“I am Not a Failure”: The Educational Experiences of Latina Continuation High School Students

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California’s continuation high schools provide students flexibility, individualized attention, and a renewed opportunity to continue their education. Despite this, many low-income and Students of Color do not graduate from continuation high schools, if they do, most do not pursue higher education. Continuation high schools are overrepresented with Latina/os, more specifically with Latino males, however, there is a growing presence of Latinas in this educational sector. Therefore, this qualitative study aims to explore the experiences of Latinas in continuation school and how they navigate this particular educational context. Preliminary findings from this study demonstrate how Latinas activate their agency in these space and resist the stigma associated with continuation schools, the support they received from educators in these spaces, and their aspirations to pursue post-secondary education. The implications of this study can help inform future research, practice, and policy on how to best support Latinas in continuation schools.