Index Of Community Socio-Educational Advantage Research Articles

Potential Mediating Roles of Children's Health-Related Quality of Life and Weight-Related Behaviors in the Relationship Between Socio-Educational Advantage and Weight Status.

Background: Socioeconomic status is inversely associated with weight status in developed countries. Underlying mechanisms are still to be clarified. Our aim was to determine if weight-related behaviors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) mediate the relationship between socio-educational advantage and weight status in Australian children 9 to 13 years of age. Methods: Secondary analysis of data collected by two cluster randomized trials (2019 wave). We measured children's (n = 3978) height, weight, diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and HRQoL. Socio-.educational advantage was assessed at school level using the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). A counterfactual framework was used to explore potential mediators in the relationship between socio-educational disadvantage and (1) overweight/obesity and (2) BMI z-score (BMIz). Results: Low socio-educational advantage was associated with increased overweight/obesity and BMIz. The overweight/obesity association was mediated by sedentary behavior (natural indirect effect as a proportion of total, 7.5%) sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption (12.7%), physical functioning (11.9%), psychosocial health (10.9%), school (6.8%) and social functioning (15.6%), and total HRQoL score (13.8%). The ICSEA-BMIz relationship was mediated by sedentary behavior (5.7%), sleep duration (4.1%), SSB (10.6%), physical functioning (9.9%), psychosocial health (9.1%), school (5.5%) and social (13.7%) functioning, and total HRQoL score (11.7%). Conclusion: Victorian Children with low socio-educational advantage were more likely to be living with overweight or obesity. This relationship was mediated by children's sedentary behavior, SSB consumption, and HRQoL. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12616000980437 (registered July 26, 2016, retrospectively registered) and ACTRN12618001986268 (registered December 11, 2018, prospectively registered). https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration.

The spatial implications of academic achievement in Year 12: Rethinking discourses of disadvantage in rural locations

Rurality is an identified point of disadvantage in measures such as the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) and school resourcing models. However, socioeconomic disadvantage is commonly used as an explanation for lower average student achievement in rural locations. Thus, policies are often directed towards reducing disadvantage associated with socioeconomic status, and rurality is overlooked. This research tests the validity of these assumptions using a matched study approach. We examine data on New South Wales (NSW) students, schools and courses to investigate how the English and Mathematics achievement levels of students in their final year of secondary school are associated with family and school characteristics across locations. The findings show that socioeconomic variation does not fully account for differences in achievement in rural locations. Instead, rurality appears to mediate other effects on student achievement in a complex interplay of factors contributing to lower average results. This highlights the need to consider the specificities of rurality in schooling, particularly the role of rural knowledges and perspectives in schooling and student achievement.

