| Katherine Reed
Pennsylvania State University
New destinations, new destinies? Latinos' college attendance in new and traditional destinations
This study examines the role of schools in immigrant students' adaptation across immigrant destinations throughout the United States and addresses the effects of this adaptation on postsecondary activities. Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) with 1990 and 2000 decennial Census data, I investigate whether Latino students of different immigrant generation experience different levels of school
incorporation, extending Portes & Zhou's (1993) segmented assimilation theory. School incorporation is measured by school policies and programs offered, school reception, and coethnic school community. To compare school incorporation across immigrant destinations, Census data are used to estimate the change in the Hispanic population from 1990 to 2000. Zip codes where the change is 100 percent or greater are
considered new Latino destinations. The study will also measure the effect of school incorporation on students' college attendance and type of college attended. Hierarchical Linear Modeling will be used to analyze two level models--students nested in schools. Because the proposed study is concerned with the contextual effects of schools on students, it has implications for policymakers as they develop policies and practices that lead to college enrollment and retention for Latino and immigrant youth. Furthermore, through the combination of Census and ELS:2002 data, the results will add to the burgeoning body of knowledge on the educational experiences of students in new Latino destinations.
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