857 0.469577 0.685257
Teaching students to be more proactive at seeking help 1.285714 0.285714 0.534522
Adults who are well-trained 1.321429 0.300265 0.547964
223
223
How important are the following instructional strategies for
engaging Latino males (5 Point Scale with Very Important
to Not Important)
Average
Value
Variance
Standard
Deviation
Hiring adults who are highly skilled 1.535714 0.480159 0.692935
Creating initiatives that are tailored to the unique and
diverse needs of Latino males
1.535714 0.554233 0.744468
224
Table C4
Interview Question on Factual Knowledge Influences for Latino Male Engagement (Question 9)
Participant Positive
Classroom
Environment
Relevance in
Curriculum
High Academic
Expectations
Developing
Meaningful
Relationships
Personalized
Learning
Environment
School Culture
Countering
Negative
Influences
3 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
9 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
11 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
13 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
14 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
18 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
224
225
Participant Positive
Classroom
Environment
Relevance in
Curriculum
High Academic
Expectations
Developing
Meaningful
Relationships
Personalized
Learning
Environment
School Culture
Countering
Negative
Influences
19 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
26 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
29 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
225
226
Table C5
Interview Participant Themes on Importance of Engagement Strategies
Participant
#
School Culture
Without Rigid
Discipline Policies
School Culture
that Affirms
Learning
School Culture that
Values Early
Intervention
School
Leadership that
is NOT
Authoritarian
School
Leadership
that is Strong
& Effective
School Personnel
Acting as Mentors
3 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interviews
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
9 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
11 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
13 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
14 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
18 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed in
interview
226
227
Participant
#
School Culture
WITHOUT Rigid
Discipline Policies
School Culture
that Affirms
Learning
School Culture that
Values Early
Intervention
School
Leadership that
is NOT
Authoritarian
School
Leadership
that is Strong
& Effective
School Personnel
Acting as Mentors
19 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed in
interview
26 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
29 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
3 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
9 Not addressed in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
11 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
13 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
227
228
Participant
#
School Culture
WITHOUT Rigid
Discipline Policies
School Culture
that Affirms
Learning
School Culture that
Values Early
Intervention
School
Leadership that
is NOT
Authoritarian
School
Leadership
that is Strong
& Effective
School Personnel
Acting as Mentors
14 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
18 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Not addressed in
interview
c Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
26 Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
29 Not addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
Not addressed
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
228
229
229
Table C6
Interview Participant Themes on Importance of Engagement Strategies
Participant Well-trained
adults
Highly
skilled adults
Creating Initiatives
Tailored to Unique
& Diverse Needs
of Latino Males
Strategies
Identified As
Important
During
Interview by
Participant
Percentage
(%) of
Strategies
Identified by
Participant
3 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
19/21 90%
9 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
15/21 71%
11 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
16/21 76%
13 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
14/21 67%
14 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
17/21 81%
18 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
13/21 62%
19 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
15/21 71%
26 Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated
in interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
16/21 76%
29 Not
addressed in
interview
Not
addressed in
interview
Importance
demonstrated in
interview
14/21 67%
230
230
Table C7
Importance of Instructional Strategies vs. Extent to which Strategies are Employed
c How important
is strategy?*
Standard
Deviation/Mean
Coefficient
of
Variation
How frequently
do you, school
or district use
the strategy?**
Standard
Deviation/Mean
Coefficient
of
Variation
Finding ways to develop
meaningful relationships
.26/1.07 0.24 .84/1.89 0.44
Creating a positive classroom
environment
.31/1.10 0.28 .77/1.7 0.45
A school culture that values
intervening early and
effectively when problems
are identified
.31/1.10 0.28 .91/2.1 0.43
Addressing the underlying
factors for behavior issues
.31/1.10 0.31 .93/2.2 0.42
A school culture that counters
negative influences
.35/1.14 0.31 .83/2 0.42
A school culture that affirms
the importance of learning
.35/1.14 0.31 .89/1.96 0.45
Peers who value learning .36/1.15 0.35 1.14/2.33 0.49
Making the curriculum
relevant to student’s lives
.44/1.25 0.35 .84/2.22 0.38
Providing a personalized
learning environment
.48/1.36 0.41 .86/2.15 0.4
