Dissertation

Learning time differentials: at the intersection of race, class and place

Cruz et al. v. State of California et al. (ACLU Foundation of So. California, 2014), a class action lawsuit on behalf of California students, correlated lost learning time to the academic achievement gap (Ferris, 2014). Carroll (1963) observed a correlation between the amount of time spent learning and academic achievement. This dissertation contextualizes learning time differentials within historical patterns of exclusionary practices in education against low-income Black and Latino students. Examining socio-economic status and English Learner status as indicators of receiving less learning time, Jun, Mirra, Rogers, and Seltzer's (2014) study revealed that students who attended high schools with high concentrations of poverty lost two more weeks of instructional time during the school year due to interruptions both inside and outside the classroom as compared to students in their same geographic areas who attended schools with middle or low concentrations of poverty. This dissertation theorizes that race/ethnicity, class, and place are indicators of students receiving insufficient learning time, particularly in the context of de facto segregated schools. Including race/ethnicity as indicators of low-income students receiving less learning time allows for the inclusion of learning time loss related to exclusionary discipline, which disproportionately impacts Black and Latino students, according to both the California and Federal Departments of Education. Historically low-income Black and Latino students have been underserved by public schools. Looking at historical practices of educational exclusion through time might lead to the conclusion that less learning time is simply the latest example of exclusionary practices in education that contribute to the academic achievement gap.

Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.