A group of four Worcester State University researchers has contributed a chapter to the new book Critical Perspectives on Latino Education in Massachusetts, shedding light on the persistent challenges facing Latino students in the state’s public schools.
The book, edited by Lorna Rivera and Melissa Colón, brings together research and insights from experts across Massachusetts to examine the educational disparities experienced by Latino students.
The book focuses on three areas: tackling myths about Latino education, re-imagining the Latina educational experience, and creating a fresh environment in Massachusetts schools with new, student-centered practices to improve Latino students’ educational experiences and outcomes.
The Worcester State team— composed of Thomas Conroy, professor and chair of Urban Studies; Alex Briesacher, professor of sociology; Timothy Murphy, professor of Urban Studies; and Mary Jo Marion, associate vice president for university and community engagement—focused their chapter on the experiences of Latino students in the Worcester public school system.
“What excited us was the opportunity to update a lot of the work that had been done on this topic over the last 20 to 30 years,” Conroy said. “The Latino population in Massachusetts, especially in the cities, has skyrocketed in that time, so it was important to take a fresh look at the challenges they face.”
The chapter, titled “‘A Chance to Compete in Today’s America’: Considerations of Academic Performance, Exclusionary Discipline, and Belonging of Latinx Students in Worcester Public Schools,” draws on the team’s extensive research in the Worcester community.
“We had a real ‘aha’ moment when we realized that the issues Latino parents in Worcester were raising 50 years ago are issues they are still raising today,” Conroy explained. “Things like calls for more Latino teachers, Spanish-speaking counselors, and bilingual education programs: these reasonable requests are still not being fully addressed.”
The data the team examined paints a troubling picture, with Latino students in Worcester lagging behind their peers on key metrics like test scores, attendance, and participation in advanced placement courses.
“It’s not just a language barrier issue,” Conroy said. “There are plenty of Latino students who are fully fluent in English but are still being left behind by the system.”
The chapter also explores the troubling trend of de facto school segregation, with some Worcester schools becoming increasingly isolated by race and ethnicity.
“We have schools that are 75% white in a district where the overall white population is only around 26%,” Conroy said. “That level of segregation is unacceptable and speaks to deep-seated institutional issues that need to be explored.”
Maria Juncos-Gautier, executive director of the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State, said her colleagues’ research is critical given the changing demographics in Massachusetts. She believes the expertise and institutional knowledge of the four Worcester State researchers make their work highly relevant and important for addressing the needs of the growing Latino student population, a key focus area of the institute that she leads.
“With the growing Latino student population, it is important to address and embrace this reality in a positive way and collaborate on how to better serve these students,” Juncos-Gautier said.
As the team’s research has shown, the challenges facing Latino students in Massachusetts are complex and longstanding. But Conroy believes the book provides an important platform to drive meaningful change.
“This is an issue that affects the entire Commonwealth, not just Worcester,” he said. “By shining a light on these inequities, we hope to spur policymakers and education leaders to finally take the steps needed to give all students a fair shot at success.”
Above photo: Maria Juncos-Gautier holds the book titled “Critical Perspectives on Latino Education in Massachusetts” which includes a chapter by Thomas Conroy, chair of Urban Studies, Alex Briesacher, professor of sociology, Tim Murphy, professor of Urban Studies, and Mary Jo Marion, associate vice president for university and community engagement.
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