Segregation and success in Tasmanian primary school sport carnivals

ABSTRACT Australian schooling is one of the most segregated systems in the OECD, with much focus on the inequality between schools from poorer areas compared with those from wealthier suburbs. These inequalities have been explored in terms of infrastructure and funding, as well as their relative academic achievement. Previous research has also found that children from more disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to have poorer health than their wealthier peers. To determine whether there is a connection between these findings, this study investigates the impact of social and educational advantage on participation and success in primary school sports carnivals in Tasmania. It examined the results of Tasmanian primary schools across interschool cross-country carnivals between 2009 and 2019 and found that structural segregation existed across all competitions. Multiple regression was used to see if the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA), total school enrolments and geographic location predicted school cross-country rank. It was found that school size, geographic region and ICSEA all played an independent role in determining the participation and success of schools. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Receipt of evidence-based care for children and adolescents with anxiety in Australia.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy is recommended as the first-line treatment for children and adolescents with anxiety. Despite its efficacy, a recent United Kingdom study indicated that few children with anxiety disorders receive cognitive-behavioural therapy. The primary aim of this study was to examine the receipt of cognitive-behavioural therapy for children and adolescents with elevated anxiety symptoms in Australia. Second, this study also examined whether there was a difference in the type of treatment received based on socioeconomic status and geographical location. Using self-reported questionnaires, parents of children aged 4-18 years and children aged 12-18 years (N = 784; elevated anxiety symptom sample n = 169) were recruited from four samples: community (n = 164), school (n = 177), clinic (n = 16) and online panel provider (n = 427). Participants reported on the child's anxiety symptoms and the type of treatment (if any) the child received for their anxiety symptoms. Results indicated that 19.5% of children and adolescents with elevated anxiety symptoms received evidence-based treatment (e.g. cognitive-behavioural therapy). Of those families who did seek help for anxiety in Australia, the majority (66.3%) did not receive cognitive-behavioural therapy. In addition, neither socioeconomic status (which was based on the Australian Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage [ICSEA]) nor location (metropolitan vs regional/remote) affected whether individuals received evidence-based care or non-evidence-based care. Overall, children and adolescents in this study seeking support for their anxiety symptoms were not receiving adequate evidence-based care, regardless of socioeconomic status and location. These findings indicate there is a need to increase the receipt of cognitive-behavioural therapy for children and adolescents with anxiety symptoms. The findings should tentatively be interpreted, given data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are Australian Islamic schools elitist?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine whether Australian Islamic schools, by dint of their unique status within Australian private schooling, may be construed as elitist or exclusivist premised on markers such as religious affiliation, school age, history, location, reputation and non-curricular excellences such as affluence and alumni. This issue has not been examined empirically hitherto. This study addresses this absence, as these markers, when used selectively, may make student entry restrictive by virtue of enrolment criteria that is either hyper selective or exclusivist that is often administered through costly tuition fees.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative analysis is used to examine four distinct elitist markers associated with Islamic schools, as they appeal to a market prescribed by faith, preference and demand. Data is sourced from selected government and independent school databases including the index of community socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) database.FindingsThe findings indicate that Islamic schools do not fit any of these markers partly because these schools are positioned predominantly in middle to lower socio-economic communities and areas where the measure of educationally advantaged backgrounds is only marginally above the ICSEA threshold of 1,000. Further, their enrolment criteria are not premised on high fee-based structures nor on exclusivist selection and enrolment practices that would tag them as elitist.Research limitations/implicationsIt is quite possible that parental and community perceptions of Islamic schools using qualitative measures may identify some schools as elitist. This, however, has yet to be tested empirically in further studies relying on surveys, interviews and focus group sessions.Practical implicationsIslamic schools should not market nor portray themselves as elitist or exclusivist for that may undermine the very purpose of their function as faith-based institutions.Social implicationsPerceptions of elitism levelled against some Islamic schools must be weighed against a number of distinct social markers. The examination of four markers in this study does not support such perceptions. Elitist perceptions may abound within communities and amongst parents when vying for student placements in these schools. The basis for such observations, however, is at best anecdotal or outright conjectural in the absence of empirical evidence.Originality/valueThis is the first and only study that examines the issue of elitism amongst Islamic schools in Australia and elsewhere.

The Impact of Demographic Factors on Student Attendance in Queensland State Secondary Schools

This article analyses the impact of three demographic factors on student attendance 0ver a three-year population level statistical analysis of student attendance rates in Queensland (Australia) state secondary schools. Whole school attendance rates were mapped against the demographic factors of schools’ Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) values, proportion of Indigenous students within the school, and school population size as independent variables to identify which schools recorded the highest student attendance as measured by proportion of students with more than 95 per cent average attendance across the years 2014-2016. The geographic and demographic profile of these schools were then assessed to guide direction for future research. The data from this sample of schools indicates no significant relationship between high levels of student attendance and the three independent variables. Subsequent analysis of school location resulted in identification of a significant number of schools in rural locations attaining excellent attendance rates against both study sample schools and state benchmarks. It is evident that several schools have successfully navigated what might be considered challenging school demography to attain higher than average attendance rates. Despite the age of this data, no significant system-wide attendance improvement is presently evident, and the same conditions of challenge remain for schools. The findings suggest a need for a more forensic approach to analysis of school climate and culture to determine factors contributing to student attendance. The data from this sample of schools indicates no significant relationship between high levels of student attendance and the three independent variables, challenging long held assumptions that low socio-economic status and high proportion of indigeneity are significant causal factors for low rates of school attendance. Subsequent analysis of school location resulted in identification of a significant number of schools in rural locations attaining excellent attendance outcomes against both study sample schools and state benchmarks. It is concluded that rather than relying on traditional stereotypes of school demography influencing perception of student attendance patterns, educators must adopt a more forensic approach to analysis of their school climate and culture to determine contributing factors to student attendance excellence. ICSEA is a scale that applies a numerical value to schools in Australia determined by the level of educational advantage experienced by students in the school. ICSEA considers parental occupations, parental level of education, school geographical location and the proportion of indigenous students in the school. An ICSEA of 1000 is the average benchmark value (ACARA, 2014)