Teaching students to be more
proactive at seeking help
.53/1.29 0.41 1/2.33 0.43
Adults who are well-trained .54/1.32 0.4 .75/2.04 0.37
Having high academic
expectations
.55/1.36 0.4 .97/2.11 0.46
Improving study habits .55/1.36 0.4 .84/2.22 0.38
231
231
Instructional Strategy for
Engagement of Latino Males
How important
is strategy?*
Standard
Deviation/Mean
Coefficient
of
Variation
How frequently
do you, school
or district use
the strategy?**
Standard
Deviation/Mean
Coefficient
of
Variation
School leadership that is
strong and effective
.62/1.39 0.45 .78/2.07 0.38
School personnel who act as
mentors
.64/1.25 0.51 .86/2.15 0.4
Adults who are culturally
competent
.68/1.39 0.49 .80/2.22 0.36
Hiring adults who are highly
skilled
.69/1.54 0.45 .68/1.93 0.35
Reconnecting offending youth
to the goals and purpose of
school
.74/1.43 0.52 .86/2.23 0.39
Creating initiatives that are
tailored to the unique and
diverse needs of Latino
males
.74/1.54 0.48 1.01/2.59 0.39
School culture with rigid
discipline policies
1.18/2.29 0.52 .96/2.67 0.36
School leadership that is
authoritarian
1.42/3.11 0.46 1.15/2.89 0.4
Note: Standard Deviations: Very Important (Listed first) & High Frequency (Listed Second)
Mean: 1–1.49. The mean for all of the strategies with SDs < 1 in column 1 above clustered
around “very important.” The mean for all of the strategies in column 2 between 1–2 are high to
moderate frequency and the means from 2–3 are moderate to some frequency.
232
232
Figure C4
Survey Question 4 Teacher Responses on Frequency of Use of Engagement Strategies
233
233
Table C8
Survey Question 4 Statistics on Teacher Frequency of Use of Engagement Strategies
To what extent do you or your school or district
employ the strategies listed above to engage Latino
males? (High Frequency to Never)
Average
Value
Variance
Standard
Deviation
Creating a positive classroom environment 1.703704 0.60114 0.775332
Making the curriculum relevant to students’ lives 2.222222 0.717949 0.847319
Having high academic expectations 2.111111 0.948718 0.974022
Finding ways to develop meaningful relationships 1.888889 0.717949 0.847319
Providing a personalized learning environment 2.148148 0.746439 0.863967
A school culture that counters negative influences 2 0.692308 0.83205
A school culture with rigid discipline policies 2.666667 0.923077 0.960769
A school culture that affirms the importance of
learning 1.962963 0.806268 0.897924
A school culture that values intervening early and
effectively when problems are identified 2.074074 0.840456 0.916764
School Leadership that is authoritarian 2.888889 1.333333 1.154701
School Leadership that is strong and effective 2.074074 0.609687 0.780824
School personnel who act as mentors 2.148148 0.746439 0.863967
Peers who value learning 2.333333 1.307692 1.143544
Addressing the underlying factors for behavior
issues 2.222222 0.871795 0.9337
Reconnecting offending youth to the goals and
purpose of school 2.259259 0.737892 0.859006
Improving study habits 2.222222 0.717949 0.847319
Adults who are culturally competent 2.222222 0.641026 0.800641
Teaching students to be more proactive at seeking
help 2.333333 1 1
Adults who are well-trained 2.037037 0.575499 0.758616
234
234
To what extent do you or your school or district employ the
strategies listed above to engage Latino males? (High
Frequency to Never)
Average
Value
Variance
Standard
Deviation
Hiring adults who are highly skilled 1.925926 0.45584 0.67516
Creating initiatives that are tailored to the unique and
diverse needs of Latino males 2.592593 1.019943 1.009922
Table C9
PCUSD Professional Development Supports for Teachers Using Engagement Strategies
Important for Latino Males
Instructional strategies (from survey questions) PCHS Supports with
Professional Development
Creating a positive classroom environment X
Making the curriculum relevant to students’ lives X
Having high academic expectations X
Finding ways to develop meaningful relationships
X
Providing a personalized learning environment X
A school culture that counters negative influences X
A school culture with(out) rigid discipline policies
A school culture that affirms the importance of learning X
A school culture that values intervening early and effectively
when problems are identified
School Leadership that is (not) authoritarian
School Leadership that is strong and effective
School personnel who act as mentors
Peers who value learning X
235
235
Instructional strategies (from survey questions) PCHS Supports with
Professional Development
Addressing the underlying factors for behavior issues
Reconnecting offending youth to the goals and purpose of
school
X
Improving study habits X
Adults who are culturally competent
Teaching students to be more proactive at seeking help X
Adults who are well-trained X
Hiring adults who are highly skilled
Creating initiatives that are tailored to the unique and diverse
needs of Latino males
Figure C5
Survey Question Responses on Whether Teachers Value Changing Instructional Practices
236
236
Figure C6
Survey Responses on Teachers Confidence Level for Influencing Latino Male Success
237
237
Figure C7
Survey Responses on Teachers’ Ability to Academically Prepare Latino Males for Graduation
Through Goal Setting
238
238
Figure C8
Survey Responses on Teachers Perception of Student Achievement, Student Engagement and
Lesson Design
239
239
Figure C9
Survey Responses on Teachers Perceptions of District’s Value on Supporting Latino Males
240
240
APPENDIX D: IMMEDIATE EVALUATION KIRKPATRICK L1, L2
Workshop Evaluation
Date and Location: _______________________________
Instructions:
● For questions 1–7 below, please indicate the level to which you agree or disagree with
the statement, by circling the statement.
