“I felt like a butterfly spreading my wings”: early college high schools as educational counterspaces for women from marginalized groups

Abstract

Early College High Schools (ECHS) partner with post-secondary institutions to award students, specifically those from historically marginalized groups, with significant transferrable college credit—tuition free—along with a high school diploma. Utilizing the frameworks of counterspace and counterstory, this study aimed to understand the perceptions of 13 women who identify as of Color and/or low-income, who graduated from an ECHS and are now in college or are recent college graduates, regarding their experiences attending an ECHS and their preparation for post-secondary success. Qualitative analyses indicated the ECHS served as an educational counterspace with a variety of “structural-cultural” elements that were imperative to the participants’ transition to, engagement with, and success in college.

Keywords:

• Early college high schools
• counterspace
• counterstory
• women from marginalized groups

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 When we use the term “girls” we are referring to those in K12 schools. When we use the term “women” we are referring to those in higher educational environments (e.g. college students).

2 According to the U.S. Department of Education (2006) a student who is labeled “at risk” is one who “is at risk of academic failure, has a drug or alcohol problem, is pregnant or is a parent, has previously come into contact with the juvenile justice system, is at least 1 year behind the expected grade level for the age of the individual, is a migrant or an immigrant, has limited English proficiency, is a gang member, has previously dropped out of school, or has a high absenteeism rate at school” (p. 28). Because of deficit perspectives prominent in schools, this term has been broadly applied to youth who may carry any number of marginalized identities. This term “ignores institutionalized structures of inequality and a systemic analysis of what places youth at risk” (Pica-Smith & Veloria, 2012, p. 2). We see the use of this term as bigotry that is accepted, overt, and excused (Brook & Michell, 2010).

3 A gender-neutral/inclusive term to refer to groups of people with Latin American heritage living in the U.S.

4 A derogatory term for a child/children born to a noncitizen mother in a country with birthright citizenship (e.g. USA). Having a child in this context is often portrayed as providing an advantage and the potential to secure citizenship for the mother/parents.

5 After the participants graduated from their ECHS, each attended a four-year institution of higher education different than the post-secondary institution partnered with their ECHS.

6 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program for eligible individuals who immigrated through unauthorized channels as children and do not possess U.S. residency. DACA temporarily protects these individuals from deportation and provides a work permit. Youth enrolled in DACA are often referred to as “Dreamers” e.g. individuals who intend to take advantage of “The Dream Act” (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act), if passed.

7 We define success as high GPAs and participation/leadership in campus activities.

8 A GED is a General Equivalency Diploma. A GED may be earned by students who exit school prior to traditional graduation and do not hold a traditional high school diploma.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leslie Ann Locke

Lesllie Ann Locke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at the University of Iowa. Her research interests include educational justice, racism and whiteness in schools, school experiences of girls and women, education policy, and qualitative methodologies.

Ain Grooms

Ain Grooms is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at the University of Iowa. Her research interests include educational equity for students of Color, student attendance/absenteeism, and the retention of educators of Color, race, and place.