Transfer Equity for “Minoritized” Students

Abstract

Using critical policy analysis focused on racial-ethnic equity, this study analyses state policy documents and accountability instruments governing transfer from 2-year colleges to 4-year institutions in the following states: California, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, and Wisconsin. Based on data collected in 2009, the findings indicate that state transfer policies are largely “color blind.” In contrast, accountability reporting, including data indicators such as those for underrepresented students, may serve as proxies for monitoring progress toward transfer of racially minoritized students. Recommendations are proposed for creating racially equitable state transfer policies and accountability instruments.

The Correlates of Credit Loss: How Demographics, Pre-Transfer Academics, and Institutions Relate to the Loss of Credits for Vertical Transfer Students

“…Some reformers have recommended community colleges transform institutional culture from taking a “cafeteria style” approach to curricula to offering highly structured pathways that allow students to more easily navigate programs and complete credits with greater alignment to their educational goals, including transfer (Bailey et al 2015). Institutional culture is also about a focus on promoting equity in transfer student outcomes, given that most state policy in transfer is “race-blind” (Chase et al 2014) and rarely prioritizes transfer for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Although not discussed by Jain et al (2011), 4-year institutional culture also varies in terms of the value and respect given to community colleges, and specifically whether community college courses are perceived to be equivalent in content and rigor to courses at the 4-year.…”

Music education and the well-rounded education provision of the Every Student Succeeds Act: A critical policy analysis

“…They recommended adjustments to the scoring rubric to lessen the impact of teaching context on the outcome. Chase, Dowd, Pazich, and Bensimon (2014) included an action research element to their CPA, which focused on issues of racial and ethnic equity in state policies regarding transfer from community colleges to 4-year state…”

Planning as strategy for improving Black and Latinx student equity: Lessons from nine California community colleges

“…Strategic planning tends to be assumed as an objective process that produces rational solutions, but research has demonstrated how seemingly objective, apolitical, and well-intentioned policies and policy tools, such as strategic planning, are riddled with subjectivity and political influences that can have disparate impacts on different student groups (Chase, Dowd, Pazich, & Bensimon, 2014;Dowd & Bensimon, 2015;Marcus, 1999). For example, Chase and associates (2014) examined transfer policies in seven states and found that because transfer policies are largely color blind and uncritical, they perpetuate existing racial inequities.…”

“…Traditional policy research, however, also tends to assume objectivity and is uncritical of the value-laden and political nature of policy creation, the complexity of implementation, or the social construction of policy problems (Alemán, 2007;Honig, 2006;Iverson, 2007). The lack of critical research in educational policy studies has resulted in little research examining how seemingly "neutral" educational policies reinforce inequities, whether through the planning process, practitioner sense-making of policies, the implementation of strategic plans, or the effects on different student groups outcomes (Chase, 2016;Chase, Dowd, Pazich, & Bensimon, 2014;Iverson, 2007). A critical lens to policy analysis is needed to examine how equity planning differs from strategic planning particularly in addressing the equity gaps experienced by historically disadvantaged student groups.…”

“…In contrast to rational theories, critical theories attempt to explore the silence in policy narratives, highlight social context, and acknowledge the role of structural racism in how policy is crafted and implemented in schools (Martínez- Alemán, Pusser, & Bensimon, 2015). By employing theoretical elements from critical policy analysis, researchers have found that well-intended educational policies addressing equity in areas such as school finance (Alemán, 2007), college admissions (Martinez- Alemán, 2015), and transfer (Chase et al, 2014) can have "racially curious effects" that adversely impact racially minoritized students, such as Latinx and Black students (Dumas & Anyon, 2006, p. 153).…”