Academic Achievement Gap Research Articles

Is Separate Still Unequal? New Evidence on School Segregation and Racial Academic Achievement Gaps

U.S. public schools are racially and economically segregated. Prior research shows that the desegregation of Southern schools beginning in the 1960s led to significant benefits for Black students. Less clear, however, is whether segregation today has the same harmful effects as it did 50 years ago and through what mechanisms segregation continues to affect achievement. We estimate the effects of current-day school segregation on racial achievement gaps using 11 years of data from all U.S. public school districts. We find that racial segregation is strongly associated with the magnitude of achievement gaps in 3rd grade and the rate at which gaps grow from 3rd to 8th grade. The association of racial segregation with achievement-gap growth is completely accounted for by racial differences in school poverty. Thus, racial segregation is harmful because it concentrates minority students in high-poverty schools, which are, on average, less effective than lower-poverty schools. Exploratory analyses show that segregation-related between-school differences in teacher characteristics are associated with unequal learning rates and account for roughly 20 percent of the effect of Black–White racial differences in exposure to poverty. Further research is needed to identify mechanisms linking school segregation to achievement-gap growth.

Black-White Gap Across Levels of Educational Childhood Opportunities: Findings from the ABCD Study.

This study examines racial disparities in educational outcomes-including reading proficiency, grade point average (GPA), school discrimination, and school disciplinary actions-across regions with different levels of educational childhood opportunity index (COI). Our aim is to explore how these racial gaps between Black and White students vary in areas with differing educational opportunities. We hypothesize that higher COI is associated with smaller academic achievement gaps but may also correspond with greater racial bias in unfair school treatment. Data were drawn from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which provides comprehensive measures of educational outcomes, cognitive performance, and COI. National COI rankings were used to classify regions into five categories: very high, high, average, low, and very low educational opportunity. We analyzed racial gaps in reading proficiency, and experiences of discrimination and suspension across these COI categories. Multi-group Structural Equation Models (SEM) were used to assess how the relationship between race and educational outcomes varies across COI levels. Our findings confirmed that Black-White gaps in reading proficiency and cognitive test performance (Flanker task) were less pronounced in regions with higher COI. However, racial disparities in school disciplinary actions and experiences of discrimination were more pronounced in higher-opportunity areas. Specifically, the effect of Black race was stronger in regions with the highest COI, where Black students experienced a disproportionately higher rate of unfair school treatment, including both school discrimination and suspensions, compared to their White peers. This exploratory study supports that while higher educational opportunities are associated with smaller academic achievement gaps between Black and White students, they might be linked to increased racial bias in school disciplinary actions and discriminatory treatment. These findings underscore the complexity of educational equity, suggesting that improving access to quality education alone is insufficient to eliminate racial disparities in school experiences. Addressing school-based bias and discrimination must accompany efforts to enhance educational opportunities.

The gender gap in early language development among children from peri-urban China

In rural China, there exists a gender gap in academic achievement where girls outperform boys, suggesting similar differences in early language development. Moreover, recent research has revealed that children in peri-urban communities have worse language outcomes than children in rural communities. This study examines the impact of gender on early language development in low-SES, peri-urban Chinese communities. Data from 81 children (56.79% boys) aged 18-24 months (Mage = 21.16) living in peri-urban China were collected using two caregiver-reported tests for child language development and ability, and language environment analysis technology for measuring the home language environment. Results show that in peri-urban communities, girls were generally exposed to more adult-child conversations and showed higher counts of vocalizations than did boys; girls scored higher on language development measures than did boys. The implications of these findings on the gender gap and child development are discussed.

