A different world: Student perspectives on the transition to a diverse middle school setting

School segregation in the United States has reached levels unseen since the 1960s. Even within schools with a diverse student population, the literature suggests widespread use of methods such as ability-tracking that have the effect of segregating students within the building. This qualitative study examined the racial and social class pressures on 14 students at a diverse middle school in Washington, D.C. The research was informed by literature on school segregation, critical race theory, and adolescent development. This phenomenological study was designed to explore the students\u27 lived experience as they transitioned from homogeneous elementary schools to a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, socio-economically diverse middle school. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with students as well as their friends, classmates, teachers, and parents. The study examined how race and socio-economic factors influence students\u27 identities and experiences: academic, social, and relational. This study found that one of the groups most distressed by the transition were African-American girls who had attended middle-class, predominately White elementary schools. It found that student self-images and sense of academic potential were significantly influenced by whether they came from “good” or “bad” elementary schools or neighborhoods, with “good” or “bad” largely equated with White-ness. The study also found a substantial social-engagement gap between students from the surrounding neighborhood, who tend to be White and of higher class standing, and students from other parts of the city. This research has multiple implications for educational practice. If schools are interested in promoting both integration and achievement, they should take a pro-active role in identifying student perceptions of race and class and intervening to help students expand their social networks and recognize their individual potential for success.