Disparities In Academic Performance Research Articles

Assessment of the impact of the implemented learning spaces on science achievement: Building Resilience at General Tomas Mascardo National High School

General Tomas Mascardo National High School is currently facing a significant challenge of classroom shortages, posing a threat to the fundamental principle of "education for all." This study aims to evaluate the impact of makeshift classrooms on the academic performance of science subject to students during the school year 2023–2024, adopting a mixed-methods approach. The analysis reveals variations in mean percentage scores across sections and shifts, emphasizing the need to investigate specific factors influencing performance outcomes. Despite small attendance fluctuations, the overall trend suggests a high level of students’ presence, indicating a generally conducive learning environment. However, the study identifies significant disparities in academic performance, particularly in the Quarterly Assessment (Q.A) variable among makeshift classes. The negative impact on academic performance is evident, highlighted by a statistically significant deviation in Q.A scores, emphasizing a specific area of concern. Irregular attendance patterns during September and October further contribute to the negative effect on academic performance, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to address attendance issues systematically. Themes emerging from student responses encompass environmental factors, comfort, focus, motivation, adaptation, preference for regular classrooms, teacher impact, external factors, and physical environment. Morning shift students highlight noise and discomfort as significant barriers, while afternoon shift students express mixed feelings, acknowledging spaciousness but preferring regular classrooms for comfort. Both shifts discuss motivation, with morning shift students suggesting adaptive measures and crediting supportive teachers. In contrast, afternoon shift students express various emotions, including decreased motivation due to negative thoughts and noise pollution affecting focus. External factors, distractions, and concerns related to the physical environment are prevalent in both shifts, underlining the complexity of challenges students face in makeshift classrooms. Recommendations include a comprehensive investigation into academic disparities, addressing the quality of answers, targeted interventions for attendance improvement, and a holistic approach to creating a conducive learning environment.

Status in a psychological statistics class: The role of academic and status-based identities in college students’ subjective social status

AbstractGreat effort has been invested in increasing STEM achievement among students, but feelings of low status among underrepresented or otherwise vulnerable students may be creating additional challenges. The present study assessed how perceptions of social status within the classroom—termed subjective social status—aligned with objective course performance and differed by sex, first-generation status, work status, and race/ethnicity among 713 students enrolled across three introductory statistics classes. Findings indicated that final exam score was moderately related to ratings of subjective social status, suggesting that factors besides objective course performance may influence classroom subjective social status. When asked to explain how they evaluated their standing in the course, students reported five main themes, including both academic achievement with respect to exam scores and their understanding of course content. When examining differences by status-based identities in subjective social status, we found that female and first-generation students had lower subjective social status compared to their male and continuing-generation peers, although results were less robust for first-generation status. Likewise, working students reported lower subjective social status relative to non-working students, despite showing no difference in final exam score. In contrast, although Asian/Asian American students outperformed Latine students, there were no differences in reports of subjective social status between Asian/Asian American, Latine, and white students. Taken together, results suggest that factors beyond course performance may relate to students’ subjective social status, and subjective social status may contribute to disparities in academic performance, especially by sex and work status.

Academic Performance of Local City College Senior High School Students During the Face-To-Face and Bichronous Teaching Modalities

This study endeavors to discern meaningful associations between the academic achievements of senior high school students within local city colleges across two distinct teaching modalities. Specifically, it aims to explore potential relationships and disparities in academic performance between the conventional face-to-face teaching approach during the initial semester of the 2019-2020 academic year and the bichronous teaching modality adopted in the corresponding semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. Furthermore, the investigation seeks to ascertain whether noteworthy differences emerge in academic performance when comparing the two teaching modalities. The research employs a quantitative research design, embracing a sample of 115 participants comprising 62 male and 53 female students. The resultant findings present a comprehensive picture of the observed relationships and disparities. The discerned outcomes are as follows: Remarkably, despite the abrupt transition prompted by the pandemic-induced changes, a significant relationship persists in the academic performance of students. This finding underscores the adaptability and resilience demonstrated by students in navigating teaching modality shifts. Moreover, the study reveals a significant variance across sexes for both teaching modalities examined, reflecting nuanced dynamics inherent to gender-related academic performance. In summation, this investigation signifies the commendable performance of most of the Local City College Senior High School students in both face-to-face and bichronous teaching modalities. This study contributes to the evolving understanding of the interplay between pedagogical approaches and academic achievements, thereby informing educational strategies and responses to dynamic instructional contexts.

