| The purpose of this study was to further investigate how one successful comprehensive high school serving a large percentage of Latino students builds college-going culture. The study examined two perspectives on college-going culture; that of the school staff (including administrators, school counselors, and teacher leaders), and of first-generation Latino students that have been admitted to a 4-year college. In addition, the study included a walkthrough to look for physical evidence of college-going culture.;The researcher employed the qualitative tradition of case study to answer the research questions. All data were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes After thematic coding and analysis, several themes emerged. The themes were broken down into categories: overlapping themes among educators and students, student themes, and educator themes. The overlapping themes among educators and students were: high expectations and rigor, schoolwide college-focused activities, school counselor support, and positive peer pressure. Student themes included: teacher caring and support, and familial influence. Educator themes included: common mission statement, Academic Literacy Plan, and systems of support.;While many studies have looked at what Latino students attributed to their enrollment in college, few studies have looked specifically at the college-going culture that was created at the school site and how that impacted their decision to enroll. The findings have implications for educational leaders in terms of how they may foster and create a college-going culture that supports Latino students in accessing postsecondary education. |
