That’s the finding of a recent study by Stanford University researchers who examined the effects of ethnic studies courses at San Francisco public high schools. The researchers compared academic outcomes for ninth graders who enrolled in the classes after receiving encouragement to do so against the achievements among nonparticipants. The Stanford report presents a rare, quantitative evaluation of the academic achievement of high schoolers in this subject area.
In San Francisco, overall school attendance for students encouraged to enroll in the class increased by 21 percentage points. Furthermore, their grade point average jumped by 1.4 points and the number of course credits earned rose by 23, which translated to about four more semester courses completed.
Put another way, the ninth graders who took ethnic studies tended to become more interested in going to school, more motivated to study and earn good grades, and more apt to academically stretch themselves, versus the nonparticipants.
The improved outcomes were especially concentrated among male and Hispanic students, and Stanford researchers discovered significant increases in GPA in the areas of math and science.
“What is so unique about this program is the degree to which it helped the students who took it,” said Dr. Emily Penner, a postdoctoral researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and co-author of the study. “Schools have tried a number of approaches to support struggling students. Few have been this effective. Making school relevant and engaging [for] struggling students can really pay off.”
The Stanford report comes at a time when school districts around the country are debating whether to offer ethnic studies programs.
