Deficits In Academic Achievement Research Articles

Revisiting the Multi-Tiered System of Supports Framework: An Important Mechanism for Realizing Equitable Education in Urban Schools

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework was established as a comprehensive, equitable approach for addressing urban students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. Still, confusion surrounded its implementation. On returning to in-person instruction, urban educators have been challenged to resurrect their school’s MTSS framework while simultaneously confronting many other issues, such as increased student absenteeism, academic achievement deficits, and staffing shortages. Consequently, revisiting this matter is warranted, particularly concerning operating MTSS frameworks in high-poverty urban schools. Accordingly, this paper explains the design and operation of an MTSS and then discusses its historical evolution and current relevance. Next, the article identifies drivers of well-functioning MTSS frameworks while discussing the circumstances surrounding high-poverty urban schools. The paper concludes with a discussion of a core component of an MTSS framework that urban educators have identified as one for which they need more information: intensifying instruction. Properly addressing this component will equip urban educators with the foundational knowledge they need to design and implement an MTSS framework tailored to their unique circumstances.

Preventing teacher violence against children: the need for a research agenda

Preventing teacher violence against children: the need for a research agenda

IQ and Academic Achievement in Children with ADHD: the Differential Effects of Specific Cognitive Functions

The co-occurrence of lower full-scale intellectual abilities (FSIQ) and academic achievement deficits in children with ADHD is well established; however, the extent to which the relation reflects the influence of a general factor (g) deficiency or deficiencies in one or more specific intellectual abilities remains speculative and was the focus of the current investigation. Twenty-eight boys with ADHD-combined presentation and 26 neurotypical (NT) boys between 8 and 12 years of age were administered the WISC-IV and standardized measures of reading and math. FSIQ and achievement scores in both reading and math were significantly lower for the ADHD relative to the NT group; however, examination of WISC-IV index scores revealed that group level differences in FSIQ resulted from lower scores on two of the four specific intellectual ability indices—Working Memory (WMI) and Verbal Comprehension (VCI). Bias-corrected bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that both WMI and VCI contributed uniquely to the ADHD-Academic Achievement relation. The contribution of WMI to ADHD-related academic underachievement reflected lower scores on the Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS) but not the Digit Span (DS) subtest. Both LNS and VCI explained ADHD-related differences in reading, whereas LNS alone explained ADHD-related differences in math. Collectively these findings suggest that strengthening deficient higher-level WM abilities, in conjunction with empirically based academic instruction, is needed to improve learning outcomes in children with ADHD.

Academic Achievement Deficits and Their Neuropsychological Correlates in Children Born Extremely Preterm.

The purpose of this study was to examine the risks associated with learning disabilities (LDs) in a large sample of children born extremely preterm. We predicted higher than expected rates of LD, particularly in math, and children with LD in math, reading, or both would have lower intelligence quotients (IQs) and specific patterns of neuropsychological deficits. We evaluated academic achievement, rates of LD, and their neuropsychological correlates in the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGANs) Study cohort of 10-year-old children born at 23 to 27 weeks gestational age. Primary analyses focused on children without intellectual disability (verbal IQ > 70 and nonverbal IQ > 70; N = 668). Low achievement was defined as a standard score ≤85 on the reading or math measures. The risk of low math achievement scores (27%) was 1.5 times higher than the risk of low reading achievement scores (17%). Children were classified as having LD based on low achievement criteria in reading only (RD, 6.4% of sample), math only (MD, 16.2%), both reading and math (RD/MD, 8.3%), or no reading or math disabilities (No LD, 69.1%). Although all 3 LD groups had multiple neuropsychological weaknesses compared with the No LD group, the RD and MD groups had different patterns of neuropsychological impairment. These children from the ELGAN cohort had higher than expected rates of LD, particularly in mathematics, even after taking socioeconomic status into consideration. These results indicate specific cognitive weaknesses that differ between extremely preterm children with RD and MD.

