Sireen Irsheid: Shifting the Aim Towards a More Comprehensive Solution for Urban Students of Color Who Reside in High Burden Communities
Educational institutions and community social structures have been deemed crucial to disrupt the
persistent effects of concentrated disadvantage. This study will examine a unique case of a “No Excuse”
charter school positioned within a nationally recognized large scale social intervention intended to reduce
adverse school and neighborhood effects on youth educational attainment. The present study aims to
qualitatively explore what further mechanisms are contributing to poor youth outcomes—in a context
where students reside in a neighborhood with concentrated disadvantage, yet attend a school with
wraparound services. Thus, a set of fifteen cases from the Charter School will provide insight into how
young people—who are designated by school personnel as “high-risk” for experiencing crises/suspension
—understand and negotiate their experiences in relation to their neighborhoods and school. Additionally,
the unique cases will seek to understand the scripts underpinning school staff decision-making and
response to student behavior. This study will allow us to explore the powers at play that undergird
relationships, institutions, ideologies, and structural conditions that are critical for uncovering the factors
that mediate school outcomes, particularly for students of color.
