Foreign Language Education in Louisiana: A Cluster Analysis
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| Title: | Foreign Language Education in Louisiana: A Cluster Analysis |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Erin Fell (ORCID |
| Source: | Foreign Language Annals. 2024 57(3):698-724. |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | High Schools Secondary Education Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, High School Students, State Policy, Educational Policy, Required Courses, Educational Change, Minority Group Students, Equal Education, Access to Education, Federal Aid, Rural Areas, Educational Finance, Disadvantaged Schools, Language Enrollment, Educational Legislation, Federal Legislation, Elementary Secondary Education |
| Geographic Terms: | Louisiana |
| Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: | Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I |
| DOI: | 10.1111/flan.12737 |
| ISSN: | 0015-718X 1944-9720 |
| Abstract: | Louisiana is currently the only state in the United States that requires foreign language (FL) study for some, but not all of their high school students, and these requirements are undergoing seismic changes. Considering that "geographic," "economic," and "integration" factors contribute to whether a school can provide FL at all--and biased counseling dissuades minoritized students from taking FL--this study asks: "has FL education been equitably accessible to all Louisiana high school students who want to pursue it, regardless of race or economic background?" To address this question, this paper presents results from two analyses. First, program-internal equity variables (e.g., [dis]similarity between school-wide and FL student demographics) were clustered to produce "profiles" of FL programs. Next, a multinomial logistic regression using program-external factors (e.g., federal funding status, desegregation orders) was conducted to isolate the factors impacting equity. Federal funding and rurality were both found to be significant, with schools receiving federal Title I funds and rural schools being much more likely to exhibit inequitable access to FL courses. In (a) identifying schools with enrollment inequities and (b) the outside factors associated with greater inequity, this paper aims to provide policymakers with empirically based tools to address (in)equity in Louisiana high school FL education. These findings can be especially helpful in light of the state's recent (2023-2024 school year) expansion of FL requirements to accept computer science courses. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1448002 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | Louisiana is currently the only state in the United States that requires foreign language (FL) study for some, but not all of their high school students, and these requirements are undergoing seismic changes. Considering that "geographic," "economic," and "integration" factors contribute to whether a school can provide FL at all--and biased counseling dissuades minoritized students from taking FL--this study asks: "has FL education been equitably accessible to all Louisiana high school students who want to pursue it, regardless of race or economic background?" To address this question, this paper presents results from two analyses. First, program-internal equity variables (e.g., [dis]similarity between school-wide and FL student demographics) were clustered to produce "profiles" of FL programs. Next, a multinomial logistic regression using program-external factors (e.g., federal funding status, desegregation orders) was conducted to isolate the factors impacting equity. Federal funding and rurality were both found to be significant, with schools receiving federal Title I funds and rural schools being much more likely to exhibit inequitable access to FL courses. In (a) identifying schools with enrollment inequities and (b) the outside factors associated with greater inequity, this paper aims to provide policymakers with empirically based tools to address (in)equity in Louisiana high school FL education. These findings can be especially helpful in light of the state's recent (2023-2024 school year) expansion of FL requirements to accept computer science courses. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0015-718X 1944-9720 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/flan.12737 |