Examining Effects of Poverty, Maternal Depression, and Children’s Self-Regulation Abilities on the Development of Language and Cognition in Early Childhood: An Early Head Start Perspective

Early childhood poverty is a prevalent social issue, both in the United States and in the wider international community. It has been well established that factors associated with poverty, including familial income and parental education level, can negatively affect children’s language and cognitive development, which can result in academic achievement deficits that compound across the lifespan. Additional environmental factors, specifically maternal and children’s own social–emotional development, have also been shown to impact these sensitive early childhood developmental processes. Although individual components that relate to language and cognitive development in young children have been identified, additional examination of potential associative relationships between these components is warranted. Therefore, this study explored socio-economical, health, and developmental relationships between 122 caregiver–child dyads enrolled in an Early Head Start Program where children were 1–36 months old. Results indicated strong bidirectional correlations between children’s cognitive and language development. Multiple linear regression path analysis indicated that children’s cognition and social–emotional wellbeing have a significant direct effect on their language development. Additionally, language and fine motor development were found to have a significant direct effect and social–emotional wellbeing mediated an indirect effect through language on children’s cognitive development. In light of socioeconomic and sociocultural challenges, the importance of nurturing children’s social–emotional development in relation to language and cognitive development is discussed.

Brain Development and Poverty

Research Article| March 01 2016 Brain Development and Poverty AAP Grand Rounds (2016) 35 (3): 30. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.35-3-30 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Brain Development and Poverty. AAP Grand Rounds March 2016; 35 (3): 30. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.35-3-30 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP NewsAll AAP Sites Search Advanced Search Topics: brain development, poverty, academic achievement, atypical Hair NL, Hanson JL, Wolfe BL, et al. Association of child poverty, brain development, and academic achievement. JAMA Pediatrics. 2015; 169(9): 822– 829; doi: https://doi.org/10.10001/jamapediatrics.2015.1475Google Scholar Investigators from multiple institutions studied whether structural brain development mediates the relationship between poverty and impaired academic achievement. Data for this study were obtained as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development. The NIH study was conducted from 2001–2007 across 6 US centers with the goal of improving understanding of normal brain maturation. Participants in the NIH study, who were 4–18 years old when initially enrolled, received MRI and academic achievement (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence [WASI] and Woodcock-Johnson III test of achievement [WJ – III]) assessments at 3 time points over a 24-month interval. Socioeconomic characteristics were also collected, including race/ethnicity, family size, parents’ education, and household income categorized using federal poverty levels (FPL). The primary exposure variable was household income. The primary outcomes were participant academic achievement scores and structural brain development as assessed by MRI data of gray matter volumes of brain areas involved in the cognitive abilities critical for children’s school readiness (frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and hippocampus). Investigators used regression analysis to determine whether a brain region was smaller or larger than expected (using a reference of typical development for each brain area of interest) by comparing a participant with others of the same sex and age. They subsequently performed a mediation analysis to determine how much of any observed effect of poverty on academic achievement scores was due to structural brain development. There were 389 participants included in analysis, comprising 823 observations. The mean age at first MRI scan in study participants was 11.1 years with a range of 4–22 years. Household income was found to be significantly associated with atypical gray matter development: among participants who lived in households with <1.5 times the FPL, the gray matter volumes for the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and hippocampus were 3–4 percentage points (P < .05) below developmental norms. Participants at <1.5 times the FPL also scored 4–8 points lower on tests of achievement (P < .05). It was estimated that development differences in the frontal and temporal lobes accounted for up to 15%–20% of the academic achievement deficits among low-income participants. The investigators conclude that atypical brain development appears to be 1 mechanism explaining the influence of poverty on children’s learning and achievement. Dr Sandell has disclosed no financial relationship relevant to this commentary. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device. Many factors contribute to the complexity of the developing brain and ultimately academic achievement. For instance, childhood stress can affect regional brain volume, such as the hippocampus1 (see AAP Grand Rounds, February 2014;31[2]:202 ). Positive parenting can also influence brain structure, regardless of socioeconomic status.3 In the current study, the authors... You do not currently have access to this content.

