The Differences in Summative Academic Achievement between African American and African Caribbean Students: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Meta-analysis techniques were utilized to examine the differences in summative academic achievement among African American and African Caribbean students. A fixed effects model with moderator analyses was applied to a sample of five studies. Significant between group heterogeneity was identified. The aggregate effect size of -1.08 for differences in academic achievement between both groups was statistically significant. The type of summative assessment emerged as a substantial moderator which explained 86% of the heterogeneity between both groups. Implications are discussed, along with recommendations for updating the psychometric properties of culturally relevant and culturally sustaining assessments to improve the educational experiences of African American and African Caribbean students.