Student Demographic Impact on Standard Test Scores
RACIAL/ETHNIC IMPACT ON ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES Introduction
The purpose of this report is to analyze the presence of a link between student achievement and racial/ethnic background. This report will summarize the 4 results of studies conducted from 1997 to 2004, published in educational and psychological journals. The studies examine a tie between test scores, intelligence levels and backgrounds of the students.
Study #1
The first study examined focuses on the test gains of Ohio students in the state’s eight largest urban schools. The districts that were part of this ex post facto study are represented by the Ohio 8 Coalition: Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown. These districts represent a high percentage of urban poor minority students. The instrument used was the standard statewide tests given in math and reading to 4th and 6th graders throughout Ohio. The study focused on the tests given from 1998-99 to 2003-04 school years. The results of the study demonstrated significant gains by the Ohio 8. The students in seven of the eight districts who took the 4th grade reading test improved by more than the 12 percent gain statewide. Youngstown students jumped a high of 19 percentage points over the cycle of the study. The same is true in the math category for fourth grade test. The average statewide increase was 15 percent; four of the eight schools jumped 20 percentage points, while seven of eight out gained the state. The grade six results mirror the forth grade. Half the urban districts showed a greater reading improvement that the state average. In sixth grade math five of the urban districts beat the state gain of 14 percentage points, with Cleveland improving by 26 percentage points. The Ohio 8 credited professional development, aligned curricula and tutoring as the reasons for their improvements. Administrators from the Ohio 8 side with the long standing environment side of the nature v. nurture debate. The
The purpose of this report is to analyze the presence of a link between student achievement and racial/ethnic background. This report will summarize the 4 results of studies conducted from 1997 to 2004, published in educational and psychological journals. The studies examine a tie between test scores, intelligence levels and backgrounds of the students.
Study #1
The first study examined focuses on the test gains of Ohio students in the state’s eight largest urban schools. The districts that were part of this ex post facto study are represented by the Ohio 8 Coalition: Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown. These districts represent a high percentage of urban poor minority students. The instrument used was the standard statewide tests given in math and reading to 4th and 6th graders throughout Ohio. The study focused on the tests given from 1998-99 to 2003-04 school years. The results of the study demonstrated significant gains by the Ohio 8. The students in seven of the eight districts who took the 4th grade reading test improved by more than the 12 percent gain statewide. Youngstown students jumped a high of 19 percentage points over the cycle of the study. The same is true in the math category for fourth grade test. The average statewide increase was 15 percent; four of the eight schools jumped 20 percentage points, while seven of eight out gained the state. The grade six results mirror the forth grade. Half the urban districts showed a greater reading improvement that the state average. In sixth grade math five of the urban districts beat the state gain of 14 percentage points, with Cleveland improving by 26 percentage points. The Ohio 8 credited professional development, aligned curricula and tutoring as the reasons for their improvements. Administrators from the Ohio 8 side with the long standing environment side of the nature v. nurture debate. The
Bibliography: Study #1 Reid, K. (December 8, 2004). Ohio Urban Districts Outpace State Test Gains. Education Week, 24(15), 9. Study #2 Smith, E. P. & Atkins, J. (September 2003). Family, School, and Community Factors and Relationships to Racial-Ethnic Attitudes and Academic Achievement. American Journal of Community Psychology, 32(1/2), 159-173. Study #3 Hixson, M. D. & McGlinchey, M. T. (2004). The Relationship Between Race, Income, and Oral Reading Fluency and Performance on Two Reading Comprehension Measures. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, (22), 351-364. Study #4 Williams, W. M. & Ceci, S. J. (November 0197). Are Americans Becoming More or Less Alike? American Psychologist, 52(11), 1226-1235.