High School Choices and Contexts of Newcomer Students in HISD

Oct 15, 2026

This research brief examines the characteristics of the high schools that newcomer students choose to attend in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Using data from the 2007–2008 to 2018–2019 school years, it compares enrollment patterns between newcomer students who attended Las Americas and those from other HISD middle schools. Findings indicate Las Americas enrollees more often access peer networks, greater English learner support and resources, and academic contexts associated with higher end-of-course exam outcomes, though disciplinary climates show no meaningful differences.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Key Findings

Potential Peer Networks

English Learner Support & Resources

Disciplinary Climate

Academic Context

Background

Spotlight: Las Americas Newcomer School

Building Better Cities Building Better Lives High School Choices and Contexts of Newcomer Students in HISD Tori Thomas, Camila Cigarroa Kennedy, Brian Holzman,* and Stephanie Potochnick Research Brief * [Corresponding author: bholzman@tamu.edu](Corresponding author: bholzman@tamu.edu) January 2024 Suggested citation. Thomas, T., Kennedy, C. C., Holzman, B. & Potochnick, S. (2024) .“High School Choices and Contexts of Newcomer Students in HISD.” Houston, TX: Houston Education Research Consortium, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University. Note on the authors. Camila Cigarroa Kennedy is a researcher at Education Northwest. Brian Holzman, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Texas A&M University. Stephanie Potochnick, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Funding acknowledgment. This research was supported by the Brady Education Foundation. About HERC. Focusing on the most pressing challenges facing the region, the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) is a researchpractice partnership between Rice University and 11 Houston-area school districts. HERC research is developed directly alongside district leaders with findings shared with decision-makers—culminating in long-term, equity-minded solutions, opportunities and growth for Houston and beyond. DOI: [https://doi.org/10.25611/0HHY-7028](https://doi.org/10.25611/0HHY-7028) Research Brief High School Choices and Contexts of Newcomer Students in HISD This brief explores the characteristics of the high schools that newcomer students choose to attend in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Using data from the 2007–2008 through 2018–2019 school years, the study compares the high school enrollment patterns between newcomer students who attended Las Americas, a school dedicated to serving newcomer middle school students, and newcomer students from other HISD middle schools. Specifically, this brief examined school characteristics related to potential peer networks, English learner (EL) support and resources, disciplinary climate, and academic context. The analyses show that compared to non-Las Americas students, Las Americas students tended to enroll in high schools that provided more access to potential social networks with similar peers with respect to racial/ethnic diversity as well as foreign-born status. While Las Americas students were more likely to enroll in high schools where they might have greater access to EL support and resources, there were no differences in the disciplinary climate of the high schools attended between former Las Americas and non-Las Americas enrollees. Finally, Las Americas students were more likely than non-Las Americas students to choose high schoolswith a context potentially more conducive to academic achievement, as measured by end-of-course exam scores. Key Findings Potential Peer Networks ▪ Newcomer students from Las Americas were more likely than newcomers from other middle schools to enroll in high schools with student bodies more racially/ethnically diverse than that of the school district and with above-average shares of foreignborn students. English Learner Support & Resources ▪ Newcomer students from Las Americas were more likely than those from other middle schools to enroll in high schools with above-average shares of EL students and above-average shares of teachers certified to teach ELs. Disciplinary Climate ▪ There were no meaningful differences in the discipline rates ofthe high schools attended by Las Americas students and newcomers who attended other middle schools. Academic Context ▪ Newcomer students from Las Americas were more likely than newcomers from other middle schools to enroll in high schools with above-average endof-course exam scores for English 1 and Algebra 1. However, students from Las Americas were less likely to enroll in high schools with above-average shares of gifted students. ~~ HighSchool Choi

FAQs

What is the focus of the brief on newcomer students in HISD?

The brief explores which high schools newcomer students choose in HISD and how those choices relate to peer networks, English learner support, disciplinary climate, and academic context.

How does the brief compare Las Americas students with other newcomer students?

It uses multi-year enrollment data to compare high school enrollment patterns between newcomer students who attended Las Americas and newcomer students from other HISD middle schools.

What differences did the study find in disciplinary climate?

The study found no meaningful differences in discipline rates between the high schools attended by Las Americas students and those attended by newcomers from other middle schools.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Sophia Brooks