The written expression abilities of adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience deficits in academic achievement. Written expression abilities in this population have not been extensively studied but existing prevalence estimates suggest that rates of comorbid writing underachievement may be substantially higher than rates of comorbid reading and mathematics underachievement. The current study examined written expression abilities in a school-based sample of 326 middle school age students with ADHD. The prevalence of written expression impairment, the associations between written expression and academic outcomes, and specific patterns of written expression were investigated. Students with ADHD in this sample experienced written expression impairment (17.2–22.4%) at a similar rate to reading impairment (17.0–24.3%) and at a slightly lower rate than mathematics impairment (24.7–36.3%). Students’ written expression abilities were significantly associated with school grades and parent ratings of academic functioning, above and beyond the influence of intelligence. Analyses of patterns suggest that students with ADHD exhibit greater deficits in written expression tasks requiring organization and attention to detail, especially in the context of a complex task.

Two Perspectives, Same Reality? How Authentic is Learning for Students and for their Teachers

The recent PISA results show that our 16 years old students are the most demotivated for learning from all participant countries. We assume that one of the reasons is related to the learning experiences students are living at that age level (upper secondary). In the research inspiring this article (based on an extensive survey on high school students and teachers) we tried to investigate the perception of students and their teachers on what is and how should be organized an authentic learning experience and an authentic learning environment. As shown by the results, the learning experiences are perceived quite differently in many extents by the two key actors involved (learners and teachers). The paradox of living the same educational reality and working in the same environment, but having different, even contradictory opinions, perceptions and meanings of them seem to be one of the causes for deficits in academic achievement and in motivational level of the high schools students in Romania. Some preliminary results of the research are presented and analysed in the frame of a broader conceptual framework for understanding authentic learning.

Childhood Maltreatment and Educational Outcomes

Children (0–18 years) with maltreatment histories are vulnerable to experiencing difficulties across multiple domains of functioning, including educational outcomes that encompass not only academic achievement but also mental well-being. The current literature review adopted Slade and Wissow’s model to examine (1) the link between childhood maltreatment and academic achievement, (2) the link between childhood maltreatment and mental health outcomes (i.e., emotional and behavioral difficulties), and (3) the bidirectional relationship between childhood academic achievement and mental health. In addition, we reviewed variables that might influence or help explain the link between childhood maltreatment and educational outcomes, drawing on developmental perspectives and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. Finally, whenever possible, we presented findings specific to maltreated children in out-of-home care to highlight the unique challenges experienced by this population. Results indicated that children with maltreatment histories often experience impairments in both their academic performance (e.g., special education, grade retention, lower grades) and mental well-being (e.g., anxiety, low mood, aggression, social skills deficits, poor interpersonal relationships). These impairments appeared to be particularly pronounced among maltreated children in out-of-home care. Findings, albeit sparse, also indicated that mental health difficulties are negatively associated with children’s academic achievement and, similarly, that academic achievement deficits are linked with mental health problems. The link between childhood maltreatment and educational outcomes may be partly explained through the disruption of key developmental processes in children, such as attachment, emotion regulation, and sense of agency. As well, maltreatment characteristics and the functioning of various systems in which children are embedded (e.g., family, school, child welfare) can serve to positively or negatively influence the educational outcomes of maltreated children. The theoretical, research, and applied implications stemming from the findings are considered.

Are Anesthesia and Surgery During Infancy Associated With Altered Academic Performance During Childhood?

Background: Although studies in neonatal animals show that anesthetics have neurotoxic effects, relevant human evidence is limited. We examined whether children who had surgery during infancy showed deficits in academic achievement. Methods: We attempted to contact parents of 577 children who, during infancy, had one of three operations typically performed in otherwise healthy children. We compared scores on academic achievement tests with population norms. Results: Composite scores were available for 287 patients. The mean normal curve equivalent score was 43.0 22.4 (mean SD), lower than the expected normative value of 50, P 0.0001 by one-sample Student t test; and 35 (12%) hadscoresbelowthe5thpercentile,morethanexpected,P 0.00001 by binomial test. Of 133 patients who consented to participate so that their scores could be examined in relation to their medical records, the mean score was 45.9 22.9, P 0.0411; and 15 (11%) scored below the 5th percentile, P 0.0039. Of 58 patients whose medical records showed no central nervous system problems/potential risk factors during infancy, 8 (14%) scored below the 5th percentile, P 0.008; however, the mean score, 47.6 23.4, was not significantly lower than expected, P 0.441. Duration of anesthesia and surgery correlated negatively with scores (r 0.34, N 58, P 0.0101). Conclusions:Althoughthefindingsareconsistentwithpossible adverse effects of anesthesia and surgery during infancy onsubsequentacademicachievement,otherexplanationsare possible and further investigations are needed.