Exploring Intersectionality Inequalities in Junior Secondary Schools in Guangdong Province, China: Causes and Analysis of the Achievement Gap

This study explores the cross-inequality in junior middle schools in China and Guangdong Province, paying special attention to the causes and analysis of the academic achievement gap. Through the discussion of the theory of socio-demographic differences and intersection, this paper reveals the complex influence of multiple social identities such as socio-economic status, gender and race on students' educational experience and academic performance. It is found that the uneven distribution of educational resources in different schools in Guangdong Province and the socio-economic background of parents have significantly affected students' academic achievements. In addition, this paper also discusses the possibility of promoting educational equity through educational policy intervention, such as resource allocation, teacher training and curriculum reform. This paper aims to provide a new perspective for reducing the inequality in the education system, and suggests further research to understand and solve these complex educational inequalities more comprehensively

The academic achievement gap between students with and without special educational needs and disabilities

ABSTRACT Legislative frameworks in England have been designed to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Despite efforts from policy makers, achievement gaps persist between students with SEND and their typically developing peers. This study examines the extent and persistence of academic achievement gaps between students with various SEND classifications and their peers. Utilising data from the National Pupil Database, a comprehensive analysis of approximately 2.5 million Year 6 students across four academic years was conducted. The analysis focused on reading, mathematics, and writing achievements, exploring variations by SEND type and assessing changes over time. The findings revealed substantial, persistent gaps across all examined subjects, with the largest discrepancies noted in students with intellectual disabilities. Although some variability was observed based on the type of SEND, all students with SEND performed, on average, below their peers, with gaps widening over the examined period. The results underscore the need for a critical re-evaluation of educational practices and policies intended to support students with SEND.

Impact of leaders’ public service motivation on educational equity

There is growing concern that discriminatory access to education depending on socioeconomic status is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to resolve. This study highlights high school principals’ public service motivation (PSM) to reduce gaps in academic achievement. Using the data from a survey of high school principals in Korea in 2018 and conducting a series of interviews, this study explores how principals’ PSM influences educational equity for the socially underprivileged students. The results suggest that three dimensions of PSM (attraction to public participation, compassion, and self-sacrifice) are significantly related to increasing budget allocation for students’ equity. The study concludes with suggestions for further research and presents possible alternatives to enhance educational equity for students.

More is worse: the impact of private supplementary tutoring on middle school students’ academic achievement

ABSTRACT The literature on the effect of private supplementary tutoring has not yet reached a unanimous conclusion. In the context of the marketization of educational resources in China, this paper uses data from the Chinese Education Panel Survey (CEPS) and employs the two-stage least squares method (TSLS) to investigate the causal impact of private supplementary tutoring participation on junior middle school students’ academic achievement. After addressing the endogeneity issue of private supplementary tutoring participation, the results show that private supplementary tutoring significantly reduced the overall standardized scores of junior high school students, as well as their standardized scores in Chinese, mathematics, and English. Heterogeneity analysis shows that students attending lower-ranked schools are more adversely affected by private supplementary tutoring. Further analysis shows that the more academic pressure students face, the greater the negative impact of private supplementary tutoring on their academic achievement. Therefore, for students with heavy homework, blindly participating in private supplementary tutoring could exacerbate the academic achievement gap among students, which is detrimental to the balanced development of education.

Gender gap in school learning: Micro-level evidence from Morocco

The gender gap in education has been a significant concern for Moroccan policymakers and researchers, but the quantitative measurement of this gap has often been overlooked. This study specifically examines the gender gap in academic achievement in reading and mathematics at both the national and residential levels. The objective is to identify the factors that influence gender performance differences and their magnitude. To achieve this, micro-level data from 5427 students extracted from the PIRLS 2016 and TIMSS 2015 surveys were analyzed. The Blinder-Oaxaca (1973) decomposition technique was employed to assess the significance of the differences and to break down the performance gaps by incorporating explanatory variables related to schools, teachers, and students' characteristics. The results reveal a significant gender difference in favor of girls in reading, both nationally and in urban areas. In mathematics, the gender gap is not statistically significant and is approximately 3 points at the national level. Only 29% of the reading gap can be explained by the selected variables, while this percentage is around 20% for the math gap. Pre-school attendance, maternal education, schools, and schools' characteristics are identified as significant factors influencing the reading gap at the national and urban levels. In contrast, at the rural level, home conditions and the characteristics of the school and teacher play a more decisive role.

