A Phenomenological Study of Black and Latinx Parents’ Experiences Using Digital Technology Choosing Schools
Abstract
There have been persistent disparities in the academic achievement of Black and Latinx students versus their white and Asian counterparts. School choice advocates have touted that these disparities may be attributed to the schools that Black and Latinx children attend, and that with the ubiquity of digital technology, choosing the right school should have become easier. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black and Latinx families using digital technology to access school choice in one school district in New York City. Using a phenomenological framework, semi-structured interviews were implemented to gather rich descriptions of the phenomenon. This study found that while digital technology was a significant part of the apparatus of making school choice, digital technology was only as important as a parent’s ability to leverage their cultural capital. Overall, this study found that digital technology informed the process of finding schools but was not the main conduit for gathering information about schools. Parents in this study use a combination of social networks, digital tools, and digital know-how to successfully navigate the school choice system. This study should be used to expand the notion of equity by ensuring that parents are provided the various tools, including digital skills, to effectively make school choices. Parents need access to school information in formats that all parents understand.
Subject Area
Education|African American Studies|Hispanic American studies
Recommended Citation
Figueroa, Enrique, "A Phenomenological Study of Black and Latinx Parents’ Experiences Using Digital Technology Choosing Schools" (2023). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI29993089.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI29993089
