Social Inclusion, Belonging, and School-Based Experiences in Central American Immigrant Youth

Abstract Spanish-speaking immigrant students, particularly those from Central America, constitute a rapidly growing subpopulation in U.S. public schools. As primary institutions for socialization, cultural learning, and academic knowledge development, schools often offer immigrant students their first experience of U.S. cultures and the English language. However, schools may mirror broader sociopolitical dynamics of marginalization and social exclusion. The current qualitative study, which explored the school-based experiences of Central American immigrant adolescent students enrolled in English language learner (ELL) programming, sheds light on the specific dynamics of social inclusion (and exclusion) in public schools as institutions, and how such dynamics impact processes of acculturation and overall sense of belonging. Specifically, participant perspectives highlighted the ways in which the institutional design of ELL programs, as well as highly racialized and assimilative school policies and practices, hinder cultural exchange and social inclusion.