LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations 2018 Homegrown Teacher Project: Developing an Early Intervention Pipeline for Teachers of Color Yadira Moreno Loyola Marymount University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/etd Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Moreno, Yadira, "Homegrown Teacher Project: Developing an Early Intervention Pipeline for Teachers of Color" (2018). LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations. 541. https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/etd/541 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY Homegrown Teacher Project Developing an Early Intervention Pipeline for Future Teachers of Color by Yadira Moreno A dissertation presented to the Faculty of the School of Education, Loyola Marymount University, in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education 2018 Homegrown Teacher Project: Developing an Early Intervention Pipeline for Future Teachers of Color Copyright © 2018 by Yadira Moreno Loyola Marymount University School of Education Los Angeles CA 90045 This dissertation written by Yadira Moreno, under the direction of the Dissertation Committee, is approved and accepted by all committee members, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Words cannot express my endless gratitude to those who supported me through my doctoral journey. I am grateful for each and every one of you. First and foremost, my family, who continuously made sure I was mentally prepared for my writing time through words of encouragement, laughter, praise, food, coffee, and prayer. Mami, Papi y Omar- Los quiero mucho. I am blessed to have in my life. Enrolling in the doctoral program was purposeful and timely, and you always knew how to take care of my basic and emotional needs. Omar, thank you for your endless love and support, it is an honor to be your little sister. To my aunts, uncles, and cousins who always asked me about timeframes and due dates, thank you for always caring about my educational career. To my love, Victor, thank you for patience and support throughout the last two years. I did not even realize how much I needed you. I believe God did answer my prayers by sending you back into my life, during my doctoral hustle. Even though it was a difficult road of emotions and deadlines, God knew this would ensure our love will be able to conquer future life urgencies. You proved to me something that I was not convinced about before, the ideas behind “true love.” This concept of having someone to support, encourage, and love you is a privilege. Thank you for being my partner and reminding me of this privilege. To Loyola Marymount School of Education, your timing was impeccable. Thank you for the platform to see through different lens to continue my fight for public education to serve all students. Dr. Baltodano, my chair, and navigator of my dissertation, I appreciate you. Thank you for believing in me, thank you for your words of encouragement, guidance, compassion and love throughout the past three years. You saw in me my fullest potential before I could. You always iii shared the big picture as I worked on the small steps. Thank you for keeping me encouraged and reminding me to never stop pursuing my dreams as a principal and doctoral student working to leave her mark on the world. Dr. Bickett, thank you for listening and guiding my personal growth. Dr. Stephenson, your guidance during my data collection is what I needed to move forward to create actionable steps to code my data. To all the professors, that kept me “woke” to continue my calling as a social justice educator – I will be forever grateful. Ponderosa Pride – Thank you to all the teachers, staff, parents, and scholars who continuously check-in on me about writing deadlines, my action research project, and my wellbeing. It is an honor to serve as your principal. My win, is having my teachers pursue graduate level work including Masters and Doctoral Degrees because I serve as their motivation. My hustle inspired you to juggle your worlds. For this, your future self and students will be forever grateful. I will continue to share the message, that there will never be the right “timing” to pursue educational growth, but everything is possible with determination. Opportunities are not promised, the timing is always NOW. To my awesome office team – Debbie, Jose and Maggie – thank you for cheering me on. Thank you for letting me know the school was in great hands when I was off to conquer the dissertation world. To my homegrown teacher participants, Iveth, Isabella, Kimberly, Penelope, and Diana – thank you for taking the time to mentor and inspire future Latina teachers. You continuously serve as role models for all scholars, but through this forum, you were able to build a critical mentoring relationship. With time, we will continue to build their social capital and networks. You inspire me every day and being your principal it is truly a gift to watch you teach. iv To the protégées, thank you for your desire to be teachers in our community. I want you to know that we will support you throughout life’s obstacles. Your mentors and I will always be on your side. The teaching profession needs cultural translators in urban school classrooms. To LMU Cohort 12 – cheers to our friendship and support for our commitment and success to transform education settings to serve all. Thank you for inspiring me. Carlos-you were my partner in crime throughout the journey. Through texts, calls, and conference room tables, we did it! You mean the world to me, and appreciate your endless support. You are my chosen family. To all the teachers, coaches and professors who believed in me, a first-generation Mexican American little girl who would dream of being a teacher before she turned double digits, I thank you. Especially, Mrs. Carol Lee – thank you for reassuring me I had chosen a special career. Thank you for continuously telling me I could become a teacher, and opening your classroom for over a decade so I could use it as a learning lab. You cultivated my passion, and for this I will forever be grateful. Thank you for making the profession an attainable dream. Throughout my educational journey I had endless support to navigate unknown paths. Thank you for opening doors, for building my social capital and networks to become who I am today. Dr. Baltodano, Dr. Bickett, Dr. Stephenson, Dr. Huchting, Dr. Popham, Dr. Patterson, Dr. Grace, Jan Grant, Maria Villegas, Coach Carter and Ms. Giroux. You silenced the louder negative adults that questioned my education choices or next career moves. Thank you for always supporting my goals. To my girlfriends, some of the most impressive teachers/educators I have shared school building with; Socorro, April, Monica, Maria, Wendy, Lupita, Claudia, Ceci, Maggie, Angie, and v Wendy – your endless texts, smiles, love, and support cannot be measured throughout the three years of writing – but is reflected throughout the dissertation. Each one of you has inspired my pursuit to educational equity in public schools since our lives crossed, thank you. To all immigrant and first generation children whose parents came to America because it was the land of opportunity.... Keep Your Eye on the Prize! I believe in you, find a mentor, hold on to them, as they can help you accomplish your vivid dreams. The teaching profession is an incredible career where you impact the future generations! Keep pursuing your dream- SI SE PUEDE. vi DEDICATION Para mi Papi y Mami, que toda la vida me inculcaron que “la educación vale más que el dinero.” Gracias por enseñarme que todo se logra con trabajo, esfuerzo y el amor de Dios. Ustedes arriesgaron sus vidas por los sueños de oportunidades que tenían para sus hijos, Omar y yo. Por esto y mucho más, son mi motivación para seguir adelante. Gracias por su amor. Que Dios los bendiga siempre. Su hija que sueña ser el orgullo de ustedes. Los amo. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................... xii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ xiii ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER 1: CONTEXT OF THE STUDY ........................................................................ 1 Background of the Study............................................................................................... 6 Demographic and Democratic Imperative ......................................................... 6 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 8 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................... 11 Research