| dc.description.abstract | Latino/a/x students are the largest minoritized group in the United States (Urrieta, Jr. & Ruiz Bybee, 2022), yet the Latino/a/x community remains underrepresented in music education when compared to their overall U. S. population (DeLorenzo & Silverman, 2016; Elpus, 2015; Escalante, 2019a). Despite projections that the number of Latino/a/x students will grow to 30% of the total public-school enrollment by 2030 (the National Center for Education Statistics, 2022), the educator population remains predominately White (Noboa-Ríos, 2019). Few researchers have examined the underrepresentation of the Latino/a/x community in music education, and those who have done so have focused on smaller groups using qualitative methods.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational experiences of Latino/a/x music educators at three stages (primary and secondary school, preservice, and in-service). A secondary purpose was to examine the possible differences in perception of challenges, barriers, and support systems at these different stages of their educational experience. Latino/a/x music teachers (N = 136) employed during the 2022–2023 school year and who resided in states with one million or more Latino/a/x residents responded to a researcher-designed survey.
Implications of this research highlight teaching practices, areas of deficiency in teacher preparation programs, and strategies for the recruitment of secondary students into higher education. Findings revealed that the Latino/a/x educational experience greatly varied based on socioeconomic status and being a first-generation college student. Financial challenges and lack of support were consistent barriers at all educational levels while family and peers served as the greatest support systems. In order to create a more equitable experience for our students in the classroom and the educators with whom they interact, it seems crucial that researchers further investigate the Latino/a/x educational experience.
Keywords: Music Education, Latino, Latina, Latinx, recruitment, retention | en_US |