Family factors associated with academic achievement deficits in pediatric brain tumor survivors.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether parental education, socioeconomic status, or family environment moderate the extent of academic achievement deficits in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) relative to classmate case-controls. PBTS are known to be at risk for cognitive and academic impairment; however, the degree of impairment varies. Prior research has focused on treatment risk, and efforts to examine the protective role of family resources and relationships have been lacking. Pediatric brain tumor survivors (N = 164), ages 8-15 and 1-5 years posttreatment, were recruited at five treatment centers in the United States and Canada. A case-control classmate, matched for age, gender, and race, was recruited for each survivor. The Wide Range Achievement Test, a demographic form, and the Family Environment Scale were administered in families' homes. Treatment data were abstracted from medical charts. Pediatric brain tumor survivors demonstrated lower achievement than classmate-controls in reading, spelling, and arithmetic. Parental education and socioeconomic status were associated with levels of achievement demonstrated by PBTS but did not account for discrepancies between PBTS and classmate-controls. Deficits in achievement relative to classmate-controls, across all academic domains, were greater for survivors in families lower in support and higher in conflict. These associations remained after controlling for age at diagnosis, time since treatment, and whether treatment had involved chemotherapy, focal, or whole brain radiation. These results support the development of interventions to enhance family functioning as well as educational resources as part of intervention and rehabilitation services to optimize academic progress in children who have been treated for brain tumors.

Are Anesthesia and Surgery during Infancy Associated with Altered Academic Performance during Childhood?

Although studies in neonatal animals show that anesthetics have neurotoxic effects, relevant human evidence is limited. We examined whether children who had surgery during infancy showed deficits in academic achievement. We attempted to contact parents of 577 children who, during infancy, had one of three operations typically performed in otherwise healthy children. We compared scores on academic achievement tests with population norms. Composite scores were available for 287 patients. The mean normal curve equivalent score was 43.0±22.4 (mean±SD), lower than the expected normative value of 50, P<0.0001 by one-sample Student t test; and 35 (12%) had scores below the 5th percentile, more than expected, P<0.00001 by binomial test. Of 133 patients who consented to participate so that their scores could be examined in relation to their medical records, the mean score was 45.9±22.9, P=0.0411; and 15 (11%) scored below the 5th percentile, P=0.0039. Of 58 patients whose medical records showed no central nervous system problems/potential risk factors during infancy, 8 (14%) scored below the 5th percentile, P=0.008; however, the mean score, 47.6±23.4, was not significantly lower than expected, P=0.441. Duration of anesthesia and surgery correlated negatively with scores (r=-0.34, N=58, P=0.0101). Although the findings are consistent with possible adverse effects of anesthesia and surgery during infancy on subsequent academic achievement, other explanations are possible and further investigations are needed.

STRATEGIES OF MEMORIZATION AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE LEARNING PROCESS AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH BORDERLINE INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING

Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF), or borderline intelligence, is defined as an intelligence quotient from 1.01 to 2.00 standard deviations below average, that is, a level between average intelligence and intellectual impairment. This level of mental functioning may still belong to a broadly understood norm. The purpose of the present study is to present the current state of knowledge on the subject of memory-related processes in persons with BIF, and in particular schoolchildren. Children with borderline intelligence are at risk for chronic educational failure, absence from school, repetition of grades, and dropout or expulsion from school. We have concen trated primarily on discussing the relationship between me mo ry-related processes and the characteristic thought processes of these individuals, including a preference for operating with concrete material, rigid and insufficiently critical thinking, and difficulties in organizing and generalizing knowledge, all of which cause serious deficits in academic achievement and effective learning. The article begins with an introduction to the problems of borderline intelligence, including the differential diagnosis, classification, and cognitive functioning of these persons. Then, based on the results of national and international research, we discuss the deficits of short-term and working memory that cause difficulties in processing and organizing, impair the effectiveness of long term memory, and thus cause specific learning strategies to be adopted. Pupils with BIF most often master their school knowledge by using rote memory, the functioning of which is discussed at the end of the article.

