Although there is an abundance of research on middle school counseling, college readiness and belonging, there is a gap in the research regarding middle school students and attempts to correlate their sense of belonging to college-going beliefs. Research identifies eighth grade as a critical time in a student’s education in which they make important post-secondary decisions. The research stressed that a student’s academic achievement was not only influenced by intellectual abilities, but by their school climate. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify a correlation between school- based factors, specifically a student’s sense of belonging, and college-going beliefs. One hundred eighty-four eighth-grade students from a diverse suburban middle school were surveyed on their college-going beliefs as well as their sense of belonging. In addition, focus groups were facilitated to further explore how students felt about their school environment and post-secondary planning. The findings showed a significant statistical correlation between students’ sense of school belonging and college-going beliefs. This is significant because it begins to address the void in the research identifying how school based factors are related to students’ college-going beliefs. Focus group data also enhanced quantitative findings by highlighting how students who described a positive sense of belonging in school had strong intentions and higher confidence for attending college after high school. The results of this research will help educators improve programs, develop stronger relationships with students and strengthen the curriculum to better prepare students for high school and beyond.

1. Jamie L. Steiner
Dissertation Defense
July 21, 2011
Dr. Ronald Valenti, Dissertation Chair
Dr. Christopher Griffin, Committee Member
St. John Fisher College at The College of New Rochelle

2. Presentation Agenda









Overview of the Research Problem
Purpose of the Study
Review of Relevant Literature
Methodology
Data Analysis
Findings
Delimitations
Recommendations
Summary
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3. Research Problem
President Barack Obama has set a new national goal that by the year 2020 America
will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world –
American Graduation Initiative (James, 2009). The US used to lead the world in the
number of 25-34 year-olds with a college degree. Now it ranks 12th among
developed nations. 27% have a college degree. High income students are 8 times
more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by 24. Asian-Americans hold the highest
percentage of degrees (50.1 percent), followed by whites (37.6 percent), African
Americans (25.4 percent) and Latinos (9.8 percent). (NYTIMES.COM)
While there is an abundance of literature on academic achievement and sense of
belonging, there is a gap in the research regarding middle school students and
attempts to correlate their sense of belonging to college readiness. 92% of seventh
and eighth graders reported they were likely to attend college, yet 68% had little or
no information regarding which classes to take to prepare for it (Great Schools Staff,
2010).
“When children feel they belong and find their realities reflected in the curriculum and
conversations of schooling, research demonstrated repeatedly that they are more
engaged in learning and that they experience greater school success” (Shields,
2004, p. 122).
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4. Purpose of the Study
To identify whether a
relationship exists
between 8th grade
student sense of
belonging and collegegoing beliefs at this
particular middle school.
College-Going SelfEfficacy/Beliefs –
confidence in one’s
ability to pursue and
complete college
(Gibbons, 2005).
Belonging – Feeling
“personally
accepted,
respected, included
and supported”
(Capps, 2003, p. 4).
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5. Need for the Study
By 2012 53% of jobs in the US will require
post-secondary education and training
(National Governors Association, 2010).

College graduates are earning twice as
much as high school graduates (NGA,
2010).

In 2006, the national average for students
continuing to college directly from high
school was 61.6% (National Information
Center for Higher Education Policymaking
and Analysis, 2010). The rates for certain
subgroups of this population were even
lower, particularly first-generation students,
students from low-income households, and
certain ethnic minorities (Lohfink &
Paulsen, 2005).

Perceptions of high school drop outs often
described school as an uncaring
environment which contributed to them
dropping out (Altenbaugh, Engel, & Martin,
1995).


Students who felt positive about their
school environment during middle school,
reduced their dropout chances in as much
as half (Alexander, Entwistle & Kabani,
2001).

High school students from lower
socioeconomic backgrounds who
consistently received post-secondary
advisement from their counselor had more
definitive plans to attend college (King,
1996).
College/Career
Sense of Belonging
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6. Why College, MS, and Belonging?
College
Career
Middle School
Belonging
13% of adults
had attended
college in 1974.
28% had in
2004(US
Census Bureau,
2010).
Unemployment
rates for
individuals
without college
training have
doubled in one
year (National
Governors
Association,
2010)
The level of
academic
progress
achieved by 8th
grade may have
a larger impact
on college
readiness than
progress
achieved in high
school (ACT,
2008).
A caring
teacher,
counselor
and/or
administrator
was influential
to a student’s
personal and
academic
growth even
above issues of
family and peers
(Nichols, 2006;
Osterman,
2000; Wentzel,
1997).
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7. Theoretical Context
Maslow
(1962)
Herzberg
(1968)
Noddings
(1992)
Hanifan
(1916)
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8. Literature on Post-Secondary
Planning in MS
Interventions should begin no later than 7th
grade and continue throughout HS (Gibbons,
2005; Oesterreich, 2000; Radcliffe &
Stephens, 2008).
 The US Department of Education, the
National Association of Secondary School
Principals and the National Association of
College Admission Counseling recommend
students begin in 6th grade.

