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Abstract
This study uses Coleman's (1988) social capital theory to examine the relationship between family and school social capital and perceived academic competence for Hmong students attending Hmong-focused charter schools. The 423 participants surveyed were 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students living in Minnesota, with many (48%) receiving English Learner (EL) services. Structural equation modeling indicated that school social capital, measured by school attachment and school connection, was significantly associated with students' perceived academic competence; however, no association was found with nuclear and extended family social capital. Findings illustrate the role that school environment, especially charter schools that focus on culture and language, has on students' perceived academic competence. Implications for future research are also discussed.
Keywords: Hmong children, social capital, charter schools
Research on students' academic achievement has been well documented in the literature, including Asian American students (Pang et al., 2011; Portes & Rumbaut, 2001). Despite the academic success of Asian American students in general compared to other racial/ethnic students (Kao & Thompson, 2003; Lee, 2005), Hmong students seem to be falling behind academically (Council for Asian Pacific Minnesotans, 2012; Lee, 2005; Lee & Madyun, 2008; Xiong et al., 2008). This seemingly downward trend of educational achievement for Hmong children raises significant concerns to Hmong parents and educators. Hmong parents, for example, are deeply concerned about the quality of the traditional public education and the lack of heritage language and culture in the curriculum (Adler, 2004; Thao, 2003; William, 2018). As such, beginning in 2000, Hmong educators began to form public charter schools as an alternative school choice for Hmong students (Pha, 2019; Williams, 2018). Today, there are a handful of Hmong charter schools in Minnesota (Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity, 2017; Pha, 2019). Indeed, Minnesota is home to the first charter school in the nation (Nelson et al., 2000), and today it enrolls more than 56,000 students, including 7,000 Asian (mostly Hmong) students (MDE, n.d.). Yet, we know very little about Hmong students, their families, and the Hmong focused-charter schools. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine students' perceptions of the role family and school plays in their academic performance as measured by perceived academic competence using a social capital theory (Coleman, 1988).
Social Capital Theoretical Framework
Social capital...