Support and Barriers for Latino Male Students' Educational Pursuits: Perceptions of Counselors and Administrators

Journal of Counseling & Development ■ October 2013 ■ Volume 91458

Research

© 2013 by the American Counseling Association. All rights reserved.

Received 02/12/12Revised 08/03/12

Accepted 08/20/12DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2013.00118.x

There has been an increasing educational achievement gap in the United States based on gender and race/ethnicity with regard to high school graduation and dropout rates and college enrollment and retention (Cataldi, Laird, & KewalRamani, 2009; Clark, Lee, Goodman, & Yacco, 2008; Schmidt, 2010). Educational reports reveal that women in the United States have significantly surpassed men not only in high school graduation rates, but also in university enrollment and degree completion, and this trend is predicted to increase through 2020 (Aud et al., 2011). The ratio of women to men for undergraduate enroll-ment is currently approximately 134:100 (Snyder & Dillow, 2011), with many major universities enrolling 60% or more female students. Recent data released by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) show that, for the first time, women have surpassed men in obtaining both bachelor’s degrees and advanced college degrees (Aud et al., 2011). More women than men are enrolling in graduate schools, and the percentage of women in many professional schools, such as medicine and law, has increased greatly in recent years (Aud et al., 2011).

Researchers also recognize that the gender gaps in college enrollment and retention affects all racial and socioeconomic groups (Goldin, Katz, & Kuziemko, 2006). This trend is most prevalent in the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in America: the Latino student. In the decade 2000–2010, the U.S. Latino population increased from 13% to 16%, to over 50.5 million (Pew Hispanic Center, 2011). Snyder and Dillow (2011) found the dropout rate for Latinos (19.9% for men and 16.7% for women) remains higher than for any other racial group. Among 16- to 24-year-olds, compared to White and Black men, Latino

Mary ann Clark, luis Ponjuan, Jason Orrock, Timothy Wilson, and Griselda Flores, College of Education, University of Florida at Gainesville. Luis Ponjuan is now at College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University. Correspondence con-cerning this article should be addressed to Mary Ann Clark, College of Education, University of Florida at Gainesville, 1214 Norman Hall, PO Box 117046, Gainesville, FL 32611 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Support and Barriers for Latino Male Students’ Educational Pursuits: Perceptions of Counselors and AdministratorsMary Ann Clark, Luis Ponjuan, Jason Orrock, Timothy Wilson, and Griselda Flores

Counselors and secondary/postsecondary administrators (N = 14) were interviewed to explore their perceptions of barriers and resources related to Latino male students’ postsecondary goals and pursuit of higher education. Issues examined included the lack of awareness of educational obstacles for Latino male students by educators, role of La-tino male students’ families in the students’ educational experiences, impact of peers and mentoring on Latino male students, and the role of program outreach and partnerships focused on young Latino men.

Keywords: Gender differences in educational achievement, student diversity, collaborative interventions, achievement gaps

men had the highest high school dropout rates: 5.4, 8.7, and 19.9%, respectively).

Although the number of Latino men and women attending college has increased steadily over the past few decades, the proportional representation of Latino men continues to decrease relative to their female counterparts (Castellanos, Gloria, & Kamimura, 2006; Fry, 2009; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). This trend has been especially evident in secondary and postsecondary education in recent years, because Latino men are more likely to drop out of high school to join the workforce rather than to attend college and are also more likely to leave college before graduating (Clark, Flower, Oakley, & Walton, 2008; Fry, 2009; Solórzano, Villalpando, & Oseguera, 2005; Yosso & Solórzano, 2006). The percentage of Latino 12th-grade students who report that they plan to graduate from a 4-year college is lower than that of White and Black students and lower for men than for women (NCES, 2012). Additionally, the economic recession that has occurred in the last several years has greatly affected Latino men (Kochhar, Espinoza, & Hinze-Pifer, 2010).

To suggest that either social stigmas or structural inequalities are to blame for the low rates of educational attainment among Latino male students reveals only part of the story, yet these issues highlight the social, cultural, and structural dimensions affecting the Latino male student’s educational experience. Regardless of the context (e.g., urban, rural, immigrant), peer and cultural pressures among young men are strong and influ-ential forces (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). Furthermore, structural inequities are pervasive issues within U.S. educational systems that continue to disproportionately affect poor and minority

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Support and Barriers for Latino Male Students’ Education

communities. Additionally, the strong influence of the Latino patriarchal and cultural norms imposes unique demands and expectations on Latino men (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). An es-sential aspect to understanding Latino male achievement is the influence of familismo—a concept of Latino cultural norms that involves the strong identification and attachment to immediate and extended family. The cultural expectations for the Latino man to work to contribute to the family’s well-being rather than pursue a postsecondary degree can play a significant role in Latino men’s educational aspirations and pursuits (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009; Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 1995).

