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Improving the STEM readiness of students from historically underserved groups is a moral and economic imperative requiring greater attention and effort than has been shown to date. The current literature suggests a high school science sequence beginning with physics and centered on developing conceptual understanding, using inquiry labs and modeling to allow students to explore new ideas, and addressing and correcting student misconceptions can increase student interest in and preparation for STEM careers. The purpose of this study was to determine if the science college readiness of historically underserved students can be improved by implementing an inquiry-based high school science sequence comprised of coursework in physics, chemistry, and biology for every student. The study used a retrospective cohort observational design to address the primary research question: are there differences between historically underserved students completing a Physics First science sequence and their peers completing a traditional science sequence in 1) science college-readiness test scores, 2) rates of science college-and career-readiness, and 3) interest in STEM? Small positive effects were found for all three outcomes for historically underserved students in the Physics First sequence. PREPARING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS FOR STEM ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I could not have written this without the support of my oft-neglected family and friends. Thank you for giving me the support and space I needed on this journey. The faculty and my fellow cohort members at Portland State have taught me a great deal. I hope it is reflected here. I am particularly indebted to Moti Hara for his guidance to design, conduct, and correctly interpret the results of a quality quantitative study to address the research question. The encouragement and feedback from Deborah, Moti, Pat, Ryan, Sho, and Victor have shaped my thinking and helped me grow. Thank you for your time, patience, and unwavering dedication to equity. PREPARING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS FOR STEM iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT  i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  ii LIST OF TABLES  iv LIST OF FIGURES v CHAPTER 1: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1 Background of the Problem 2 Research Problem 5 Significance 5 Research Methods and Question 8 Key Concepts 9 CHAPTER 2: A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 14 Theoretical Framework 14 Review of the Research Literature 17 Physics First 17 The opportunity to learn gap 19 Content coverage 22 Content exposure and emphasis 24 Instructional delivery 34 Review of the Methodological Literature 36 Summary of the Research Literature and Application to the Study 47 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 49 Research Methods 50 Participants 52 Procedures 53 Instruments and Measures 56 Role of the Researcher 65 Data Collection and Analysis 66 Conclusion 70 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS/ANALYSIS 72 Analysis of Data and Presentation of Results 73 Interpretation of Findings 93 Limitations of the Study 97 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION 100 Synthesis of Findings 101 The Larger Context 102 Implications 104 REFERENCES 112 APPENDIX A: CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE ACT SCIENCE TEST 130 APPENDIX B: LINEAR REGRESSION MODEL 131 APPENDIX C: LOGISTIC REGRESSION MODELS 133 PREPARING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS FOR STEM iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Scientific and Engineering Practices 26 Table 2: Mechanistic and Organic Paradigms of Learning 28 Table 3: Demographics of 9 th Grade Students by Cohort 74 Table 4: Demographics of 9 th Grade Students Enrolled Three Years by Cohort 75 Table 5: Pearson Chi-Square Tests on Cohort Demographics by Enrollment Status 76 Table 6: 9 th Grade Demographics by Science Sequence 77 Table 7: Pearson Chi-Square Tests of Sudent Demographics by Science Sequence 77 Table 8: Z-Scores of Demographics of Students by Enrollment Status 78 Table 9: Mean Science Scores by Year 80 Table 10: College Ready in Science by Year 82 Table 11: Pearson Chi-Square Tests on 8th Grade Science College Readiness 82 Table 12: STEM Interest by Year 83 Table 13: Pearson Chi-Square Tests on 8 th Grade STEM Interest 84 Table 14: Science College Readiness Status in Grade 8 and 11 by Science Sequence 88 Table 15: STEM Interest in Grade 8 and 11 by Science Sequence 91 PREPARING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS FOR STEM v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Theoretical framework 16 Figure 2: Three of opportunity to learn (OTL) 20 Figure 3: Science college readiness testing by cohort 54 Figure 4: Research question outcome variables, methods, and predictors 70 Figure 5: Effect of Physics First on 11 th grade ACT science score 94 Figure 6: Effect of Physics First for economically disadvantaged students 95 Figure 7: Odds ratios produced by the binary logistic regressions 96 Figure 8: Grade 11 outcomes and effects of Physics First 102 PREPARING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS FOR STEM 1 CHAPTER 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Henry Levin (2009), who has conducted research over a span of more than 40 years on the economic benefits of investing in education, asserts “educational equity is a moral imperative for a society in which education is a crucial determinant of life’s chances” (p. 5). In Rising above the Gathering Storm, the National Academies (2007) note the rapid erosion in the U.S.’s competitiveness in science and technology—and thus the U.S. position as a global economic leader. At the same time, t

Preparing Historically Underserved Students for STEM Careers: The Role of an Inquiry-based High School Science Sequence Beginning with Physics