The emergence of social capital in low-income Latino elementary schools

Abstract

Scholars suggest that racial/ethnic and class disparities in school-based social capital contribute to educational inequalities. Previous studies demonstrate that social capital (relations of trust, mutual expectations, and shared values) between parents and schools supports children's development. Yet we know little about the emergence of social capital, that is, the processes through which it develops. In this study, we explore mechanisms of social capital emergence in predominantly low-income Latino school communities. We draw data from an experimental study that manipulated social capital through an after-school family engagement program. Based on interviews and focus groups with participating parents, teachers, and program staff in two elementary schools, we identified four types of interactions that act as mechanisms of social capital emergence: (1) responsive communication; (2) reciprocal communication; (3) shared experiences; and (4) institutional linkage. The article connects these mechanisms to theoretically linked sources of social capital and discusses implications for theory and practice.

A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Large-Scale Prevention Studies: A Case Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial With Low-Income Latino Communities

“…3 Detailed ethnographic observations of FAST meetings were analyzed to document parents’ evolving interactions with FAST staff, other parents, and school staff. These interviews and observations contributed to our deep-structure understanding of the contextual factors associated with the local communities, and allowed us to more fully understand parents’ experiences with FAST (see Shoji et al., 2014). …”

“…We focus on conceptual and practical examples rather than empirical outcomes, which are reported elsewhere (see Fiel, Haskins, & Turley, 2013; Gamoran, Turley, Turner, & Fish, 2012; Shoji, Haskins, Rangel, & Sorensen, 2014; Valdez, Mills, Bohlig, & Kaplan, 2013; Valdez, Lewis Valentine, & Padilla, 2013). We make several contributions to the extant literature.…”

“… 3 For empirical examples utilizing the qualitative data collected from participants, see Shoji, Haskins, Rangel, and Sorsensen (2014) and Valdez, Lewis Valentine, and Padilla (2013) …”

“…The FAST program is flexible in that 60% of the components are adaptable to the local context and 40% are core and invariant to context. Our research team drilled down even further into the components of FAST to identify how the core components build and enhance parental social relationship that can be implemented in other schools without adoption of the FAST program (see Shoji et al, 2014). …”

Co-production in primary schools: a systematic literature review

“…Indeed, many studies explored the social causes behind (a lack of) coproduction and referred to Bourdieu's notion of social capital (e.g. Curry and Adams, 2014;Shoji et al, 2014). They questioned teachers' notions about parent involvement, poverty issues and disadvantaged groups (Frempong et al, 2011) and discussed the implications of the different resources parents could make available to their children.…”