Trends in overweight and obesity by socioeconomic status in Year 6 school children, Australian Capital Territory, 2006\u20132018

BackgroundDue to the high prevalence and adverse consequences, overweight and obesity in children continues to be a major public health concern worldwide. Socioeconomic background and health-related behaviours (such as diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviors) are important factors associated with weight status in children. Using a series of height and weight assessments from the Australian Capital Territory Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (ACTPANS), trends in prevalence of overweight and obesity by socioeconomic status were examined in ACT Year 6 school children between 2006 and 2018.MethodsThe ACTPANS has been conducted every 3 years since 2006. A total of 6729 children were surveyed. Complete data on height and weight were available for 6384 (94.9%) participants. Trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity and associations between weight status and risk factors (such as socioeconomic status, physical activity, screen time and consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (SSD)) were examined using logistic regression.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight and obesity remained stable in girls (from 22.5% in 2006 to 21.6% in 2018) but declined in boys (from 27.8 to 17.9%). During the same period, levels of physical activity increased slightly, while screen time and the consumption of fast food and SSD decreased. Socioeconomic gradient, based on the school-level Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA), was highly associated with prevalence of overweight and obesity. Since 2006, the estimated prevalence of overweight and obesity has remained high in the lowest SES groups, but a concurrent downward trend was observed in the highest SES group, leading to increasing disparity between SES groups. Children in the lowest ICSEA quintile were more likely to be overweight or obese compared to those in the moderate and highest ICSEA quintiles. Children in lower ICSEA quintiles also reported lower levels of physical activity, higher levels of screen time, and higher levels of fast food and SSD consumption compared to those in higher ICSEA quintiles.ConclusionsWhile recent trends in overweight and obesity in ACT children are encouraging, the prevalence remains unacceptably high, especially in those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Additional prevention efforts are required to address the socioeconomic disparity.

Learning environment and primary school efficiency

Purpose Existing studies of school efficiency primarily specify teacher inputs as the number of teachers and perhaps the student-teacher ratio. As a result, there is no direct qualitative recognition of the learning environment. The purpose of this paper is to incorporate the learning environment directly into the assessment of school efficiency. Design/methodology/approach The authors employ data envelopment analysis to derive efficiency scores and the double-bootstrap truncated regression approach in Simar and Wilson’s (2007) Journal of Econometrics to quantify the sources of efficiency in 430 Queensland state primary schools. In the first stage, the outputs of student National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy scores and the inputs of full-time equivalent teaching staff and cumulative capital expenditure per student are used to measure efficiency. In the second stage, the authors specify an index of community socio-educational advantage, class size, the share of teachers with postgraduate qualifications, funds spent on professional development, and surveyed opinions from parents/caregivers, students, staff and principals on the learning environment to explain these measures of efficiency. Findings Socio-economic background and the teaching environment affect school efficiency. Although not all variables related to teacher contribution are significant, there is evidence to suggest that teachers have a positive influence on student performance hence school efficiency. Teachers ability to clearly explain the requirements of schoolwork tasks and listening to student opinions sets an ideal student engagement environment which can have a profound impact on student learning. Practical implications From a policy perspective, policy makers should target resources at inefficient schools aimed at enhancing student learning through teacher development and, at the same time, providing financial and non-financial educational assistance to students and their families from a low socio-educational background. Originality/value This is the first large-scale primary school efficiency analysis to incorporate the Simar and Wilson (2007) approach to explaining the determinants of efficiency, including teaching environment from the perspective of students, teachers and other stakeholders.