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9. Literature on Post-Secondary Planning
for the Under-represented Student

Minority students indicated that they planned to attend college (85%). However, the
average college-going placement was 37% (Johnson & Perkins, 2009). In another
study of career and college needs of a diverse group of 9th graders, 73% reported an
intention to attend college, but the placement for the district was only 48% (Gibbons,
Borders, Wiles, Stephan, & Davis, 2006).

The path to college for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds has been
described as “hazardous”, “perilous” and “unfair” (Radcliffe & Stephens, 2008). Lowincome, academically prepared high school graduates scoring at the top of their class
are attending college at the same rate as high-income graduates in the bottom quartile
of their class (Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, 2001). The lowincome student must come up with nearly 72% of their family income in order to fund
their college education (middle class students: 27%, and high-income students: 14%,
Lynch, Engle & Cruz, 2011).

Educational partnerships, high-quality teaching and further research has been
recommended to increase the likelihood of Hispanic students enrolling in college
(Yamamura, Martinez & Saenz, 2010). Mentoring, technology access, campus visits,
parent involvement and tutoring were recommended in order to increase the college
readiness skills of at-risk 8th graders (Radcliffe & Stephens, 2008).
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10. Literature on Role of the School
Counselor

To work collaboratively in developing a consistent and
“personalized school experience” that helps all students realize
how the transition into high school connects to the transition to
college and work (Kemple, Herlihy, & Smith, 2005).

Playing a crucial role in identifying college aspirations,
academic planning for college, extracurricular engagement,
college and career exploration, college and career assessment,
college affordability planning and transition planning from
middle to high school and college enrollment (Burtnett, 2010).

Data should be used by counselors to identify inequities,
“develop measurable goals, inform practice and demonstrate
accountability within the key components” (Dimmitt, Carey &
Hatch, 2007, p. 3).
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11. Literature on the Role of the
Teacher

Before children feel connected to their school, they
must first develop a genuine, caring relationship with
their teacher (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).Caring teachers
are described as being “involved, polite and
concerned” (Bosworth, 1995).

There was a significant positive correlation between
a student’s perceived caring from his/her teachers
and student academic effort (Wentzel, 1997).

Students from minority and low-income backgrounds
relied heavily on their teachers in making postsecondary plans (Bloom, 2007; Stanton-Salazar &
Dornbusch, 1995; Hill, 2008).
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12. Literature on the Role of School
Leadership

Promote collaborative work with all school personnel,
offering adequate training and support that promotes high
expectations and high standards for all students.

Have a responsibility in creating a college-going culture.
Outline how the program will impact the school and what
is expected from the faculty. Everyone must be kept
informed, accountable and “focused on the same goal,
and speaking the same college language” (College Board,
2006, p. 6).

Begin to “shift the school from one whose goal is that
students graduate from high school to one where students
continue their education after high school” (Smyth, 2006).
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13. Research Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Does a relationship exist between eighth grade students’
sense of belonging in school and their college-going selfefficacy at this diverse, suburban public school?
Are there significant differences between demographic
groups in both sense of belonging in school and collegegoing self-efficacy (i.e. ethnicity/race, gender and
socioeconomic status)?
What do eighth graders say they know and say they
need to know about post-secondary planning?
How do eighth graders describe factors related to their
sense of belonging in their school climate?
Based on the results of this mixed methods research,
what interventions can school counselors and other
educators implement to better prepare middle school
students for the transition to high school and beyond?
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14. Method of the Study
Mixed Methods research study
2 surveys (PSSM & CGSES)
administered to total population
of 8th grade (N=205)
4 focus groups facilitated
(n=20) 18 F, 2 M; 6W, 10H, 1B,
1A, 2M; 9ELL; 11Free Lunch
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15. Survey and Focus Group Questions







“I feel like a real part of ABC MS.”
“There’s at least one teacher or
adult in this school I can talk to if I
have a problem.”
“People here notice when I’m good
at something.”
“I can get accepted to a college.”
“I can choose the high school
classes needed to get into a good
college.”
“I can find a way to pay for college.”
“I can make an educational plan
that will prepare me for college”.