Further complicating the issue of academic underachieve-ment in this group is the pervasive “boy code,” which shapes the identity development of boys at an early age—a code that includes the set of behaviors and rules of conduct that are in-culcated into boys by society, such as being strong, tough, and independent (Pollack, 1998). For Latino men, the machismo archetype only serves to reinforce these codes through a cul-turally infused lens, even though gender roles for Latinos are very much in flux. These young men feel pressure to be strong and tough, which could affect the stance they take toward their education (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009).

Thus, examining the intersection of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status is crucial in understanding Latino men’s academic attitudes and achievement and in designing pro-grams that will help them to be successful (Abdul-Alim, 2010). We assert that viewing Latino men’s academic achievement through a strengths-based lens as opposed to a deficit model is of utmost importance to address their educational challenges (Clark et al., 2008; Galassi & Akos, 2007). Researchers have found that a strengths-based approach improves Latino men’s leadership and self-management skills (Day-Vines & Terriquez, 2008). However, an understanding of existing barriers for this population is also necessary.

This purpose of this study was to explore the perception and understanding of high school counselors and administra-tors, school district leaders, and postsecondary administrators about the barriers and available resources related to improving Latino student’s postsecondary degree aspirations. Although resources and programs are available for underrepresented students throughout secondary and postsecondary education, we explore how each of these various institutional agents uses these resources to improve the educational success of this spe-cific population. Thus, this qualitative study spanned different educational levels to explore the perceptions of institutional agents (e.g., high school counselors and principals, postsecond-ary administrators) who shape the educational experiences of Latino male students. Our rationale to use a qualitative approach relies on the exploratory nature of our inquiry process and the importance of listening to the voices of individuals who work directly with Latino male students.

Our qualitative study addressed the following research questions: (a) What are the experiences related to educational pathways and motivation toward postsecondary education

among Latino boys and young men in educational systems as perceived by counselors and administrators? (b) What resources exist at the high school and postsecondary levels to assist La-tino male adolescents in successful high school graduation and college enrollment and retention? (c) What are the perceptions of administrators and counselors who work with Latino male adolescents regarding their academic performance and needs?

Obstacles for Latino Male StudentsTo highlight the progression of Latino male students through the educational pipeline, we provide a review of the extant research literature that was focused on a primary theme: precol-lege educational experiences of Latino male students, including their perceptions of the educators (e.g., counselors, teachers, administrators, support staff) who work with them.

Some researchers have argued that, from the beginning of their secondary education, Latino male students are more likely to be enrolled in overcrowded schools; learn from undertrained, undercredentialed teachers; and experience a minimal edu-cational support staff to address their specific learning styles (Oakes, 2005; Valencia, 2011; Yosso & Solórzano, 2006). Coupled with a high teacher turnover rate and lack of bilingual or multiculturally trained teachers (Ceja, 2001; Oakes, 2005; Solórzano & Ornelas, 2002), these Latino students face daunting challenges finding access to support structures that will provide scaffolding for academic achievement and persistence through their early years of education.

These challenges may often lead to negative consequences for Latino male students in secondary education. For example, researchers have found that Latino students are overrepresented in special education classes, especially during their high school years (Artiles, Harry, Reschly, & Chinn, 2002; Artiles, Rueda, Salazar, & Higareda, 2002; Gaviria-Soto & Castro-Morera, 2005; Parrish, 2002). Consequently, researchers have found that Latino male students are more likely than their peers to be placed in remedial classes or on a vocational educational path rather than a postsecondary trajectory (Yosso & Solórzano, 2006). As a result, Latino male students’ educational pursuits and aspirations of a postsecondary degree can be deterred and detoured toward a path of higher risk outcomes, such as drop-ping out of high school, enrolling in the military, becoming depressed or attempting suicide, or working for lower wages (Mariscal, 2004; Sabol, Minton, & Harrison, 2007; Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). These challenges are often ameliorated with the support of high school teachers and counselors; however, recent research highlights some challenges Latino students may face with their high school teachers and counselors.

