UCLA

Students from low-income communities of color face distinct challenges in K-16 schooling and still experience a disparity in educational attainment when compared to other groups. This study centered around the role that career self-efficacy development can potentially play in improving school performance for these students during K-12 education. Data collection for this research occurred at a career academy high school in Southern California which featured students from low-income communities of color. Employing a mixed methods approach, interview responses from two key staff members were collected in addition to survey responses from 145 high school students. The student survey was largely based on the short form version of the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale originally created by Taylor & Betz (1983). Student survey responses were compared to the school performance metrics of grades and attendance through a set of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Interview responses underwent an inductive coding analysis. This study finds that key staff members at a career academy high school perceive a clear rationale for career exploration programming as they find there to be a battle for attention with students and also recognize that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds face a lack of exposure to different career options. Staff members also perceive there to be academic and social benefits to such programming. Analysis of the student survey results revealed that there is a positive association between career self-efficacy components and student GPA. The study also finds there to be stronger insights into a positive relationship between career self-efficacy components and school performance for boys as compared to girls. The results of this study have implications for education policy makers and school leaders around emphasizing and incorporating career self-efficacy development into standard K-12 programming.