The Effects of Familial Capital on the Academic Achievement of Elementary Latino/a Students

Abstract

While Latino/a students represent the fastest growing population in U.S. public schools, as a group, they are also considered at-risk in this system. Given the established evidence regarding family influences on children's academic achievement, we sought in this study to understand the effects of familial capital on the academic achievement of elementary school-age Latino/a students. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten, hierarchical linear model analyses were performed to identify family-related predictors of academic achievement for 2,840 Latino/a students. Findings demonstrate that possessing certain aspects of familial capital at school entry is predictive of future reading and math achievement at the end of third grade. Implications for strategies to strengthen familial capital in this context are discussed.