Synonymization threat, equity, and the funding of districts with relatively high populations of latinx students

This study explored the implications for education funding in districts when Latinx status and language learning needs (English learner status) are conflated (i.e. when all Latinx students are assumed to be English learners), or when poverty is conflated with Latinx status. Extending Alexander and Jang’s (2019) synonymization threat framework, we posited and tested three claims: (1) largely Latinx districts are not largely poor districts; (2) dollars appropriated to largely poor districts are not equivalent to dollars appropriated to largely Latinx districts; and (3) dollars appropriated to largely English learner (EL) districts are not equivalent to dollars appropriated to largely Latinx districts. We adopt cross-sectional multivariate regression analysis for the 15-year period between 2000 and 2014 to substantiate these claims. Focusing on Minnesota, we found relatively weak correlations between the percentages of poor students and the percentages of Latinx students served. Our findings also revealed that the only minoritized identity that has consistently received additional funding as their proportion of the population increases is poverty status. We discussed the implications of synonymization among three groups—Latinx, ELs, and students living in poverty—in practice and policy.