Cambodian American Views of Partnerships in Public Education

Abstract

This study elicits the views of Cambodian American adults regarding public school partnerships. The central argument is that the paucity of extant literature and research on Southeast Asian American (SEAA) family-school partnerships in public education renders these individuals invisible. Given the fluid and dynamic experiences across and within the SEAA community, there is critical need for empirical research to address issues particular to ethnic groups, because racial categories often conceal disparities behind the numbers. Surveys and semi-structured interviews are utilized to collect data from Cambodian American respondents. Findings suggest the importance of culture and structure in building critical partnerships.