Meta-Analysis of Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Very Preterm and/or Very Low Birth Weight Children

Sequelae of academic underachievement, behavioral problems, and poor executive function (EF) have been extensively reported for very preterm (<or=33 weeks' gestation) and/or very low birth weight (VLBW) (<or=1500 g) children. Great variability in the published results, however, hinders the field in studying underlying dysfunctions and developing intervention strategies. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of studies published between 1998 and 2008 on academic achievement, behavioral functioning, and EF with the aim of providing aggregated measures of effect size for these outcome domains. Suitable for inclusion were 14 studies on academic achievement, 9 studies on behavioral problems, and 12 studies on EF, which compared a total of 4125 very preterm and/or VLBW children with 3197 term-born controls. Combined effect sizes for the 3 outcome domains were calculated in terms of Cohen's d. Q-test statistics were performed to test homogeneity among the obtained effect sizes. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the impact of mean birth weight and mean gestational age, as well as the influence of mean age at assessment on the effect sizes for academic achievement, behavioral problems, and EF. Combined effect sizes show that very preterm and/or VLBW children score 0.60 SD lower on mathematics tests, 0.48 SD on reading tests, and 0.76 SD on spelling tests than term-born peers. Of all behavioral problems stacked, attention problems were most pronounced in very preterm and/or VLBW children, with teacher and parent ratings being 0.43 to 0.59 SD higher than for controls, respectively. Combined effect sizes for parent and teacher ratings of internalizing behavior problems were small (<0.28) and for externalizing behavior problems negligible (<0.09) and not significant. Combined effect sizes for EF revealed a decrement of 0.57 SD for verbal fluency, 0.36 SD for working memory, and 0.49 SD for cognitive flexibility in comparison to controls. Mean age at assessment was not correlated with the strength of the effect sizes. Mathematics and reading performance, parent ratings of internalizing problems, teacher ratings of externalizing behavior, and attention problems, showed strong and positive correlations with mean birth weight and mean gestational age (all r values > 0.51). Very preterm and/or VLBW children have moderate-to-severe deficits in academic achievement, attention problems, and internalizing behavioral problems and poor EF, which are adverse outcomes that were strongly correlated to their immaturity at birth. During transition to young adulthood these children continue to lag behind term-born peers.

Experiences of violence and deficits in academic achievement among urban primary school children in Jamaica

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between children's experiences of three different types of violence and academic achievement among primary school children in Kingston, Jamaica. Methods A cross-sectional study of 1300 children in grade 5 [mean (S.D.) age: 11 (0.5) years] from 29 government primary schools in urban areas of Kingston and St. Andrew, Jamaica, was conducted. Academic achievement (mathematics, reading, and spelling) was assessed using the Wide Range Achievement Test. Children's experiences of three types of violence – exposure to aggression among peers at school, physical punishment at school, and exposure to community violence – were assessed by self-report using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Results Fifty-eight percent of the children experienced moderate or high levels of all three types of violence. Boys had poorer academic achievement and experienced higher levels of aggression among peers and physical punishment at school than girls. Children's experiences of the three types of violence were independently associated with all three indices of academic achievement. There was a dose–response relationship between children's experiences of violence and academic achievement with children experiencing higher levels of violence having the poorest academic achievement and children experiencing moderate levels having poorer achievement than those experiencing little or none. Conclusions Exposure to three different types of violence was independently associated with poor school achievement among children attending government, urban schools in Jamaica. Programs are needed in schools to reduce the levels of aggression among students and the use of physical punishment by teachers and to provide support for children exposed to community violence. Practice implications Children in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean experience significant amounts of violence in their homes, communities, and schools. In this study, we demonstrate a dose–response relationship between primary school children's experiences of three different types of violence and their academic achievement. The study points to the need for validated violence prevention programs to be introduced in Jamaican primary schools. Such programs need to train teachers in appropriate classroom management and discipline strategies and to promote children's social and emotional competence and prevent aggression.

