Racialized Experiences and Academic Success of Minority Students in Postsecondary Career and Technical Education

Abstract

This mixed method study examined the education success and experiences of racial and ethnic minorities (REM) at one technical college within the Wisconsin Technical College System. Through the use of quantitative archival institutional data, student success was analyzedover a five-yearperiod. Statistical significance difference was found between race/ethnicity and educational success. Further analysis was conducted and specifically analyzed for their effecton career cluster of study, the disaggregate of REM students into a singular racial or ethnic category,and socioeconomic status on REM students’ success. Focus groups were used to collect qualitative data on REM student experiences. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyzethis data, which revealedfive key themes: offensive course content, assumption of being foreign, racial invalidation, attribution/misattribution of ability,and racial expert. Implications of thisstudy’s findings are discussed along withrecommendations for further study and improving the performance of REM students.