W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 2020 The Impact of High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem) Magnet Programs on the Academic Performance of Students Eric Acosta William & Mary - School of Education, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Education Policy Commons Recommended Citation Acosta, Eric, "The Impact of High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem) Magnet Programs on the Academic Performance of Students" (2020). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1582641566. http://dx.doi.org/10.21220/m2-3aby-dz52 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE IMPACT OF HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) MAGNET PROGRAMS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS A Dissertation Presented to the The Faculty of the School of Education The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education By Eric Acosta December 2019 THE IMPACT OF HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) MAGNET PROGRAMS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS By Eric Acosta Approved December 5, 2019 by JAMES H. STRONGE, Ph.D. Co-Chairperson of Doctoral Committee THOMAS J. WARD, Ph.D. Co-Chairperson of Doctoral Committee MARGARET E. CONSTANTINO, Ph.D. Committee Member i This dissertation was completed in fulfillment of the culminating group research project in compliance with the requirements of the Executive Ed.D. program in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership at the College of William and Mary. Eric Acosta Evonne S. Alvarez Gilberto D. Bonce Melanie Megias Guillermo Muñoz ii Dedication We dedicate this dissertation to our families who have sacrificed greatly alongside us as we have made this journey. Thank you for supporting us even as we missed family activities, left parts of our homes covered with books and papers, and participated in group meetings late into many nights and almost every Saturday for more than a year. We would be remiss if each one of us did not specifically address our individual dedications. Eric Acosta Gaby, Melanie, and EJ, you are my reason for getting up in the morning and pushing to be a better version of myself every day. It is never too late to pursue your dreams. To Marta, my life-long love, time and space will never separate us. I love you and thank God for you and our family. Evonne S. Alvarez To my beautiful daughters Gabriela and Sophia, you are smarter and way more capable than I will ever be, so lead the way, trail blaze, and find what you are passionate about. I am certain you will make a difference in this world. The effort it took to complete this dissertation was truly fueled by both of you. To my father, Pedro, your determination and resolve as an exiled immigrant are constant reminders of the many sacrifices you made to provide me with a better life. Thank you for your faith in my abilities, love, and support. Gilberto Bonce To my loving wife, Carmen, you have always been my rock, thank you for your continual support, encouragement, patience and understanding. Daniel and Matthew, I iii am extremely proud of the men you have become, you are my inspiration and I cannot wait to see what amazing futures you will have. Mom and Dad, thank you for being my first cheerleaders and for always pushing me to be the best version of myself. I thank God for the incredible people he has placed in my life, I love you all. Melanie Megias To my daughters, Elena, and Gaby, I hope that this dissertation reminds you that your future is limitless. You can do anything you set your minds to. Being your mom is an honor and a privilege. I love you both. Uncle Kevin, since I first started my doctoral program, you reminded me that I could – and would – accomplish this goal. Thank you for being a constant supporter! Mother, thank you for inspiring me to always be the best person I can be. You taught me to work hard, be resilient, set goals, and serve others. Everything I do well is because of your example. I love you. Guillermo Muñoz To Norma: Mom, I know how much this means to you. Thank you for all the support you provide me and my family. I love you. To Raydelin, my beautiful wife, you have been incredibly supportive throughout this process. I love you very much. You are the rock that keeps our family together. To Alexa and Gabriella, you have both made me realize my capacity to love unconditionally. Words cannot express the happiness you each bring to my life. I hope you view this as an example in your lives to always seek new challenges and enjoy the process of learning. iv Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................x List of Figures .................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................2 Background ....................................................................................................................2 Theoretical or Conceptual Framework ..........................................................................8 Problem Statement .......................................................................................................11 Research Questions ......................................................................................................12 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................13 Definitions of Terms ....................................................................................................15 Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature ...........................................................................18 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics .................................................18 A History of STEM Education in the United States ....................................................22 Magnet Programs .........................................................................................................29 STEM Magnet Programs .............................................................................................36 Summary ......................................................................................................................45 Chapter 3: Methods ............................................................................................................47 Participants ...................................................................................................................48 Data Sources ................................................................................................................52 Data Collection ............................................................................................................59 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................61 Delimitations, Limitations, Assumptions ....................................................................65 Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................68 v Summary ......................................................................................................................69 Chapter 4: Findings ............................................................................................................71 Demographic Information ............................................................................................72 Research Question 1: How do students who participate in a high school STEM magnet program perform academically? ..............................................73 Research Question 2: How many mathematics and science credits do students in STEM magnet programs successfully earn during four years of high school, compared to students from target schools not participating in the STEM magnet program? ............................................................................78 Research Question 3: What are administrator and teacher perceptions regarding STEM instruction? ...........................................................................82 Research Question 4: What factors contribute to, or inhibit, a student’s successful completion of a STEM magnet program? ......................................89 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................................98 Chapter 5: Discussion ......................................................................................................100 Discussion of the Findings .........................................................................................100 Implications for Policy and Practice ..........................................................................108 Recommendations ......................................................................................................115 Recommendations for Future Research