Childhood poverty, chronic stress, and adult working memory

The income-achievement gap is a formidable societal problem, but little is known about either neurocognitive or biological mechanisms that might account for income-related deficits in academic achievement. We show that childhood poverty is inversely related to working memory in young adults. Furthermore, this prospective relationship is mediated by elevated chronic stress during childhood. Chronic stress is measured by allostatic load, a biological marker of cumulative wear and tear on the body that is caused by the mobilization of multiple physiological systems in response to chronic environmental demands.

Academic Achievement Over 8 Years Among Children Who Met Modified Criteria for Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder at 4–6 Years of Age

The predictive validity of symptom criteria for different subtypes of ADHD among children who were impaired in at least one setting in early childhood was examined. Academic achievement was assessed seven times over 8 years in 125 children who met symptom criteria for ADHD at 4-6 years of age and in 130 demographically-matched non-referred comparison children. When intelligence and other confounds were controlled, children who met modified criteria for the predominantly inattentive subtype of ADHD in wave 1 had lower reading, spelling, and mathematics scores over time than both comparison children and children who met modified criteria for the other subtypes of ADHD. In some analyses, children who met modified criteria for the combined type had somewhat lower mathematics scores than comparison children. The robust academic deficits relative to intelligence in the inattentive group in this age range suggest either that inattention results in academic underachievement or that some children in the inattentive group have learning disabilities that cause secondary symptoms of inattention. Unexpectedly, wave 1 internalizing (anxiety and depression) symptoms independently predicted deficits in academic achievement controlling ADHD, intelligence, and other predictors.

A Meta-Analysis of the Academic Status of Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disturbance

Emotional/behavioral disturbance (EBD) is characterized by a range of behaviors that adversely affect a child's academic performance and cannot be explained by other sensory or health impairments. Although research has clearly demonstrated that children and youth with EBD tend to exhibit high rates of problem behavior, research on the characteristics of their academic performance has been less clear. This article reports the results of a meta-analysis of the academic status of students with EBD. The overall effect size was −.64, which indicated that students with EBD had significant deficits in academic achievement. An examination of moderators (subject area, setting, and age) indicated that students with EBD performed at a significantly lower level than did students without disabilities across academic subjects and settings; greater deficits were not observed in older students with EBD (i.e., those more than 12 years old), as compared to younger students. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.

The lingering academic deficits of low birth weight children.

To estimate the influence of low birth weight (LBW; < or =2500 g) on academic achievement in reading and mathematics in 12th grade in 2 socioeconomically and racially disparate, geographically defined communities. Representative samples of LBW and normal birth weight (NBW) children who were born in 1983-1985 and were from the inner city of Detroit and nearby middle class suburbs were assessed longitudinally. Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised standardized tests of reading and mathematics were used at ages 11 and 17 (n = 773). Multiple regression analysis applying generalized estimating equations was used to assess the independent effects of LBW on test scores. Compared with NBW children, LBW children manifested deficits of 3 to 5 points in age-standardized tests of academic achievement at age 17 that had persisted with little change from age 11. LBW-related deficits were similar in urban and suburban communities and were independent of family factors. At age 17, LBW children were approximately 50% more likely than NBW children to score below the standardized population mean in both reading and mathematics. The LBW-related deficits in academic achievement in adolescence were largely accounted for by LBW-related deficits in general cognitive abilities, measured by IQ tests at age 6. Interventions to address the lingering effects of LBW on the acquisition of core academic skills during the school years should focus on preschool LBW children in both inner city and suburban communities.

Academic Achievement of K-12 Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample of 155 K-12 students served in public school settings and established the extent to which students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) experience academic achievement deficits with attention to age and gender differences. In addition, this study examined particular types of problem behaviors related to academic achievement. Results indicate that students with E/BD showed large academic achievement deficits across all of the content areas, and the deficits appeared to be stable or worsen in the case of mathematics across age. There appeared to be no gender differences. Additionally, externalizing behaviors were related to reading, mathematics, and written language achievement; whereas, internalizing ones were not.