06/16/2026
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Robin Desmond “Family Engagement, Sense of Belonging, and Institutional Recognition Among Latine Students.”

Candidate: Robin Desmond
Degree: Doctoral in Leadership in Education
Defense Date: Friday, June 26, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Via Zoom

Thesis/Dissertation Title: "Family Engagement, Sense of Belonging, and Institutional Recognition Among Latine Students”

Dissertation Committee

  • Stacy Szczesiul, Ed.D., Associate Dean of Online Education, Accreditation & Licensing FAHSS, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Patricia Fontaine, Ed.D., Clinical Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, Graduate Coordinator for Teacher Preparation M.Ed., School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Hilary Lustick, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Evaluation, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
As the Latine student population continues to grow in U.S. public schools, understanding the factors that shape students’ sense of belonging and engagement has become increasingly important. Although Latine students represent the largest ethnic minority group in American public schools, they continue to experience disparities in educational outcomes, access, and participation. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined how ethnic identity variability related to the experiences of belonging and engagement among Latine students and families in a northeastern public school district and explored the institutional conditions that shape those experiences. Guided by Cultural Capital Theory, Social Capital Theory, Community Cultural Wealth, and scholarship on linguistic racism, this study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 111 Latine students in Grades 9–12 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analyses, Pearson correlations, and multivariate general linear modeling. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with nine Latine parents and guardians and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative findings revealed a strong positive relationship between students’ sense of belonging and engagement. However, no statistically significant differences in belonging or engagement were found across the four ethnic background categories examined. Qualitative findings identified language accessibility, school climate, safety, cultural visibility, family-school communication, and meaningful family partnerships as central factors shaping experiences of belonging and engagement. Participants described language access as a critical mechanism influencing advocacy, information access, and participation. Findings also indicated that belonging was experienced as relational and was strengthened through culturally affirming relationships, responsive communication, and supportive school environments. Linguistic racism emerged as an important factor affecting families’ ability to navigate school systems, access resources, and participate fully in educational decision-making. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings suggests that institutional conditions—including language accessibility, communication practices, cultural visibility, supportive relationships, and opportunities for authentic family partnership—play a more significant role in shaping belonging and engagement than ethnic subgroup identity alone. These findings challenge deficit-based interpretations of Latine family engagement and highlight the importance of recognizing and leveraging families’ cultural and linguistic assets. Implications include the need for multilingual communication systems, culturally responsive family engagement practices, strengthened school transition supports, and intentional efforts to address linguistic exclusion. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that equitable educational outcomes for Latine students depend not only on individual or cultural factors but also on the institutional conditions through which belonging, engagement, and family participation are experienced.

Keywords: Latine students, sense of belonging, student engagement, family engagement, community cultural wealth, linguistic racism, mixed-methods research, educational equity