Given the difficult precollege educational experiences and barriers of Latino male students, it is vital to understand how school personnel may contribute to the success of these students. Zapata (1988) found that the inclusion of Latino male teachers helps to encourage Latino male students in their educational pathways. In addition to personal encouragement, researchers


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have found that Latino students are more likely to perform better academically when their teacher is from an underrepre-sented racial/ethnic group (Goldhaber & Hansen, 2010, Yosso & Solórazo, 2006).

A recent study highlighted Latino students’ negative per-ceptions of high school counselors. Latino students attending a Hispanic-serving institution reported that, during their high school year, some of their counselors (a) provided inappropriate or inadequate advisement, (b) were not readily available, (c) provided minimal individual counseling and attention, (d) gave preferential treatment to other students, and (e) had low expecta-tions toward their college aspirations (Vela-Gude et al., 2009). Some researchers have suggested that school counselors “can be more proactive in sharing information with Latino students who are often uninformed about the processes involved in preparing for life after high school” (Sciarra & Whitson, 2007, p. 314).

Researchers have also found that school counselors are not prepared to work with the unique challenges associated with Latino youths (e.g., language needs, immigration, and communication with non-English-speaking parents; Wortham & Contreras, 2002). These challenges highlight that Latino students often face challenging school environments that are less able to help them persist toward higher education. Despite these potential barriers, some researchers have argued that high school counselors are uniquely capable of helping Latino students with the successful transition from high school to post-secondary education (Constantine, Kindaichi, & Miville, 2007).

Facing institutional, social, and familial barriers, the educa-tional experience of Latino male students can be one of struggle and discouragement. Therefore, it is important to comprehend their educational journey not only through their perceptions but also through the perspectives of administrators, counselors, and support staff who directly address the Latino male student. Our research goals were to gain a better understanding of the challenging journey Latino male students take through the education pipeline and to investigate how educational leaders understand their role in supporting Latino male students in their pursuit of postsecondary education.

Theoretical FrameworkWe relied on a theoretical perspective grounded in multi-cultural theory to help guide our research study. Specifi-cally, we used social justice advocacy (Constantine, Hage, Kindaichi, & Bryant, 2007) to help understand what guides these educational institutions and their agents toward helping Latino students. This perspective offers insights about how institutional agents (e.g., school counselors, school district administrators, postsecondary practitioners) understand La-tino male students’ educational issues and work with them in their respective educational institutions (e.g., high school, community colleges, 4-year universities). Additionally, this study reflects the recent counselor education research that has also used this perspective in developing social justice

advocacy for practitioners (Nilsson, Schale, & Khamphakdy-Brown, 2011).

Researchers describe social justice advocacy as a combi-nation of individuals who are acutely aware of fairness and equitable treatment of underrepresented populations and their willingness to take action to influence and improve the lives of those who are underrepresented (Cohen, 2001; Constan-tine et al., 2007). Researchers have argued that social justice advocacy should be an essential element of professional de-velopment because “engagement, social justice activism, or advocacy at such levels is believed to more effectively create social change” (Nilsson et al., 2011, p. 413).

The American Counseling Association has advanced a posi-tion that counseling professionals should consider advocacy work as an essential component of their ethical practice (Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2002). Moreover, researchers have argued that the different levels of social organizations need to collaborate and integrate their respective advocacy work “to fight social injustices, or work to change unfair policies on a systems level” (Nilsson et al., 2011, p. 414). This perspec-tive suggests that we must closely examine how counseling practitioners and administrators understand the importance of collaborating across the educational levels to address critical educational issues (e.g., Latino male students’ educational achievement).

The social justice advocacy theory assists us in exploring and understanding the level of awareness of educators who work with Latino male students regarding their educational achievement and attainment. This perspective advances our un-derstanding of how educational institutions from grades K–12 to postsecondary school can coordinate and work together to address the educational challenges of Latino male students on their journey toward postsecondary enrollment and persistence.