From unequal injuries to unequal learning? Socioeconomic gradients in childhood concussions and the impact on children's academic performance

Previous research identifies stark socioeconomic disparities in child injuries, yet research on the repercussions hereof on other aspects of children's lives remains sparse. This paper tests whether social gradients in minor traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs or concussions) contribute to corresponding inequalities in children's academic performance. Previous research on this topic is mostly based on small samples and confounded by non-random selection into experiencing mTBIs. We improve on prior research by using high quality, large N, administrative registry data. Further, we control for selection into having an mTBI via comparing the test score progression of children having an mTBI with children who experience an mTBI in later years (staggered difference-in-differences). Based on Danish ER/hospital records and national test score data, we find that children from families with lower earnings and less education are more likely to experience an mTBI and that having an mTBI negatively correlates with reading test scores. However, comparing present with future mTBI cases, we show that having an mTBI within a year before a test does not negatively affect children's reading scores. Our findings suggest that negative correlations between mTBIs and academic performance more likely reflect socioeconomic gradients in mTBI incidents rather than a direct causal effect. Further, socioeconomic gradients in mTBI incidents do not significantly contribute to corresponding disparities in academic performance.

LEVEL OF PARENTAL EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENT LEARNING

Parents are the first teachers of their children, and their performance in school and overall well-being is influenced by them. Playing a significant role in educating children, parents are individuals who influence student behaviour through direct or indirect action. Parental support for student learning has a significant effect on student wellbeing and academic achievement. This research was aimed at determining parental educational support for student learning, mainly taking into account gender differences as a factor among secondary school children in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka faces notable gender disparities in academic performance, with girls outperforming boys at every level of the educational system (Tushani and Sarma. The study used a survey research design and a questionnaire instrument for data collection. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 1350 secondary school students. To analyse the data, the research used descriptive analyses such as mean, standard deviation and MANOVA analysis. The findings of the study demonstrate that parental educational support for student learning is was at a high level (overall mean of 4.296, overall S.D. of 0.702) among secondary school choldren in Sri Lanka. MANOVA analysis shows significant differences in parental educational support based on gender as parental educational support for female student learning is significantly higher than male students. Both father and mother should maximise their educational support for boys’ education, such as providing necessary educational materials or resources, encouraging learning that can improve the educational wellbeing of children in Sri Lanka.

Racial residential segregation shapes the relationship between early childhood lead exposure and fourth-grade standardized test scores

Racial/ethnic disparities in academic performance may result from a confluence of adverse exposures that arise from structural racism and accrue to specific subpopulations. This study investigates childhood lead exposure, racial residential segregation, and early educational outcomes. Geocoded North Carolina birth data is linked to blood lead surveillance data and fourth-grade standardized test scores (n = 25,699). We constructed a census tract-level measure of racial isolation (RI) of the non-Hispanic Black (NHB) population. We fit generalized additive models of reading and mathematics test scores regressed on individual-level blood lead level (BLL) and neighborhood RI of NHB (RINHB). Models included an interaction term between BLL and RINHB. BLL and RINHB were associated with lower reading scores; among NHB children, an interaction was observed between BLL and RINHB. Reading scores for NHB children with BLLs of 1 to 3 µg/dL were similar across the range of RINHB values. For NHB children with BLLs of 4 µg/dL, reading scores were similar to those of NHB children with BLLs of 1 to 3 µg/dL at lower RINHB values (less racial isolation/segregation). At higher RINHB levels (greater racial isolation/segregation), children with BLLs of 4 µg/dL had lower reading scores than children with BLLs of 1 to 3 µg/dL. This pattern becomes more marked at higher BLLs. Higher BLL was associated with lower mathematics test scores among NHB and non-Hispanic White (NHW) children, but there was no evidence of an interaction. In conclusion, NHB children with high BLLs residing in high RINHB neighborhoods had worse reading scores.

