High school students enrolled in ethnic studies develop the ability to think analytically about the causes of social inequalities, a University of Michigan study suggests.

The study found that students enrolled in ethnic studies experience significant growth in critical reflection, a core component of critical consciousness, which enables people to recognize and challenge systemic inequities.

Growth in critical reflection has been linked to academic success, civic engagement, improved well-being and support for equity-promoting policies.

“Taking ethnic studies courses was associated with positive changes in critical consciousness, more specifically critical reflection,” said Matthew Diemer, a professor at U-M’s Marsal Family School of Education. “Critical consciousness is linked to academic success, well-being and career attainment. Identifying school practices that foster critical consciousness supports positive outcomes in youth.”

Despite legislative challenges to ethnic studies in more than 30 U.S. states, the research highlights its positive impacts, particularly for racially marginalized students who face systemic racism and oppression. Past research has shown that ethnic studies promote academic achievement among racially marginalized students.

The U-M study suggests that ethnic studies courses are not only valuable for individual growth but also serve as a tool for promoting equity and social justice in education.

The longitudinal, mixed-methods research involved 459 ninth-grade students from California, most of whom were students of color, predominantly Mexican or Mexican-American, and attending high-poverty schools. Researchers used a combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to assess the impact of ethnic studies on youth development.

Lead researcher Andres Pinedo, a U-M alum now an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, highlighted the importance of this mixed-methods approach.

“This is one of the first studies on this topic to apply mixed methods,” he said. “It sheds light on the potential mediating processes that explain why ethnic studies support students’ academic success. Using a psychological lens to research ethnic studies, these results offer insights into how ethnic studies curricula facilitate student changes, which then benefit them in the longer term.”

Beyond critical reflection, the study found students valued the content and teaching methods in ethnic studies classes, which emphasized cooperative learning and direct engagement with social justice issues. These approaches align with educational philosophies that argue students are most engaged when learning connects to real-world challenges and empowers them to drive change.

However, the study also uncovered a surprising decline in students’ critical motivation—the drive to take action against inequality—as the school year progressed.

“I was personally most surprised to see that students—both those enrolled in ethnic studies and those who were not—declined in their critical motivation,” Pinedo said. “Students felt less motivated to do something to challenge inequality as the school year progressed. I expected to see growth in this motivation as we saw in critical reflection.”

Pinedo explained that this decline may be tied to the lack of opportunities for action within the students’ communities.

“These students live in a rural community with little to no youth-serving activist organizations,” he said. “So learning about deep-rooted inequalities without opportunities to do something about them may lower one’s critical motivation.”

This finding emphasizes the need to integrate opportunities for critical action into the curriculum, Pinedo said.

“We aim to clarify how students of different social identities with varying access to resources and opportunities respond to ethnic studies curricula,” he said. “I am curious to learn more about how diverse youth respond to these consciousness-raising opportunities. Ultimately, we hope to continue shedding light on how to support students’ development of critical consciousness.”