Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development Department of Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment MEASURING TEACHERS’ PROMOTION OF SOCIOCULTURAL INTEGRATION IN K-12 SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES: A SCALE DEVELOPMENT USING RASCH/GUTTMAN SCENARIO METHODOLOGY Dissertation by MARÍA EUGENIA BÁEZ CRUZ Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2021 Copyright © 2021, María Eugenia Báez Cruz ABSTRACT MEASURING TEACHERS’ PROMOTION OF SOCIOCULTURAL INTEGRATION IN K-12 SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES: A SCALE DEVELOPMENT USING RASCH/GUTTMAN SCENARIO METHODOLOGY María Eugenia Báez Cruz, Author Larry H. Ludlow, Chair In 2019, as in previous years, White students outperformed African American, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Natives in a variety of K-12 outcomes (Darling- Hammond, 2007; de Brey et al., 2019; Jacob & Ludwig, 2008; National Education Association, 2015). The urgency of the opportunity/achievement gap is clear, as the current cohort of students under 5 years of age marks a turning point in student population demographics as the first in which 50 percent are part of a minority race or ethnic group (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). Sociocultural integration (SCI) is included in the frameworks of successful bilingual programs (Howard et al., 2007; Scanlan & López, 2014). SCI considers the dynamics of relationships with oneself and others as being built in the context of one’s racial/ethnic, cultural, and linguistic background (Brisk, 2006; Feinauer & Howard, 2014). Acceptance and appreciation of cultural difference is critical for teachers (Bennett, 2003) and a number of pedagogical frameworks center teachers’ role of cultural brokerage as a pathway to fostering positive student outcomes (Grant & Sleeter, 2006; Suárez-Orozco & Suárez-Orozco, 2001; Villegas & Lucas, 2002). In this dissertation, I defined sociocultural integration in a teacher-centered way, and explicitly incorporate teachers’ racial/ethnic identity development in the evolution of their actions to support SCI. Second, I operationalized this definition and built a scale for measuring SCI using innovative “lived experiences” scenario items according to the Rasch/Guttman Scenario scale development methodology (Ludlow et al., 2020). The SCI Scale for Teachers showed desirable psychometric properties and is well suited to increase use due to ease of interpretability. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation has been a true labor of love. Completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a test of perseverance, grit, and love. As a new mom, a full-time employee, and an international student with her whole family abroad, the continuous support of those I love and admire were what powered me through writing and sacrificing time with my firstborn to complete my doctorate. I dedicate my dissertation to my son, Alfonso Javier, and my husband, Diego. To Alfonso, for inspiring me to be a better human being and teaching me that the biggest joys of life happen far from a computer screen. To Diego, my love, for supporting me beyond measure, like only the best life partners do. Your discipline is an example I try to live by. Through this challenging year, we have emerged as a strong team that can weather any test. I want to thank my committee chair, Dr. Larry Ludlow, for supporting me and being adaptable. For giving me deadlines, holding me to my word, and questioning me. Academic rigor is only achieving through such challenges. Dr. Ludlow’s kind and joking manner made the process of writing this dissertation seem a less insurmountable task. I am also extremely grateful to Dr. Patrick Proctor, whose guidance was critical to every aspect of this dissertation. Dr. Proctor always made time to discuss any scale review or literature and provided actionable feedback on every occasion. He eased my impostor syndrome throughout. Finally, I want to thank Dr. Martin Scanlan. Dr. Scanlan gave me the confidence to turn a topic I was passionate about into a dissertation research question. He showed me how to collaborate with other academics and encouraged me to reach across fields of study. Dr. Scanlan put his own network at my disposal to explore data collection sites and partners. The group-think and problem solving I was able to engage in with my committee convinced me that academic work that stands the scrutiny of scholars one respects is worthy and fulfilling. I cannot imagine a life away from research. Persistence is an exercise one must engage in every day. I would not have been able to do so successfully without my mother, Carmen. Mama, our daily conversations, your visit at the most critical of times, nurtured my soul. My father, Julio, and my brother, Julio Miguel, were fuel for my typing. Always ensuring me they were proud and that they trusted me to complete my dissertation without compromising my commitment to excellence. I want to thank my best friend, Nilka, who let me break down and helped me piece myself back together – more than once – but to a stronger version of myself every time. Finally, to the tribe of women scholars, friends, and collaborators who have inspired me throughout the PhD: thank you. Thank you, Tolani Britton, for supporting me since we met when I was master’s student. A truly excellent human being in all dimensions, you continue to show me that I, and other women of color, can be scholars, mothers, and partners – and do all this gracefully. I am so grateful to Gabrielle Oliveira, who trusted me as a young researcher and empowered me to make decisions for our project. You showed me what an ideal research group looks like, and how we can lift others by engaging in quality work that motivates everyone to do their best. Thank you, Cristina Hunter, for being an example for me, a strong Latina researcher, and for being there for me as a true friend. Chris Chang-Bacon, I thank you for your incredible feedback, for being such a generous research collaborator, and for showing me that we can be kind and excellent. Thank you Kelsey Klein and Caroline Vuilleumier for being the wind beneath my wings. For motivating me, holding me accountable, for listening to me complain, and giving me important feedback for my defense. To Ana Tavares, thank you for your friendship, encouragement, and advice. Finally, I want to express my immense gratitude to the TWIN-CS community, where my research question was born and nurtured. To Patty, for her unbelieve support since day one. To Mary Bridget Burns, Stephanie Margetts, and Myra Reynoso, for opening the doors to work with teachers and administrators of the network who I greatly admire and respect. I also want to thank star administrator Michael Guerra, whose feedback was critical for the development of the SCI-T. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 Deepening of the Opportunities to Learn Gap .................................................... 1 Motivation of the Study ...................................................................................... 3 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................... 8 Significance of the Study .................................................................................. 11 Organization of the Dissertation ....................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................... 15 Sociocultural Integration: A Construct of Interest for Equitable Opportunities to Learn ............................................................................................................................. 16 Self-identification: Racial/Ethnic and Cultural Identity as an Anchor for Teachers’ Promotion of Sociocultural Integration ........................................................ 22 Racial Identity Models .............................................................................................. 25 Cultural Identity Models ........................................................................................... 31 Frameworks Promoting Healthy Identity Development in Students and Teacher Agency to Pursue Equity .............................................................................................. 36 Measurement of Racial/Ethnic and Cultural Identity Development, Healthy Identity Promotion, and Agency for Equity .................................................................. 44 Proposed Model for Measuring Teacher Promotion of Sociocultural Integration ....................................................................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................... 57 i Using the Rasch/Guttman Scenario Scale Methodology to Improve Score Usability in the Measurement of Sociocultural Integration .......................................... 57 Rasch/Guttman Scenario Scale Development Methodology .................................... 58 Research Design................................................................................................ 72 Population of Interest ................................................................................................ 74 Step One: Defining Sociocultural Integration ........................................................... 75 Steps Two and Three: Operationalizing SCI Using Facets, and Determining