The development and implementation of an assistive technology training for teachers in an underserved school district

ABSTRACT Disparities in academic performance have been found in students from underserved districts. This is especially prevalent in students with disabilities. Technology use can help to narrow this divide. Mainstream software packages are readily available to most districts and increasingly include accessibility features (AF) to enable students to complete academic tasks at relatively low cost. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) can support student success through the use of AF available to all students, including assistive technology (AT) for students with disabilities. Students’ successful use of technology is often contingent on help from their teachers, however, teachers may need support to facilitate this process. This study describes the results of a pilot training program for teachers in an underserved school district designed to facilitate sustained use of AF that are readily available for implementation in the classroom. This paper discusses the lessons learned from provision of this training program to inform the OTP role in support of processes with similar objectives. Factors that influence teachers’ perceptions of the utility and comfort with the features are reported.

Gender Disparities in Academic Performance in the Sciences

The gender disparity in numbers of students attending STEM programs has been a challenge since science began. But regardless of this disparity in numbers, differences of gender in academic performances have also been reported, including average GPA, performances during exams and in-class participation. The majority of these performance differences negatively impact women, potentially affecting retention, professional development and professional confidence, further impacting gender equity in the sciences. To analyze whether such disparities exist at the University of Ottawa, we have collated a dataset of the academic performance of all students registered at the University of Ottawa in the Faculty of Science between 2014 and 2019. This includes all students registered in the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Earth and Environmental Science, Mathematics and Statistics and Physics, which represent over 4,000 students per year. The students’ cumulative GPA was used as a covariate to control for their prior academic ability. Initially, when combining all 122 classes included in this study, analysis of covariance and multi-covariate analysis of variance revealed no gender performance differences. However, when classes were analyzed individually, a gender performance difference was observed in 18 classes (p-value<0.05), and male students were favored in 83.33% of classes with a gender performance difference. The language of study (p-value of 0.001965) and class size (p-value of 0.03598) were factors associated with gender differences in academic performances. Classes which numbered more than 100 students were more likely to be less favourable to women and typically large enrolment 1st and 2nd year classes, regardless of the class subject, represented 14 of the 18 classes with gender differences in academic performances, all of which were more favourable to males than females. No 4th year classes had a gender bias and, curiously, of the only four 3rd year classes with a gendered difference in academic performance, 3 were more favourable to females than to males. Understanding the impact of gender, language and class size on our student population and their influence on academic performance will help us develop actionable measures to improve education outcomes for all our students. However, a deeper understanding of contextual conditions leading to gender disparities in academic performance are needed.

Effects of accumulated environmental, social and host exposures on early childhood educational outcomes

