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Diversity or Gentrification: Middle-Class Parents at Working Class Schools

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Title: Diversity or Gentrification: Middle-Class Parents at Working Class Schools
Language: English
Authors: Edward L. Watson (ORCID 0000-0001-7970-8199)
Source: Urban Education. 2026 61(1):43-73.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 31
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Middle Class, Low Achievement, School Effectiveness, Immersion Programs, Mandarin Chinese, Minority Group Students, Diversity, Working Class, Social Class, Neighborhoods, Parent Participation, Urban Schools, Suburbs, Advantaged, Educational Change, Elementary Schools, Parent Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Administrator Attitudes, Parent Student Relationship, Student Characteristics
DOI: 10.1177/00420859251331535
ISSN: 0042-0859
1552-8340
Abstract: What happens after middle-class parents arrive at an underperforming majority-minority school with a Mandarin immersion strand program? I use parent interviews and observations to examine the institutional changes in an elementary school. I show how a struggling school located in a working-class neighborhood gradually gentrifies without neighborhood demographic change. I find the immersion program creates a disconnect between the demographically different immersion and the non-immersion parents and students. This pushes the immersion parents to seek a school that is completely immersion. The findings suggest those that may benefit most from an improved school environment may lose the opportunity to participate.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492152
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Diversity or Gentrification: Middle-Class Parents at Working Class Schools
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Edward+L%2E+Watson%22">Edward L. Watson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7970-8199">0000-0001-7970-8199</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Urban+Education%22"><i>Urban Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 61(1):43-73.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 10.1177/00420859251331535
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  Data: 0042-0859<br />1552-8340
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: What happens after middle-class parents arrive at an underperforming majority-minority school with a Mandarin immersion strand program? I use parent interviews and observations to examine the institutional changes in an elementary school. I show how a struggling school located in a working-class neighborhood gradually gentrifies without neighborhood demographic change. I find the immersion program creates a disconnect between the demographically different immersion and the non-immersion parents and students. This pushes the immersion parents to seek a school that is completely immersion. The findings suggest those that may benefit most from an improved school environment may lose the opportunity to participate.
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  Data: EJ1492152
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        Value: 10.1177/00420859251331535
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 31
        StartPage: 43
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Middle Class
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Immersion Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mandarin Chinese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diversity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Working Class
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Class
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neighborhoods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Participation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Urban Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Suburbs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Advantaged
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Parent Student Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
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      – TitleFull: Diversity or Gentrification: Middle-Class Parents at Working Class Schools
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