Do wraparound services mediate academic achievement for "at risk” Latinx youth?

Date

2019-12-19

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Abstract

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory provides the framework to examining the academic outcomes of at-risk students at a Latinx-serving Title 1 charter school in Houston, Texas which models itself as a Full Service Community School (FSCS). In this nonexperimental study, quantitative data was collected from student records and reports at the charter school and consolidated into a comprehensive database by a team of graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Houston Clear Lake (UHCL), under the supervision of the principal investigator, Dr. Desdamona Rios. Chi square and regression analyses were run to test six measures of academic achievement, including grade point averages (GPA) and performances on standardized tests, so as to assess the impact wraparound services have on mediating risk factors for students at this school. Findings indicate that gender, at-risk status, being an English Language Learner (ELL), and participating in In-School Programs (ISP) most significantly predicted academic outcomes on these measures. This study contributes to the growing literature on FSCSs and concludes that the role these schools have in providing vital resources to at-risk students, who are often lacking certain basic needs, is critical to their success in their academics.

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Keywords

at risk, Latinx, academic achievement, education, wraparound services, Full Service Community School, achievement gaps

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