BackgroundPersistent disparities in academic performance may result from a confluence of adverse exposures accruing disproportionately to specific subpopulations. ObjectiveOur overarching objective was to investigate how multiple exposures experienced over time affect early childhood educational outcomes. We were specifically interested in whether there were: racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence of adverse exposures; racial/ethnic disparities in associations observed between adverse exposures and early childhood educational outcomes; and interactions between exposures, suggesting that one exposure augments susceptibility to adverse effects of another exposure. MethodsWe link geocoded North Carolina birth data for non-Hispanic white (NHW) and non-Hispanic black (NHB) children to blood lead surveillance data and 4th grade end-of-grade (EOG) standardized test scores (n = 65,151). We construct a local, spatial index of racial isolation (RI) of NHB at the block group level. We fit race-stratified multi-level models of reading and mathematics EOG scores regressed on birthweight percentile for gestational age, blood lead level, maternal smoking, economic disadvantage, and RI, adjusting for maternal- and child-level covariates and median household income. ResultsThere were marked racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence of adverse exposures. Specifically, NHB children were more likely than NHW children to be economically disadvantaged (80% vs. 40%), live in block groups with the highest quintile of RI (46% vs. 5%), have higher blood lead levels (4.6 vs. 3.7 μg/dL), and lower birthweight percentile for gestational age (mean: 39th percentile vs. 51st percentile). NHB children were less likely to have mothers who reported smoking during pregnancy (11% and 22%). We observed associations between key adverse exposures and reading and math EOG scores in 4th grade. Higher birthweight percentile for gestational age was associated with higher EOG scores, while economic disadvantage, maternal smoking, and elevated blood lead levels were associated with lower EOG scores. Associations observed for NHB and NHW children were generally not statistically different from one another, with the exception of neighborhood RI. NHB children residing in block groups in the highest RI quintile had reading and math scores 1.54 (0.74, 2.34) and 1.12 (0.38, 1.87) points lower, respectively, compared to those in the lowest RI quintile; statistically significant decrements in EOG scores associated with RI were not observed for NHW children. We did not find evidence of multiplicative interactions between exposures for NHB or NHW children. DiscussionKey adverse host, environmental, and social exposures accrue disproportionately to NHB children. Decrements in test scores associated with key adverse exposures were often but not always larger for NHB children, but were not significantly different from those estimated for NHW children. While we did not observe interactive effects, NHB children on average experience more deleterious combined exposures, resulting in larger decrements to test scores compared to NHW children.

Testing, Stress, and Performance: How Students Respond Physiologically to High-Stakes Testing

Abstract We examine how students’ physiological stress differs between a regular school week and a high-stakes testing week, and we raise questions about how to interpret high-stakes test scores. A potential contributor to socioeconomic disparities in academic performance is the difference in the level of stress experienced by students outside of school. Chronic stress—due to neighborhood violence, poverty, or family instability—can affect how individuals’ bodies respond to stressors in general, including the stress of standardized testing. This, in turn, can affect whether performance on standardized tests is a valid measure of students’ actual ability. We collect data on students’ stress responses using cortisol samples provided by low-income students in New Orleans. We measure how their cortisol patterns change during high-stakes testing weeks relative to baseline weeks. We find that high-stakes testing is related to cortisol responses, and those responses are related to test performance. Those who responded most strongly, with either increases or decreases in cortisol, scored 0.40 standard deviations lower than expected on the high-stakes exam.

Boys lagging behind: Unpacking gender differences in academic achievement across East Africa

We estimate the current magnitude of gender gaps in literacy and numeracy in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, using large-scale nationally representative data of children ages 6–16. Using a household fixed effects approach, we document that girls outperform boys in all three countries; in numeracy by 0.03 SDs (Uganda) to 0.05 SDs (Kenya and Tanzania) and literacy by 0.06 SDs (Uganda and Tanzania) to 0.09 SDs (Kenya). However, the gender gap in achievement is highly geographically clustered, reversing in sign in some districts. In highlighting the heterogeneity of gender disparities in academic performance in these three countries in East Africa, this study show that systematic female disadvantage in schooling is no longer the norm.

Effects of accumulated host, social and environmental exposures on early childhood educational outcomes