A Heteroglossic Lens on Washington State's Growing Dual Language for Multilingual Learners

This article examines Washington State's growing dual language program through the lens of heteroglossia. A heteroglosic lens is significant to understanding the contemporary linguistic landscape and framing language policies that will equitably serve multilingual learners and communities. With the increasing multilingual complexities of today's classrooms and the history of academic achievement gaps between monolingual and multilingual learners, heteroglossia illuminates the contextual ways in which language practices and policies hegemonize certain groups and create educational and social inequities. The article argues that unless the state's language policy is structurally revised and informed with a heteroglossic ideology and theorization of language education, its aspirational goals of equitable education for its multilingual learners may never be attained. It offers an overview of the theoretical lens of heteroglossia that must guide the planning of an equitable language policy/program that reflects multilingual learners' authentic fluid language practices.

Innovative Teaching: A Proposed Immersive Reader Training Program for Special Needs Teachers

This concept paper presents a training program aimed at empowering teachers of special needs students at Tasik Puteri 2 Primary School to effectively utilize immersive reader technology in their classrooms. Immersive reader serves as an assistive technology tool that enhances reading and writing skills among students with special needs by offering customizable visual and auditory aids. The training program is developed following a needs assessment and encompasses workshops, hands-on practice, and online resources, enabling teachers to comprehend the technology's functionalities and tailor it to suit their special needs students. Continuous support and monitoring ensure successful integration of the technology, while collaborative efforts among educators create a nurturing learning environment. By implementing immersive reader technology, the paper anticipates providing special needs students with enhanced engagement opportunities, potentially reducing the academic achievement gap between them and their peers.

Whether Socioeconomic Status Matters in Accessing Residential College: Role of RC in Addressing Academic Achievement Gaps to Ensure Sustainable Education

Following the fourth objective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education disparities are one of the most serious issues holding back national development. Despite efforts being made to tackle this discrepancy, it has long been a source of concern for many communities. It is important to note that residential colleges (RCs) have evolved and contributed to higher education for several decades now, aiming to provide an equal and inclusive living and learning environment. Having said that, while disparity is still one of the most challenging issues in this system, it has not been fully examined. Using stratified random sampling on RC students’ data from undergraduate universities piloting RC programs up to 2018 in different parts of China, this study examines the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on RC access. The study further explores the difference in academic achievement among RC students from diverse SES backgrounds and comprehensively analyzes the impact of RC on sustainable education. The study finds that disparities exist in accessing RC for individuals from varied SES backgrounds. However, RC mitigates the influence of SES on academic achievement to curtail these differences. The findings imply that ensuring access to RC for individuals from underprivileged SES backgrounds should be prioritized to address education-disparity-related challenges.

Explaining the academic achievement gap of immigrant youth in Austria

Informed by a risk and resilience developmental perspective, this study tests individual, family and school level processes as potential explanations of the immigrant academic achievement gap. In total, 1155 adolescents (48% girls; 20% immigrants, 11–14 years) attending grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 in secondary schools participated. Controlling for gender, age, citizenship, country of birth, SES, and school type, immigrant adolescents had lower levels of academic achievement compared to non-immigrants. High levels of scholastic anxiety, low levels of scholastic self-concept, high levels of parental performance expectations, and high school performance expectations helped to explain these associations. In the full model, only scholastic anxiety and self-concept remained significant mediators. Recommendations are to implement positive and growth-oriented student-centred teaching styles to reduce the immigrant academic achievement gap.

Reduced in-person learning in COVID-19 widens student achievement gaps in schools

This study aims to examine the impact of reduced in-person learning during COVID-19 on students’ academic achievement gaps focusing on rural–urban and in-school disparities. To this end, first, we investigated the regional disparity of student performance between Seoul and Gangwon, representative areas of urban and rural regions in South Korea, using t test analysis. Second, we conducted a regression analysis to analyze how the number of in-school days is associated with the student performance gap by controlling the regions. Our findings from the two analyses can be summarized as follows: First, we observed a difference in patterns between the two regions. In Seoul, student performance was polarized at the two ends of the grade spectrum, whereas in Gangwon Province, achievement declined overall between pre- and post-COVID-19. Second, in the case of Seoul, the proportion of mid-range achievement students decreased after COVID-19, whereas in Gangwon Province, COVID-19 did not have a significant effect on students’ B, C, and D grades. Third, regardless of region, more in-person learning was associated with a higher portion of mid-range grades. Based on the findings, we suggested several policy implementations to cope with student performance gaps, which can facilitate the governmental response to nationwide crises that may emerge in the future.