MethodLocation and Participants

We conducted this study in a southeastern state with a growing Latino population and a county that had a full complement of educational institutions: six high schools, a local state/com-munity college, and a flagship research extensive university. The county encompasses suburban and rural areas, and the percentage of students on free and reduced lunch is higher than the national average of 55%. Latino male students have lower high school graduation rates, higher dropout rates, and lower college entrance and retention rates than do other sub-populations in this district, as is also true nationally. The local college enrolls 11% Latinos, whereas the university enrolls 15% Latinos. Both postsecondary institutions matriculate higher numbers of Latino women than men and enroll more women than men overall. We relied on several gatekeepers at the high school and university levels to develop a list of potential participants. We developed a purposeful sample, consisting of counselors and administrators who worked at



each type of institution. We sent potential participants an e-mail describing the study and requesting their participation. We identified 14 individuals from two high schools, the county school district, the state/community college, and the 4-year university; they all accepted the invitation to participate in the study.

The study participants included two high school princi-pals; two high school counselors; a director of school guid-ance services; three college administrators who work on multicultural issues; and six university administrators who represent multicultural and diversity perspectives, financial aid, outreach programs, student support services, and student organizations. Nine of the participants were men, of whom three were Latino, two were Black, and four were White. Five of the participants were women, of whom four were White and one was Latina. We used this purposeful sample to (a) address the research questions, (b) create a rich participant pool that matches the researchers’ focus of study, and (c) capture a precise participant pool identified within secondary and postsecondary education (Marshall, 1996).

Data Collection Procedures

We obtained institutional review board and school board approval for the research protocols used in this study. All participants signed an informed consent form prior to the interview session. We created interview question protocols for high school counselors and principals, community col-lege administrators, and university administrators who work with diversity issues on their respective campuses. The same protocol of questions was used for each interview to allow us to compare across institutional types and administrative posi-tions and allowing for variations among the different levels of education represented. To address our research questions, we used a semistructured interview format to understand educa-tors’ perceptions of experiences and unique needs of Latino male students with regard to their educational pathways and postsecondary enrollment and persistence.

We conducted the interviews for approximately 45 minutes each during the late fall 2010 and early spring 2011 semesters. The principal investigator, with the assistance of doctoral students, interviewed the educational practitioners in their respective offices. The principal investigator conducted each interview, and one doctoral student served as the recorder and note taker for each session. The research team stored the completed digital recordings in a secure office location.

Qualitative Method

Guided by phenomenology, we used inductive analysis to examine Latino boys’ educational pathways and motivation toward postsecondary education. We selected phenomenol-ogy because it guides the research process investigating the essence or composition of an experience or phenom-enon. Phenomenology in social sciences is the study of participants’ life experiences and consequent meanings.

Researchers suggest that this method attempts to under-stand and interpret these meanings with depth and richness (Van Manen, 1990). Phenomenology focuses on revealing meaning versus defending an argument or creating a theory (Flood, 2010). The process begins with a description of a situation that is experienced by the participant in daily life (Flood, 2010). This approach requires researchers to obtain descriptions from the participants about the phenomena and remain mindful to separate their own judgments and biases from the actual data. Finally, the researcher analyzes the experiences of the participants and groups them into an agreed consciousness, in order to interpret the meaning of the phenomena as experienced by the participants (Crotty, 1998; Flood, 2010; Lincoln & Guba, 1985).

Data Analysis

Inductive analysis was the basis for this study’s data analysis (Hatch, 2002). Understanding the specific elements of each transcription from the collected data generates meaning units, defined as individual statements that stand alone and provide meaning (Hatch, 2002). The researcher works to make con-nections of these meaning units among the transcriptions as a whole. Inductive analysis searches for patterns of meaning to provide general statements about the phenomena under investigation (Hatch, 2002). By looking at the patterns across the data, the researcher establishes a status of general explana-tory statements (Hatch, 2002).

Under the supervision of the principal investigators, the graduate students transcribed the data and analyzed the tran-scriptions. The data analysis process included reading the individual transcriptions, breaking the text into meaning units, and then assigning the units into a unique domain. Domains are groupings retrieved from the meaning units that provide semantic relationships to inform the researcher (Hatch, 2002). We coded and grouped the more salient domains to identify which themes carried stronger meaning, as observed across various interviews. We examined the domains within individual interviews and across interviews to determine the most frequent and salient domains.

As part of the qualitative vetting process, we reread the data and domains to ensure that their initial findings were correct. We adjusted and refined the assigned domains after multiple readings of the transcription and meaning units to ensure that we had a strong match between the research team’s findings and the participants’ responses. Finally, we generated a master outline that expressed relationships within and among domains (Hatch, 2002). We used this outline to make general exploratory statements about the phenomena.