● Please provide comments to explain your ratings.
● Questions 8–11 are open-ended and require a written response.
1. The professional development workshop was interesting (engagement).
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
2. I was able to follow along and understanding the content (engagement)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
3. The workshop had content that is relevant to my teaching (relevance)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
4. I am satisfied with the workshop training I received today (satisfaction)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
241
241
5. Understanding how to examine student work is valuable to my instructional practice
(attitude)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
6. I feel confident that I can incorporate engaging, instructional strategies into my lesson
plans (confidence)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
7. I am committed to working with other teachers to regularly collaborate with a team of
teachers using the plan-do-study-act collaborative inquiry cycle (commitment)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
8. From the definitions below, choose the one that most closely describes your
understanding of the collaborative inquiry cycle (declarative knowledge). Please explain
your rationale for selecting the definition you chose.
a. working with other teachers to discuss the importance of lesson planning
b. using the plan-do-study-act cycle to collaboratively examine student work
c. creating assessments and studying the results to see how students are doing
9. Apply the steps of two instructional strategies and their potential impact on students
(Level 2 procedural knowledge).
10. What else do you need to successfully perform the skills you learned in this training
when teaching in the classroom? (support)
242
242
APPENDIX E: SAMPLE BLENDED EVALUATION ITEMS MEASURING KIRKPATRICK
LEVELS
Instructions:
Level 1
1. The workshop content has been applicable to my work in the classroom (relevance)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
2. The classroom environment helped me to learn (engagement)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
3. The information from the training continues to be relevant for my work (relevance)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
4. What information was least relevant? (relevance)
5. During the workshop trainings we discussed how to apply what we learned (relevance)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
6. The information I received in the training continues to be useful on the job (satisfaction).
243
243
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Level 2
7. What major concepts from the workshop do you continue to use? (knowledge)
8. The collaborative inquiry group practice scenarios continue to help me understand the
steps of collaborative inquiry (skill)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
9. How are you continuing to embed engaging instructional strategies into your lesson
planning? (skill)
10. The contents of the workshops continue to be worthwhile for me to apply in my teaching
(attitude)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
11. How important is it to continue to apply your learning from the workshop trainings into
your planning and instruction? (attitude)
Very Important, Important, Somewhat Important, Not Important
12. I continue to be confident in applying what I’ve learned from the professional
development workshops (confidence).
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
13. I continue to be committed to applying what I learned in training to my instruction
(commitment)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
244
244
245
245
14. I am held accountable for applying what I learned and making progress (monitoring)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
Level 3
15. I understand how to apply what I learned in the professional development workshops
(behavior)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
For Items 16–18, you will use the following rating scale. Circle the rating that best describes
your current level of on-the-job application for each listed behavior:
1- little or no application
2 - mild degree of application
3 - moderate degree of application
4 - strong degree of application
5 - very strong degree of application and desire to help others do the same
16. Teachers develop strong relationships with Latino male students so that they are highly
engaged in the classroom and motivated to learn and complete each high school
graduation requirement (Behavioral objective #1)
Little Application Very strong degree of application
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
17. Teachers systematically utilize instructional strategies that highly engage Latino male
students (Behavioral objective #2)
Little Application Very strong degree of application
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
18. Teachers work collaboratively with their teacher colleagues to examine student work and
apply what they learn to their teaching and provide students with opportunities to
demonstrate mastery (Behavioral objective #3)
246
246
Little Application Very strong degree of application
1 2 3 4 5
Comments:
