At Risk on the Border: Assessment of Student Learning at an Hispanic Serving Institution

Hispanics face multiple barriers to academic achievement. This study measured learning in an undergraduate criminal justice program at an Hispanic Serving Institution bordering Mexico. We estimated the average gains students achieved across core content areas using a technique that can be used by other faculty as part of program assessment. The majority of participants were Hispanic first-generation college students. An independent samples t-test was used to examine differences between freshman- and senior-level students, and the Lovett/Johnson model (2012) model was used to measure student gains using regression analysis. Results indicated that seniors showed meaningful gains at every level.