Trustworthiness

We developed trustworthiness in this qualitative study with a focus on the data credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Guba, 1981). First, we developed cred-ibility in the data analysis with weekly research meetings to


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discuss the preliminary meaning units and subsequent themes (Shenton, 2004). Additionally, we shared preliminary find-ings with study participants to obtain additional feedback and provide critical member checking.

We were able to establish transferability of our study to understand how we could generalize our findings in relation to the current research literature. That is, we selected a sample that could provide useful responses to our research questions. We established dependability using an established method of data analysis (Hatch, 2002; Shenton, 2004).

Finally, we recognize that a researcher’s potential bias may influence the development of themes. We compared data analysis notes throughout the process to ensure that confirm-ability of the study was attributable to the findings and not to researcher bias (Shenton, 2004). Nonetheless, we acknowl-edge that we are interested in the educational achievement and persistence of males of color, which may influence our perceptions of this issue and the study’s results.

ResultsThe high school counselors, school district leaders, and post-secondary administrators provided extensive insights regard-ing their understanding of the issues that Latino male students face at their respective institutions. Moreover, the qualitative findings provided new insights about the daily interactions of these professionals with the Latino male students and their families. From the interview data, we identified four primary themes: lack of awareness of educational obstacles for Latino male students by educators, role of Latino families in Latino male students’ educational experiences, impact of peers and mentoring on Latino male students, and role of outreach programs and partnerships focused on young Latino men.

Lack of Awareness of Educational Obstacles for Latino Male Students

Most of the counselors and administrators at the three levels mentioned that there were no specific support programs offered solely to Latino male students. However, they did indicate that there are programs geared toward underrepresented students for which Latino male students could qualify. Some counselors and administrators suggested that schools and postsecondary institu-tions should develop additional outreach and recruitment programs specifically focused on Latino male students. For example, a high school counselor expressed concerns about programming for Latinos and said, “They could do more specific activities that are tailored to Latinos.” These concerns highlight a general lack of awareness of Latino male students’ educational issues among high school teachers and administrators. A high school principal recognized that the school’s teachers have little awareness of the problems faced by many Latino male students. He noted, “Perhaps some training of faculty on . . . I think when people understand the issue, when they see it’s a major issue, they have a tendency to group together and come up with some solutions.”

All four of the high school counselors and administrators agreed that communication regarding the specific issues that Latino male students face is important to increase awareness of the issues and support of the students. One principal added that he had gone out in the hallways prior to the research interview to talk with Latino male students to better understand their con-cerns and, as a result, felt better informed and wanted to make some changes in his school. Unless there were specific issues related to Latino male students that were brought to their at-tention, these participants believed many faculty were unaware that Latino male students faced these academic challenges.

Likewise, each of the college and university administrators also stated that there was general support for programmatic initiatives for underrepresented populations, but there was a need to better inform and attract Latino male students to participate in these initiatives. Additionally, they expressed that getting Latino students to the college/university level was one issue, and retaining them was another. They also commented that faculty members need greater awareness of the challenging educational issues that these young men face.

Role of Family Influence

Another prevalent theme that emerged from these interviews is the role of Latino families in their children’s educational aspirations. Even though many Latino parents value higher education, many still exert pressure on their sons to contrib-ute financially to their families. A university administrator expressed this ongoing tension: “Some of them [Latino male students] I know send money home to help support their families, younger siblings . . . and so I think that sometimes can get in the way of them being academically successful.” Both high school principals mentioned that early entry into the job market to assist with family support was a reason for some not to go on to postsecondary education.

Coupled with these financial expectations, Latino families’ socioeconomic status was another critical factor regarding family influences on their child’s educational experience. As one university administrator put it, “A lot of them worked at 14 or 15, and contributed to the household . . . they’re still getting income through financial aid . . . so the expectation is that they’re still paying the light bill at home even though they are not living there.” The situation was similar at the high school level, where school counselors shared that a migrant farm family’s poverty level is one of the biggest barriers in students’ school attendance.

All of the high school counselors and administrators pointed out that parental involvement is essential for students’ success and outreach. Unfortunately, they have found that Latino par-ents’ English language deficiencies can hinder family involve-ment in their child’s educational experiences. For instance, a high school principal (a Latino man) said, “Language is a barrier because I know that we have a few here and they [the parents] only talk to me because I can speak Spanish, but they will never go to the school counselors.” The director of guidance services for the school district noted, “The biggest barrier is



that we are not always sending home letters that are in English and Spanish, so that can be a barrier for some kids.”