Four guiding principles for effective trainee-led STEM community engagement through high school outreach.

To address ongoing academic achievement gap, there is a need for more school-university partnerships promoting early access to STEM education. During summer 2020, members of our institute initiated QBio-EDGE (Quantitative Biology-Empowering Diversity and Growth in Education), an outreach program for high schools in Los Angeles. In the hope of contributing to increasing diversity in academia, QBio-EDGE aims to make STEM education more accessible for students from historically excluded communities by exposing them to scientific research and diverse scientist role models. This program is led by early career researchers (ECRs), i.e., undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. In our first year, the outreach activities took place during virtual learning, presenting challenges and opportunities within the program development. Here, we provide a practical guide outlining our outreach efforts, key factors we considered in the program development, and hurdles we overcame. Specifically, we describe how we assembled our diverse team, how we established trusting partnerships with participating schools, and how we designed engaging student-centered, problem-based classroom modules on quantitative biology and computational methods applications to understand living systems. We also discuss the importance of increased institutional support. We hope that this may inspire researchers at all career stages to engage with local schools by participating in science outreach, specifically in quantitative and computational fields. We challenge institutions to actively strengthen these efforts.

Self-regulation and academic achievement among Singaporean young children: A cross-cultural comparison in a multicultural Asian society

Cultural contexts influence the development of self-regulation. However, cross-cultural variations and consistencies in different aspects of self-regulation and their academic outcomes within the Asian context are less clear. This study investigated (1) the extent to which the development of hot and cool Executive Function (EF) might differ among children from different cultural backgrounds in a multicultural Asian society, and (2) whether and how the predictive power of hot and cool EF on academic skills might vary across subcultures within the nation. Longitudinal data were collected over two waves from a national probability sample of 2,527 young children in Singapore, consisting of ethnic Chinese, Malays, and Indians. Working memory (WM), Delay of Gratification (DoG), and parent-reported self-control were measured during their preschool years (3–6 years of age) in Wave 1. Reading and mathematical skills were assessed approximately 2 years later in Wave 2. Results demonstrated that ethnic Chinese children typically delayed gratification at age 4, whereas Malay and Indian children only started to delay gratification at age 6. Chinese children also outperformed their Malay and Indian counterparts in WM tasks and standardized achievement tests in reading and mathematics. Parent-reported child self-control did not differ by ethnicity. Across subcultures in Singapore, WM was a robust predictor of reading and mathematical skills and explained the longitudinal relations of DoG to academic skills. Our findings suggest that the developmental gaps in EF during early childhood can contribute to later gaps in academic achievement among ethnic groups. Nurturing self-regulation during the preschool years is essential for promoting children’s school readiness.

Boys with overweight status lagged behind girls with overweight status in reading: evidence from mendelian randomization

ObjectivesWe investigated the relationship between childhood weight status and academic achievement across sexes and different school subjects in Norway. Study Design and SettingWe used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), which includes genetic data (N = 13,648, 8-year-old children). We employed within-family mendelian randomization, using a body mass index (BMI) polygenic risk score as an instrument to address unobserved heterogeneity. ResultsContrary to most previous findings, we observed that overweight status (including obesity) has more detrimental effects on reading achievement in boys than in girls; the test scores of boys with overweight were about a standard deviation lower than those of normal weight boys, and the negative effects on reading achievement became stronger in the later grade. ConclusionPrevious obesity prevention studies have mainly targeted girls, based on the assumption that the obesity penalty is greater for girls. Our findings highlight that particular attention to boys with overweight may help reduce the existing gender gap in academic achievement.