Background: Persistent disparities in academic performance may result from a confluence of adverse exposures accruing disproportionately to specific subpopulations.Objective: To investigate how multiple exposures experienced over time affect early childhood educational outcomes.Methods: We link geocoded North Carolina birth data for non-Hispanic white (NHW) and non-Hispanic black (NHB) children to blood lead surveillance data and end-of-grade (EOG) test scores at 4th grade (n = 65,151). We construct a local, spatial index of racial isolation (RI) for NHB at the block group. We fit race-stratified multi-level models of EOG scores regressed on birthweight percentile for gestational age, blood lead level, maternal smoking, economic disadvantage, and neighborhood RI exposures, adjusting for maternal- and child-level covariates and neighborhood median household income.Results: NHB children were more likely than NHW children to be economically disadvantaged (80% vs. 40%), live in block groups with elevated RI (46% vs. 5%), have higher blood lead levels (4.6 vs. 3.7 µg/dL), and lower birthweight percentile for gestational age (39% vs. 51%). Higher birthweight percentile was associated with higher reading and math EOG scores. Economic disadvantage was associated with decrements in reading scores of 2.23 (1.94, 2.52) and 2.61 (2.41, 2.80) points among NHB and NHW, respectively. NHB children with blood lead levels &gt;10 µg/dL had reading scores 1.82 (1.16, 2.49) points lower than NHB children with blood levels of &lt;1 µg/dL. NHW children with blood levels &gt;10 µg/dL had reading scores 1.38 (0.74, 2.02) points lower than NHW children with blood levels of &lt;1 µg/dL. NHB children in neighborhoods in the highest quintile of RI had reading scores 1.54 (0.74, 2.34) points lower than NHB children in neighborhoods in the lowest RI quintile. Results were similar for mathematics scores.Conclusion: Key adverse host, environmental, and social exposures accrue disproportionately to NHB children, resulting in lower EOG scores.

Long-term trajectories of academic performance in the context of social disparities: Longitudinal findings from Switzerland.

This study used a stratified random sample of classes in Zurich, Switzerland, comprising approximately 2,000 students whose academic performances in math and language were assessed across primary and lower secondary education. Based on this longitudinal data, the study investigated the association of social inequalities with the baseline of, and gains in, academic performance. The study focused on growing social disparities in academic performance during compulsory education, taking into account disparities in the social backgrounds of students as well as in social deprivation of school attendance areas. The results of a multilevel growth curve analysis implemented to model academic performance development at student and school district levels suggest cumulative disadvantages for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. These students (a) start school with lower initial knowledge and (b) experience lower improvements in academic performance. The findings also suggest that more advantaged school attendance areas achieved higher average performance levels in the early stages of primary education despite controlling for student socioeconomic backgrounds. On average, however, this gap in academic performance between more advantaged and more deprived attendance areas did not appear to widen over the subsequent years of compulsory schooling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Caring Schools and Educators a Solution to Disparities in Academic Performance: Learners of Colors Speak

Disparities in academic performance based on race in the United States are a persistent problem. As a result, a plethora of remedies such as using student-centered instructional strategies, de-trac...

Academic disparities and health: How gender-based disparities in schools relate to boys' and girls’ health

RationaleRecent research reveals that, although girls encounter some barriers in school (e.g., in science and math), on balance, boys perform worse academically. Moreover, other research has identified a correlation between exposure to a context characterized by large disparities in performance or resources and a range of negative outcomes, including negative health and well-being, among members of lower status groups. ObjectiveBuilding on these literatures, the present research tests the relationship between gender disparities in academic performance within a school and students' health outcomes. Specifically, we investigated whether boys had worse health when they attended schools where there was a greater disparity between boys' and girls’ academic performance. MethodWe tested this hypothesis in two different samples with different health outcomes. In a sample of healthy eighth graders (Study 1; 159 girls and 81 boys), we assessed two indices of metabolic syndrome, and in a sample of children with asthma (Study 2; 122 girls and 153 boys), we assessed immune function (Th1 and Th2 cytokine production) and self-reported symptoms. Participants in both samples also reported the name of the school that they attended so that we could access publicly available information about the percentage of girls and the percentage of boys in each school who met expectations for their grade level on standardized tests. ResultsIn both samples, the greater the gap in a school between the percentage of girls and the percentage of boys who met expectations for their grade level on standardized tests, the worse boys’ health. This pattern did not emerge among girls. ConclusionResults thus highlight the negative health correlates of academic disparities among members of lower-performing groups.

The Impact of Teacher–Student Gender Matches

ABSTRACT:Gender disparities in academic performance may be driven in part by the interaction of teacher and student gender, but systematic sorting of students into classrooms makes it difficult to identify causal effects. We use the random assignment of students to Korean middle school classrooms and show that the female students perform substantially better on standardized tests when assigned to female teachers; there is little effect on male students. We find evidence that teacher behavior drives the increase in female students' achievement.