19. If you selected Strongly Disagree or Disagree for #18 above, please indicate the reasons.
Check all that apply) (Transfer)
a. What I learned is not relevant to my classroom or instructional practice
b. I do not have the knowledge and skills to be effective
c. I lack confidence to apply what I learned
d. I need more resources to apply what I learned
e. I don’t believe that engaging in any of these behaviors will make a difference for
students
f. I want to be left alone because I feel I know what is best
g. No one cares whether I apply what I learn
h. No one is holding me accountable
20. I have successfully applied what I learned in training to my work (Transfer)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
21. What else do you need in order to successfully apply what you learned? (Transfer)
22. Administration encourages me to apply what I have learned (encouraging)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
247
247
23. I am incentivized to apply what I learned (rewarding)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
Level 4
24. I am already seeing positive results from applying what I learned. (Results)
Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree
Comments:
25. I see a positive impact in the following areas as a result of applying what I learned (check
all that apply): (Results and Leading Indicators)
a. Increased student learning
b. Increased engagement and satisfaction among my Latino male students
c. Increased ability to use the collaborative inquiry cycle to analyze student work
d. Decreased issues with classroom management
e. Increased ability to apply engaging instructional strategies in the classroom
f. Increased ability to plan lessons that incorporate instructional strategies appropriate for
Latino male students.
g. Latino male student commitment to complete their high school requirements
Comments:
26. I align engagement strategies to meet Latino male student needs (Level 4 Results)
27. I utilize engagement strategies that will increase Latino male successful completion of
high school graduation requirements. (Level 4 Results)
28. Please provide examples of any outcomes from applying engagement strategies with
Latino male students (Level 4 Results)
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
This study explored and validated the knowledge, motivational and organizational (KMO) influences of teacher engagement strategies on Latino male high school completion of graduation requirements and disparities in graduation rates at the Port Century High School in the Port Century Unified School District (PCUSD) in Southern California. Clark and Estes? (2008) gap analysis theoretical framework undergirded the entire study that focused on examining whether there were gaps in current teacher performance and the performance of the PCUSD. A convergent parallel mixed methodology was used to explore multiple KMO influences that impact Latino male high school graduation rates through completion of graduation requirements by looking at teacher engagement methods and how they develop strong consistent relationships with Latino male students. The findings from surveys, interviews and document analysis validated nine influences or gaps related to the problem of practice in the areas of factual, conceptual, metacognitive knowledge, expectancy value, attributions, cultural models and cultural settings. It is important to note that results were collected for one organization during COVID-19 and the sample size was small. The results cannot be generalized to other organizations.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Garcia, Elizabeth M.
(author)
Core Title
Understanding the reason for variation in high school graduation rates of Latino males
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)
Degree Conferral Date
2021-08
Publication Date
07/24/2021
Defense Date
06/15/2021
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
engagement practices,engagement strategies,engagement strategies important for Latino males,high school graduation rates,instructional strategies important for Latino males,KMO,Knowledge,knowledge influences,Latino boys,Latino dropout rates,Latino male high school completion,Latino male school disengagement,Latino male student engagement,Latino males,low achievement by Latino males,mixed-methods,motivation and organizational framework,motivational influences,OAI-PMH Harvest,organizational influences,supports for Latino males,teachers and Latino males,teachers of Latino males
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Robles, Darline P. (
committee chair
), Gomez, David (
committee member
), Stowe, Kathy (
committee member
)
Creator Email
garciaem@usc.edu,msliz_0808@yahoo.com
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC15620659
Unique identifier
UC15620659
Legacy Identifier
etd-GarciaEliz-9855
Document Type
Dissertation
Format
application/pdf (imt)
Rights
Garcia, Elizabeth M.
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Repository Email
cisadmin@lib.usc.edu
Tags
engagement practices
engagement strategies
engagement strategies important for Latino males
high school graduation rates
instructional strategies important for Latino males
KMO
knowledge influences
Latino boys
Latino dropout rates
Latino male high school completion
Latino male school disengagement
Latino male student engagement
Latino males
low achievement by Latino males
mixed-methods
motivation and organizational framework
motivational influences
organizational influences
supports for Latino males
teachers and Latino males
teachers of Latino males