Association of Modifiable Risk Factors With Dental Caries Among Indigenous and Nonindigenous Children in Australia

Although the prevalence of untreated dental caries among Indigenous Australian children greatly exceeds the prevalence observed among non-Indigenous children, the associations of dental caries with risk factors is considered to be the same. To estimate the association of modifiable risk factors with area-based inequalities in untreated dental caries among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children using decomposition analysis. Cross-sectional study using data from Australia's National Child Oral Health Study 2012-2014, a nationally representative sample of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children aged 5 to 14 years. Data analyses were completed in November 2018. Outcomes were the mean number of decayed tooth surfaces in the primary dentition for children aged 5 to 10 years and mean number of decayed tooth surfaces in the permanent dentition for children aged 8 to 14 years. The area-based measure was the school-based Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage, with individual-level variables including sex, equivalized household income, tooth-brushing frequency, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, time from last dental visit, and residing in an area with water fluoridation. There were 720 Indigenous children aged 5 to 10 years, 14 769 non-Indigenous children aged 5 to 10 years, 738 Indigenous children aged 8 to 14 years, and 15 631 non-Indigenous children aged 8 to 14 years. For area-based inequalities in primary dentition among Indigenous children, two-thirds of the contribution was associated with SSB consumption (65.9%; 95% CI, 65.5%-66.3%), followed by irregular tooth brushing (15.0%; 95% CI, 14.6%-15.5%) and low household income (14.5%; 95% CI, 14.1%-14.8%). Among non-Indigenous children, almost half the contribution was associated with low household income (47.6%; 95% CI, 47.6%-47.7%), followed by SSB consumption (31.0%; 95% CI, 30.9%-31.0%) and residing in an area with nonfluoridated water (9.5%; 95% CI, 9.5%-9.6%). For area-based inequalities in permanent dentition among Indigenous children, 40.0% (95% CI, 39.9%-40.1%) of the contribution was associated with residing in an area with nonfluoridated water, followed by low household income (20.0%; 95% CI, 19.7%-20.0%) and consumption of SSBs (20.0%; 95% CI, 19.9%-20.1%). Among non-Indigenous children, the contribution associated with low household income, SSB consumption, and last dental visit more than a year ago were each 28.6%. The association of modifiable risk factors with area-based inequalities in untreated dental caries among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children differed substantially. Targets to reduce SSB consumption may reduce oral health inequalities for both groups; however, Indigenous children require additional focus on oral hygiene.

Teachers’ beliefs related to secondary school completion: associations with socio-educational advantage and school level

This research used the responses of 187 Tasmanian teachers to a questionnaire comprising 52-Likert-type items, two multiple-choice items, and two open-response items to investigate differences in teachers’ beliefs about aspects of schooling related to students’ secondary school completion. Exploratory factor analysis of responses to the Likert-type items identified 3 factors underpinning teachers’ responses. These were (1) Student and parent aspirations, (2) Teacher and school quality and support, and (3) Expectations for continuing education. Two-way ANOVAs showed that primary school teachers scored higher on average than secondary teachers for student and parent aspirations, and that there was an interaction between level of schooling and Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) for this factor. Descriptive statistics were used to compare responses to the multiple-choice items of teachers at different levels of ICSEA and schooling. Open-response items were categorised in two ways (1) as related to pastoral, academic, or engagement matters, and (2) as negative or positive in relation to each of students, parents, and teachers. The results highlighted less academic and more pastorally focussed cultures in Year 7–10 schools compared with Year 11–12 schools and relatively low expectations for university study across the levels of schooling. The findings implicate teachers’ beliefs about students and their families as crucial to influencing educational aspirations and attainment.

Influence of School-Level Socioeconomic Status on Children's Physical Activity, Fitness, and Fundamental Movement Skill Levels.