The Involvement of Religious Communities in the teaching of Multi-faith Syllabus in Botswana Junior Secondary Schools

Prior to 1996, Religious Education (RE) in Botswana junior secondary schools was Christian based and there were no significant disparities in academic performance between RE and other subjects. Since the introduction of a multi-faith syllabus there has been a decline in the academic performance in this subject. Perhaps this situation emanates from the fact that most RE teachers and students are Christians. Possibly, Christian teachers and students may not be familiar with the dimensions of other world religions explored in this syllabus. This study was therefore carried out to investigate if the involvement of religious communities could be of assistance in the teaching and learning of the multi-faith syllabus in Botswana junior secondary schools. The study used random, purposive and convenience sampling techniques to select the population from twelve (12) junior secondary schools and seven (7) religions. Data was collected from thirty-six (36) RE teachers, one hundred and twenty (120) students and fifty-six (56) representatives of the seven (7) religions prevalent in Botswana and explored in this syllabus. The study used questionnaires and interviews to collect data. The findings of this study revealed that the involvement of religious communities in the teaching and learning of multi-faith syllabus in Botswana junior secondary schools is capable of assisting in knowledge acquisition of the various religions explored in this syllabus by providing first–hand information from adherents of the explored religions. This study therefore recommends that the Ministry of Basic Education, School Management Teams and Parents and Teachers Associations should encourage the involvement of religious communities as an attempt to improve RE Junior Certificate results.

The Association between Educational Attainment and Patterns of Emergency Department Utilization among Adults with Sickle Cell Disease.

Patients with low educational attainment may be at increased risk for unplanned health care utilization. This study aimed to determine what factors are related to emergency department (ED) visits in hopes of guiding treatments and early interventions. At two medical centers in the Mid-Atlantic United States, 258 adults with sickle cell disease aged 19-70years participated in a retrospective study where we examined whether education level is independently associated with ED visits after accounting for other socioeconomic status (SES) variables, such as pain and disease severity and psychosocial functioning. The data showed that patients without a high school education visited the ED three times as frequently as patients with post secondary education. Controlling for poverty and employment status decreased the effect of education on ED visits by 33.24%. Further controlling for disease severity and/or psychosocial functioning could not account for the remaining association between education and ED visits, suggesting that education is independently associated with potentially avoidable emergency care. Early interventions addressing disparities in academic performance, especially for those children most at risk, may lead to improved long-term health outcomes in this population.

Contextualizing Academic Performance in Russian Schools: School Characteristics, the Composition of Student Body and Local Deprivation

This study focuses on how social contexts promote disparities in academic performance between Russian high schools. In particular, we investigate how a school’s average Unified State Examination (USE) scores in Russian and mathematics relate to the social composition of its student body, its material and human resources, and local deprivation. We develop a two-level hierarchical regression model to analyze data from school profiles collected in two Russian regions (Yaroslavskaya Oblast’ and Moskovskaya Oblast’) during the 2011-12 academic year. Both social characteristics of the student body and the school’s material and human resources were associated with academic performance. However, after controlling for the characteristics of pupils and schools, our study did not discover any significant independent effects of the local context. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of these findings with regard to developing contextualized measures of academic performance in Russia, the limitations of current research and suggest several possibilities for its empirical development.

Effort Optimism in the Classroom

Do black and white students hold similar beliefs about the causes of life opportunities? Disparities in academic performance between blacks and whites have been attributed, in part, to differing attitudes about the relationship between education and life opportunities. Advocates of oppositional culture theory argue that black students consider structural barriers to have more influence on prosperity than do their own efforts in the classroom; detractors contend that black and white students equally consider individual academic performance to be key to future life opportunities. Using the National Education Longitudinal Study, 1988 through 1992, the author demonstrates that students simultaneously accept both structural and individualistic explanations for prosperity. Black students report greater support for structural explanations than do white students, but they report equal or greater support for the relevance of education to their futures. The author finds that, while black and white students do differ in their optimism about future opportunities, dissimilar attitudes about social structure, rather than education, are accountable for this.