Equity in Mathematics Achievement Among First-Generation Learners

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Dr.S.S.Aravinth

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Koneru Lakshmaiah Educational Foundation

Vaddeswaram, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, 522502, India

Abstract— First-generation learners—students whose parents have not completed formal schooling or higher education—often encounter structural, sociocultural, and pedagogical barriers that suppress their mathematics achievement. This manuscript interrogates equity in mathematics learning for first-generation learners through a mixed-theory, survey-based inquiry. Drawing on critical pedagogy, social capital theory, and funds of knowledge perspectives, it explores how home environments, school climates, teacher expectations, language practices, curricular relevance, and assessment regimes shape outcomes. A cross-sectional survey of 412 first-generation secondary students across urban fringe and rural contexts was complemented by teacher and parent questionnaires, along with focused group interviews to triangulate quantitative patterns. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression illuminate that perceived teacher support, access to after-school help, and culturally responsive pedagogy significantly predict achievement, even after controlling for socioeconomic status and prior grades. Qualitative insights reveal micro-level inequities: deficit-based labeling, rigid tracking, and mathematics anxiety triggered by procedural drilling.

The study argues that equity cannot be reduced to provision of resources alone but must involve epistemic justice—validating diverse mathematical experiences and ways of knowing. Recommendations include community-based math labs, inclusive assessment alternatives, teacher professional development in culturally sustaining pedagogy, and policy-level shifts toward equity audits. The manuscript concludes that closing achievement gaps requires systemic redesign rather than compensatory add-ons and offers a pragmatic, multi-stakeholder roadmap for transforming mathematics classrooms into equitable spaces for first-generation learners.

Keywords— first-generation learners; mathematics achievement; equity; culturally responsive pedagogy; social capital; assessment; teacher expectations; survey research

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