Despite many Latino parents’ lack of English proficiency, their high expectations often remain, as described by a school district administrator who commented, “My experience with Hispanic families is that they have very high values for education . . . probably a little bit of a slant toward the male children in the family being achievers—getting that college degree, you know.”

Impact of Peers and Mentoring

Many high school counselors and college/university administra-tors also talked about the impact peers often have on Latino male students’ decision to attend college. Most agreed that if a young Latino man has peer support to attend college, he is more likely to aspire to attend college. For instance, one college administra-tor said, “The ones [Latino men] who are getting into college, there is a very strong support from each other.” Conversely, if his peers do not have similar aspirations, it can negatively affect his decision to attend college. One school counselor shared a Latino male student’s experience with having to choose between his peer group and school. The counselor remarked, “I’ve got one [student] that actually went on to dual enrollment; I think he may have almost felt like he had to leave the peer group to get ahead.”

However, peer influences do not only pertain to high school students. Many college students continue to make their decisions on the basis of what their friends are doing. For example, a col-lege administrator discussed how peers could be both positive and negative influences on one another. The administrator said, “Peer influences can be positive in that ‘I want to be more than a drug dealer like my friend’ but negative in that ‘I almost owed something to them or I want to help them so I’m still involved in their life.’” Another university administrator went on to say, “Now, if these are first-generation college goers and you haven’t navigated this whole system, how can you not be influenced by your peers that are doing something else, because that’s the only thing that you see.”

The high school counselors and administrators at all levels stated that mentoring programs are pivotal in providing ongoing encouragement, support, and resources for Latino male students. For instance, a school counselor argued in support of mentoring programs by commenting, “We need to get a better mentoring program going. . . . I would like to see every Hispanic male with a mentor.” A university administrator also talked about the impor-tance for Latino male students to have role models or mentors.

I mean, that’s some of the strength of a mentoring program, if nothing else. To be able to go and connect with young people that look like them and talk like them and, you know, for them to help along the way, and it’s certainly a powerful program.

Role of Outreach Programs for Young Latino Men

The final theme that emerged from many of the participant interviews was the need for outreach programs in creating a

welcoming environment for Latino male students in educa-tional settings. Many of the participants viewed these types of programs as essential for Latino male students’ educational success. As one higher education administrator said,

Many of the Latino males join those organizations because of the camaraderie that they have with other Latino males. The good thing about Latino students is that when they identify somebody who cares about them they will latch on, and most importantly, they will tell others this is a person that will be here to support you.

Even at the high-school level, administrators have con-cerns about understanding what types of programs Latino male students need. One school district administrator stated, “Using the data to provide the right level of support that a student needs to benefit from an instructional program or a counseling program or both [is needed].” Educators at each level commented that specific group opportunities for Latino male students could be a helpful source of support (e.g., school clubs or university groups specifically tailored for Latino male students).

DiscussionThis study relied on the social advocacy perspective to under-stand the level of awareness of practitioners and administra-tors in a southeastern educational community regarding La-tino male students’ educational achievement. The interviews revealed several areas that have implications for practice for counselors and administrators in secondary and postsecond-ary educational institutions, as well as with their connections with families, community agencies, and resources.

First, the importance of family and cultural influences on Latino male students’ educational pathways and choices was a major theme throughout our research. At all three educational levels, each participant talked about the strong influence of families and cultural groups and expectations that contribute to the mindset and decision making of Latino male students regarding their education. Although, at first glance, these factors may seem separate from educational institutions, it is clear that schools, colleges, and universities need to involve families in their sons’ educational development and to support the organizations that can contribute to students’ transitions to life beyond high school (Constantine et al., 2007) and their postsecondary academic success (Sciarra & Whitson, 2007). Previous research has pointed to the reliance of Latino students on family and community support to navigate their educational experiences (Yosso, 2005).

