Latinos in Massachusetts: Boston

As the largest city in the Commonwealth, Boston is home to an estimated 135,757 Latinos. This is the largest Latino population in the state, though in several smaller cities (Lawrence, Chelsea, and Holyoke for example) Latinos make up larger shares of their population. In Boston, Latinos represent about one-fifth of the city’s population, a smaller share than for Whites and Blacks but a greater share than for Asians. The Latino share in Boston is also larger than Latinos\u27 statewide share, which is 11%

Latinos in Massachusetts Selected Areas: Boston

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Boston. As the largest city in the Commonwealth, Boston is home to an estimated 124,061 Latinos. This represents the largest Latino population in the state, though several other cities have greater concentrations of Latinos. They represent about one-fifth (19.2%) of the city’s population, a smaller share than for whites and blacks but greater than for Asians

Latinos in the Labor Force

In 2018 a financial news and commentary website, 24/7 Wall St., ranked Massachusetts as the state with the largest economic and social disparities between Latinos and non-Latino whites. For example, median household income was shown to be slightly above $80,000 for whites and just under$40,000 for Latinos. Even more starkly, the rates of homeownership were shown as 69.3% and 26.0%, respectively. The present report offers an in-depth look at one aspect of the disparity, namely, the difference between the median wage income of Latinos and non-Latinos (a great majority of whom in Massachusetts are non-Latino white). In 2017 Latinos in Massachusetts earned a median wage income of $29,324 compared to$47,526 for non-Latinos. Even when the comparison is narrowed to full-time workers, the disparity persists: $37,818 to$60,671. This gap takes on some importance given that Latinos composed 12% of the state’s labor force in 2017, and their share is expected to increase to over 18% of the labor force by 2035. Their growing role in the state’s economy makes their labor market experience an important policy concern. The report starts with an overview of Latinos in the Massachusetts labor force, including statistics on their labor force participation, unemployment, age structure, and gender composition – all of these in comparison with non-Latinos. The report then turns to wage comparisons, including comparisons within occupational categories. In each case, to arrive at the wage differential measure, we subtract non-Latino wage income from the Latino wage income, then divide this difference by the Latino wage to arrive at a percentage wage differential. In addition to occupational categories, we also provide wage estimates by age, sex, nativity, and education. This analysis makes no attempt to control for other unobserved factors such as social networks or discrimination. Further research is needed to find the cause of this wage differential

Foreign-Born Latinos in Massachusetts

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected demographic, economic, educational, and social indicators pertaining to foreign-born Latinos in Massachusetts. This report was prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers Latinos in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in fourteen of its largest cities with the greatest concentrations of Latinos. Even though Massachusetts has a greater percentage of foreign-born residents (14.4%) than the United States as a whole (12.5%), a lower parentage (41.0%) of Latinos in Massachusetts are foreign-born than in the United States as a whole (43.0%). This is partly due to the fact that Puerto Ricans, who number around 225,000 in the state, are US citizens by birth. They comprise over a third of all Latinos (35.7%) in the state, and a majority (60.4%) of the state’s US-born Latino population. Placing this present analysis in a historical perspective reminds us that in 2000, Massachusetts had the lowest concentration of foreign-born residents at any time since 1850 (Figure 2). The foreign-born population increased slightly from 2000 to 2008 (12.2% to 14.4%), but it is still small compared to earlier times in our history

The State of Agricultural Mechanics in the Preparation of School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers

Agricultural mechanics has become a primary subject area for school-based agricultural education (SBAE). However, despite a long history and high prevalence in SBAE, preservice and in-service SBAE teachers have frequently expressed concerns regarding teaching agricultural mechanics. Research from the early 21st century documented the characteristics of preservice SBAE teacher training in agricultural mechanics on a national level. However, more recent studies have suggested that the agricultural mechanics training requirements for preservice SBAE teachers have changed. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of agricultural mechanics preparation of preservice SBAE teachers between 2000 and 2021. To accomplish this, I modified an instrument used by Burris et al.to collect descriptive data about preservice teacher preparation in agricultural mechanics that was compared to previously published studies. The instrument was distributed to a representative of every institution with an undergraduate SBAE teacher preparation program in the contiguous U.S. Eighty-five respondents provided usable data, constituting an 86.7% response rate. The resulting data was used to describe the participating institutions and the current approaches to SBAE preservice teacher preparation regarding agricultural mechanics. These results were compared to previously published studies from 2000 and 2005. Additionally, faculty’s perceptions of importance and preparation of preservice teachers in 59 agricultural mechanics competencies were used to generate Ranked Discrepancy Scores (RDS) to evaluate perceived areas for training for preservice teachers. A reduction in the average number of required agricultural mechanics credit hours was found. Additionally, faculty’s perceptions of importance and preservice teacher preparation have increased slightly; however, training deficits were found in all 59 competencies. The areas of greatest need focused on technology-based equipment and renewable energy. Further research is warranted to v determine the perceptions of preservice and in-service SBAE teachers regarding agricultural mechanics. I also recommended that teacher educators evaluate their current methods of preparation for preservice SBAE teachers in agricultural mechanics to determine if they have been meeting their students’ needs. Additionally, I recommended professional development in the areas in which the greatest training deficits were reported