Matthew Effect and Achievement Gap in Rwandan Basic Education

Education is considered a vital cog in a country’s economic engine in terms of training, research and development. Accordingly, a formal education system remains a mode of rationing opportunities, differentiation and the allocation of individuals into various positions within a society’s social stratification structure. Certainly, the obtainment of educational credentials has been linked to occupational, trajectory, income, and attendant life chances. In light of this, the achievement gap remains an important issue since an education provided in a more equal and equitable manner could be an important tool to bridge the gap between the rich and poor citizens within a country. This study aimed to ascertain the Matthew effect and its contribution to students’ academic achievement gap in the basic education schools of Rwanda. The study was guided by descriptive and correlational research design, stratified and systematic random sampling as well as purposive sampling were used to select 350 participants, including 51.4% males and 48.6% females, mostly aged 30 to 40 years. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaire and interviews. The collected data were descriptively analysed using IBM-SPSS 21. The study established that socio-economically disadvantaged students mostly enrol in under-resourced and low-performing schools i.e. public and government-aided schools. Furthermore, the study identified that private and international school students outperform their counterparts enrolled in public or government-aided schools. Moreover, a significant (p-value .011) low degree of positive correlation (r= .159) was established between the students’ academic achievement and their parents’ socio-economic category. In conclusion, the Rwandan aim of ensuring access to quality, equitable and effective education for all is facing a bleak foreseeable future due to the existing academic achievement gap influenced by the Matthew effect. Recommendations were therefore formulated with a view to eradicating the Matthew effect in the basic education schools of Rwanda.

Bring the outcome expectations back in: Chinese adolescent perceived value of effort and academic achievement

AbstractThe existing literature mainly examines the impact of academic self‐efficacy on academic achievement in educational psychology. Much less is known about the relationship between outcome expectations and adolescent academic achievement. This article applies the random intercept model to investigate the association between Chinese adolescent perceived value of effort as outcome expectations and academic achievement and employs the Karlson, Holm, and Breen (KHB) method to examine the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, this paper uses the random coefficient model to explore the heterogeneous association between the perceived value of effort and adolescent academic achievement across families and schools. Based on the Programme for International Students Assessment 2018 (N = 11751; 48.07% females), we found that the adolescent perceived value of effort was significantly and positively correlated with academic achievement. Adolescent educational expectations and academic engagement partially mediated the relationship between the perceived value of effort and academic achievement. Adolescents from disadvantaged families and schools benefited more from the perceived value of effort. These findings enhance existing literature by revealing how the adolescent outcome expectations contribute to academic achievement and provide a scientific basis for bridging the gap in academic achievement between families and schools to promote equity in education.

School's Out: How Summer Youth Employment Programs Impact Academic Outcomes

Abstract Recently there has been an emphasis on how time spent outside of the classroom can affect student outcomes, including high school graduation, with the hope of closing academic achievement gaps along socioeconomic and racial lines. This paper provides experimental evidence regarding a particular type of out-of-school activity—early work experience—on high school academic outcomes for low-income inner-city youth. Using randomized admissions lotteries for students who applied to the Boston Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), we estimate the effect of being selected to participate on academic outcomes as measured by administrative school records. We find that SYEP lottery winners are 4.4 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school on time and 2.5 percentage points less likely to drop out of high school during the four years after participating in the program relative to the control group. These improvements appear to be driven by better attendance and course performance in the year after being selected for the program, with the program's impact on attendance persisting into the second year. Survey data suggest that the Boston SYEP may affect academic outcomes by increasing aspirations to attend college, gaining basic work habits, and improving social skills during the summer.

Better policy interventions through intersectionality

AbstractDeployment of intersectionality frameworks in policy design and implementation is a way to ensure that the means and goals of interventions are congruent with target populations’ understanding of their circumstances, their desired outcomes, and their empowerment. In this paper, we examine the ways concepts from psychology have been used to inform interventions and policies, and we use an intersectional lens to suggest improvements to these interventions to be more inclusive in their impact. We review three social policy interventions that were developed based on social psychological research: (1) sexual assault prevention programs based on bystander interventions; (2) so‐called “wise schooling” programs, intended to ameliorate gaps in academic achievement stemming from stereotype threat; and (3) programs aiming to foster pro‐environmental behavior, specifically, recyling. Following Cole's (2009) recommendations for using intersectionality in research in psychology together with the guiding principles that define Intersectionality‐Based Policy Analysis (Hankivsky et al., 2014), we interrogate how the psychological research that provides the foundation for these policies informs them at different points in the policy cycle and suggest alternatives designed to more equitably address these problems. Our analysis shows that these problems demand a multi‐level analysis that recognizes intersecting identities.