Examples of Survey
Questions
Examples of Focus Group
Questions
What do you like about
ABC middle school?
 Who can you talk to in
school if you are having
a problem?
 Have you ever been to a
college campus?
 What, besides good
grades is needed to get
into a college?
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16. Study Sample
Average GPA = 85
41%
Hispanic/Latino
46% male
54% female
45% White
44% receive
free/reduced
lunch
N= 184
8th grade students
in 1 ms, in 1
County, in 1 State
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17. Data Analysis
Survey data entered into SPSS 16.0
Composite scores calculated from each
survey, Pearson Correlation Coefficient or
the Pearson r
Focus Groups, recorded, transcribed,
coded to identify themes (Strauss &
Corbin, 1998)
Triangulate Methods/Complement Data –
one population, two methods to collect
and enrich data
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18. Research Question 1 – Does a
relationship exist?


There was a positive
correlation as measured by
Pearson at .466 at the .01
significance level.
COLLEGE
Correlation
If this study was repeated
with a similar population,
you could predict with 99%
confidence that there would
be a positive correlation
(Siegle, 2009).
N 184
BELONG
Correlation
Pearson
1.000
.466**
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
184
Pearson
.466**
1.000
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 184
184
**. Correlation is significant at the
0.01 level (2-tailed).
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19. Results
N= 184

30-120
 Average Score – 95.49
 Free Lunch – 90.44
 Full Pay – 99.38
 Male – 94.25
 Female – 96.57
 Hispanic – 91.17
 White – 98.51

18-90
 Average Score – 58.79
 Free Lunch – 57.24
 Full Pay – 59.99
 Male – 57.66
 Female – 59.77
 Hispanic – 57.78
 White – 59.65
CGSES
PSSM
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20. Research Question 2 – Demographics
Quantitative
Qualitative
Meta-Inference
(Creswell & Clark 2010)
A significant difference
was noted between
female college-going
self-efficacy and race
at the .014 level. In
addition, there was not
a significant
correlation between
female Hispanic
college-going beliefs
and sense of
belonging in school
(this was noted at the
.216 level in Table
4.16)
Through one focus group
interview with a group of
Hispanic Females, the
following themes emerged
regarding college and
belonging:
Emphasis on family
messages about
school, peer support
contributing to sense
of belonging rather
“You try your best and than relationships with
they fail you.”
educators, and an
“Your friends make
overall lack of
you feel you belong.”
knowledge about
“I’m nervous about HS HS/college planning
and not getting into
college”.
“Mom says college
depends on
everything.”
“I have not heard
about college or HS
requirements.”
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21. College-Going Self-Efficacy
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22. Research Question 3 – HS & Post-Secondary
Planning

Fear of
Unknown
Financial
Planning Info.
Needed
More
Independence

Need Class on
PostSecondary
Planning
Importance of
Extracurricular
Activities

Messages
from Family

Need More
Information
(transcript, gpa)

Themes
“Who knows where I am
going to be at that time.”
“My family says that college
is a lot of work.”
“I always ask my family
about college.”
“No one has gone over HS
and college requirements”.
“I have not heard about
college.”
Quotes
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23. Question 3 (continued) – College
planning information
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24. Research Question 4 – Sense of
Belonging at School
“There needs to be
something that makes you
want to come to this
school.”
 “You can tell which
teachers care and which
really don’t.”
 “Most kids feel like they
belong here.”
 “We have people who we
care about and who care
about us.”

Belonging
Listened to
and
Understood
Believes in
Us
Feeling
cared about
Treated w/
Respect
Interaction
w/Educators
Interaction w/
Peers
Themes
Quotes
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25. Research Question 5
Recommendations
• Advisory program
• Parent outreach
• Leadership
• High expectations
for all
• Workshops
• Conferences
Relationship
Development
College-Going
Culture
Professional
Development
• “Community of
Respect”
• Presentations
• Discussions
Mission
• Classroom lessons
• Individual
advisement
• Parent info.
sessions
Guidance
Curriculum
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26. Delimitations
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27. Logical Model
HS
Diploma/Enroll
in College
College-Going
Beliefs and
Confidence
Academic Beliefs and
Confidence
Academic Achievement/Engagement
Sense of Belonging in School
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28. Summary/Future Research
Mixed Methods Study
Quantitative
Qualitative
Advisory
Guidance
Curriculum
Family
Partnerships
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29. Questions/Discussion
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30. References
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