The Boston MPO Planning Process and Low-Income Suburban-to-Suburban Transportation Needs

The rapid evolution in the Boston MPO transportation planning process is discussed as well as its particular application to the suburban-suburban transportation needs of low income individuals. The results of two experiments designed to improve access to transportation for low income suburban individuals are discussed and policy suggestions are made for improving such access.Massachusetts, Transportation Demand,Congestion, Regional Development

Development of a Reliable and Valid Diagnostic Assessment Instrument for Migraine and Muscle-Contraction Headaches (Psychometrics, Classification).

The reliability and validity of a headache questionnaire, designed as a diagnostic instrument, were investigated. The questionnaire was administered to 117 headache sufferers in individual interviews. Following a 2 week interval the same questionnaire was readministered to 66 of these subjects. All subjects were independently diagnosed by a board certified neurologist and an advanced graduate student in clinical psychology using an Ad Hoc Committee\u27s (1962) criteria. The categories of headache investigated were: muscle-contraction headache (N = 38), combined headache (N = 28), classic migraine (N = 19) and common migraine (N = 32). A factor analysis of the questionnaire data was performed using a varimax prerotation followed by a promax rotation. Nine factors were retained using the scree test as a criterion. Distinct classic and common migraine factors were derived. Two factors concerning muscle-contraction headache were also derived. The remaining factors concerned duration of headache, triggers of headache and location of head pain. Using the factors as scales, test-retest and coefficient alphas were computed for each scale. Four of the scales had a test-retest reliability coefficient of .80 or greater. In addition, two scales were found to have test-retest coefficients of .71 and .76. Coefficient alphas for the scales ranged from .45 to .86. Six of the scales had alphas of .63 or greater. Two standard discriminant analysis using a 30% hold out sample were performed. The first discriminant analysis included all four headache groups. Results of the first discriminant analysis indicated the rate of correct classification for the hold out sample exceeded proportional and maximum chance criteria for all four groups. It was hypothesized that the Combined Headache group may have reduced the overall rate of correct classification in the first discriminant analysis. Hence, a second standard discriminant analysis was performed using three of the headache groups (Classic Migraine, Common Migraine and Muscle-Contraction Headache). The rate of correct classification for muscle-contraction headache subjects was found to be highest, with 100% of subjects correctly assigned. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Participation in Postsecondary Job Training Programs: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of individuals with intellectual disabilities in an inclusive postsecondary education program. The theories that guided this study are Oliver’s theory on the social model of disability and Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism. This study used a transcendental research design and employed the use of purposeful sampling to select participants who have all experienced the same phenomenon. There were 10 participants who have all had the same experience of attending an inclusive postsecondary education program. The setting took place at P.C.C. in the C.A. program. The central research question asked, what are the lived experiences of individuals with intellectual disabilities enrolled in inclusive postsecondary career and technical training programs located on a college campus? Data collection types included interviews, journal prompts, and focus groups. A system of coding along with epoché, horizontalization of data, and structural descriptions were used for data analysis to determine major themes from the data collected. The trustworthiness, results, and findings of the study are also discussed. Findings included five themes and two sub-themes. The five themes were education and career aspirations, concept of inclusion, inclusivity and social engagement, campus engagement and support networks, and sense of belonging. The two sub-themes were career and professional development and real-world application and practice. The dissertation then moves into an overall discussion of the interpretation of the findings, the implications of the study, limitations, delimitations, and recommendations for future research. The dissertation ends with a conclusion that summarizes the full study