Latino Parental Engagement in a New Immigrant Destination

This dissertation looks at Latino parental engagement in a new immigrant destination to analyze the complexities of Latino parental engagement and to challenge assumptions that Latinos are the least engaged ethnic group. This research draws on qualitative data (focus groups, and ethnography with Latino parents; and semistructured in-depth interviews with Latino parents and school personnel), to explore the reasons that affect the engagement of Latinos. My findings suggest that school personnel favor engagement styles that do not take into consideration the culture and knowledge of Latinos. At the same time, Latino parents use their community cultural wealth, funds of knowledge and social capital to challenge the cultural hegemony of the U.S. educational system and to become more engaged.