The level of family involvement has been shown to be a significant factor in the achievement of Latino high school students (Bamaca-Gomez & Plunkett, 2003; Quezada, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2003). School counselors specifically possess the communication skills and abilities to engage parents in


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working toward identifying sons’ strengths and promoting school success skills. Educating parents about educational opportunities and access to postsecondary education and assisting them to help their sons plan for the future can be stepping stones to increased academic engagement and success (Clark, Son, Lee, Yacco, & Rant, 2011; Sciarra & Whitson, 2007; Villalba, Brunelli, Lewis, & Orfanedes, 2007). Specifically, communicating the importance of pa-rental involvement, increasing the comfort level of parents in school settings, and inviting parents to share their skills and interests with students can foster greater parental participa-tion and perceptions of positive partnerships with schools (Walker, Shenker, & Hoover-Dempsey, 2010). Collaboration and communication networks established by educators with these support systems would validate and strengthen their importance (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2011). Furthermore, the perception of counselors and administrators as “informa-tion brokers of resources” who could help these students and their families to access opportunities could contribute to this network. Lack of knowledge about higher education and financial aid affects outcomes regarding application and enrollment, and this lack of knowledge is most pronounced in Latino and Black students and their families, low-income families, and first generation families (Bell, Rowan-Kenyon, & Perna, 2009).

Second, institutional programming initiatives and staffing at various levels could include needs identified in this study, such as mentoring, positive program develop-ment geared specifically to Latino male students, campus cultural support groups, financial aid opportunities, and assistance with educational and life transitions. As several postsecondary study participants pointed out, there are programs available for underrepresented students in gen-eral, but most are not for Latino male students specifically. Furthermore, increasing awareness of existing programs and building in a component for Latino male students could create linkages that may not currently exist. Examples of such services include advising and counseling (e.g., career, mental health), study skills, financial literacy, tutoring, and student organizations that could encourage participation and leadership opportunities. Additionally, recognizing and building on students’ strengths can build resilience and motivation (Galassi & Akos, 2007).

Third, increased communication among public schools, state/community colleges, and universities is essential for increasing graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment and retention. Specifically, to provide knowledge of opportunities, using student data and demographic information is imperative to guide institutional practices and policy and aid Latino male students in the important transitions between one educational level and the next. Counselors and administrators at all levels can create more seamless communication among each other to network about student needs, programs being offered, and referrals for needed services.

Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research

Qualitative studies have limitations related to generalization of the findings to larger populations (Krueger, 1998). We acknowledge the difficulties in applying these findings to all communities. Ad-ditionally, we interviewed educators about their perceptions of young Latino men’s experiences in educational pursuits instead of asking the students about their own educational experiences. Future research should be conducted with Latino male students to learn their perspectives about their educational goals, as well as barriers and strengths. Mixed methodology could be used to examine quantitative trends with this population at secondary and postsecondary levels, along with qualitative research to hear the stories of Latino male students and their life directions. This population has been increasing at a rapid pace, and the outcomes of this group are important to ensure the success of the increas-ingly diverse U.S. society.

ConclusionNational demographic data indicate that Latino male students have the lowest high school, college, and university graduation rates in the country (Snyder & Dillow, 2011). It is of utmost importance to understand these statistics and the unique characteristics of this population and to use these findings to take steps to promote school, college, and university success for Latino male students.

This study offers significant insights from educators at three levels—high school, college, and university—about issues and influences surrounding Latino male students and their educational attitudes, choices, and persistence. Being able to examine how these professionals address the unique needs of this subgroup is a major first step in providing necessary services, such as counseling, connecting with caring adults, mentoring, family and cultural support, and communication among these three levels of education to promote postsecondary access, opportunities, and persistence. Our theoretical framework suggests that administrators and counselors need to develop programs that are focused on a social justice advocacy model and strengths-based perspective of Latino male students. Thus, program development should be focused on creating positive educational environments to include family and community involvement, mentoring and role modeling, and supporting services and programs that encourage Latino male students to formulate and carry out their educational goals. Counselor educators, school coun-selors, and practitioners working in community settings can use the results of this study in their work as they continue to advocate and serve as brokers of resources with underserved student populations and their families. The themes of this study support the principles of social justice and advocacy that we strive to meet in our work with clients in schools, colleges, and universities, as well as in a multitude of agen-cies and institutions.



The issue of underachieving men in many cultures has implications for the stability of families, local communi-ties, and the greater society. The disenfranchisement of any group can have a negative effect on the culture in which the group exists. Although we have examined the achievement gaps of Latino male students at the public school, college, and university levels in this study, the future implications can affect not only higher education, but also career devel-opment, marriage, and family life. Data from studies can contribute to more knowledge about the issue and educate other stakeholders involved—families, counselors, educa-tors, and policy makers.

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Support and Barriers for Latino Male Students' Educational Pursuits: Perceptions of Counselors and Administrators