Congratulations to Elaine T. Primus who on Thursday, April 17, 2025, successfully defended her dissertation. The title of Elaine’s dissertation is: "PERCEPTIONS OF BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES ON DEPLOYING EXISTING CULTURAL CAPITAL IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY."
Family engagement plays a critical role in student success and is particularly important for Black and Latino families navigating the special education process. This qualitative study explores how these families leverage cultural capital to advocate for their children in educational settings. The study uses Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth (CCW) model to explore how families deploy navigational, aspirational, resistant, familial, linguistic, and social capital to overcome systemic barriers and achieve cultural reciprocity with educators. The research is framed within the cultural mismatch theory, emphasizing the disconnect between dominant educational norms and the cultural values of marginalized families. Through semi structured interviews with Black and Latino families of children in special education, this study investigates the strategies families use to self-advocate, build relational trust with educators, and actively participate in the special education process. Findings highlight the resilience of these families and the importance of culturally responsive engagement practices in fostering equitable collaboration between schools and communities.
Dissertation Committee Chair(s):
Dr. Susan V. Iverson
Dissertation Committee Member(s):
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
Dr. Monica George-Fields
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