High School Choices and Contexts of Newcomer Students in HISD

This brief explores the characteristics of the high schools that newcomer students choose to attend in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Using data from the 2007–2008 through 2018–2019 school years, the study compares the high school enrollment patterns between newcomer students who attended Las Americas, a school dedicated to serving newcomer middle school students, and newcomer students from other HISD middle schools. Specifically, this brief examined school characteristics related to potential peer networks, English learner (EL) support and resources, disciplinary climate, and academic context. The analyses show that compared to non-Las Americas students, Las Americas students tended to enroll in high schools that provided more access to potential social networks with similar peers with respect to racial/ethnic diversity as well as foreign-born status. While Las Americas students were more likely to enroll in high schools where they might have greater access to EL support and resources, there were no differences in the disciplinary climate of the high schools attended between former Las Americas and non-Las Americas enrollees. Finally, Las Americas students were more likely than non-Las Americas students to choose high schools with a context potentially more conducive to academic achievement, as measured by end-of-course exam scores.