Authorities recommend that youth undertake at least 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), with young people having the opportunity to undertake at least half of this MVPA during school hours. In this study, we examined the influence of school-level socioeconomic status (SES) on children's PA, fitness and fundamental movement skill (FMS) levels, and the barriers and enablers of children's PA in 86 Australian schools (41 primary, 45 secondary). School-level SES was based on an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). School representatives reported potential barriers and enablers for children's PA. We used subjective and objectives measures of PA, fitness, and FMS levels. Multiple logistic regression examined the associations of ICSEA category (low or high) with barriers and enablers, and PA outcomes, adjusting for children's language background and residence. Children from high SES schools were more likely to achieve the healthy fitness zone for cardiorespiratory fitness; those from low SES schools consistently reported more barriers and fewer enablers than their high SES counterparts. Extra efforts may be required to address school-level barriers and enablers to enhance PA, fitness, and FMS levels for schools in disadvantaged areas.

School-Level Socioeconomic Status Influences Adolescents' Health-Related Lifestyle Behaviors and Intentions.

School-level socioeconomic status (SES) influences on adolescents' lifestyle behaviors is understudied. We examined how school-level SES and sex influence adolescents' health-related lifestyle behaviors and intentions. Grade 8 students aged 13-14 years completed an online questionnaire regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, dietary behaviors, physical activity participation and recreational screen-time, and intentions regarding these behaviors. School-level SES, based on an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA), was categorized as low or high. Generalized estimating equations estimated individual-level summary statistics, adjusted for clustering. Students (N = 2538; response rate = 79%) from 23 high schools (low ICSEA = 16) participated. Compared with low ICSEA students, high ICSEA students were more likely to report eating breakfast daily (OR 1.9 [95% CI 1.5, 2.4]), not drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) daily (2.9 [1.9, 4.3]), and were more likely to have intentions to eat breakfast (1.8 [1.3, 2.3]) and ≥ 5 vegetable serves (1.2 [1.0, 1.5]) daily. Boys were more likely than girls to meet recommendations for breakfast eating, vegetable intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and screen-time, but boys were less likely to meet recommendations regarding SSB intake. Students from low ICSEA schools would benefit from additional support to improve dietary-related behaviors and intentions. More research is required to identify what targeted approaches will address sex differences in adolescents' lifestyle behaviors.

B Part of It protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the impact of 4CMenB vaccine on pharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in adolescents

IntroductionSouth Australia (SA) has the highest notification rate of invasive meningococcal disease in Australia with the majority of cases due to serogroup B. Neisseria meningitidis is carried in the pharynx,...

Bringing CASE in from the Cold: the Teaching and Learning of Thinking

Thinking Science is a 2-year program of professional development for teachers and thinking lessons for students in junior high school science classes. This paper presents research on the effects of Thinking Science on students’ levels of cognition in Australia. The research is timely, with a general capability focused on critical thinking in the newly implemented F-10 curriculum in Australia. The design of the research was a quasi-experiment with pre- and post-intervention cognitive tests conducted with participating students (n = 655) from nine cohorts in seven high schools. Findings showed significant cognitive gains compared with an age-matched control group over the length of the program. Noteworthy is a correlation between baseline cognitive score and school Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). We argue that the teaching of thinking be brought into the mainstream arena of educational discourse and that the principles from evidence-based programs such as Thinking Science be universally adopted.

Individual and School-Level Socioeconomic Gradients in Physical Activity in Australian Schoolchildren.

We attempted to determine whether there was a socioeconomic gradient in 9- to 11-year-old Australian children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and whether school facilities or policies supporting physical activity were associated with school-level socioeconomic status (SES) and MVPA. Children (N = 528) from 26 randomly selected schools participated in the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment. School-level SES was determined by the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage. MVPA was determined from 7-day, 24-hour accelerometry. School facilities (21 items) were evaluated with an objective school ground audit. School policies related to physical activity were collected (18 items) in a school administrator survey. Relationships among SES, MVPA, school facilities, and policies were examined using bivariate regression, correlation analyses, and analysis of variance. There was a clear SES gradient in daily and in-school MVPA. School facilities or physical activity policies were not associated with SES or in-school MVPA, with the exception of presence of a sports field which was associated with lower SES schools (p = .02) and lower in-school MVPA (p = .001). School-built, policy, and resource environments are similar across different SES-level schools. Therefore, some other mechanism must be underlying the SES gradients seen in MVPA participation in Australian children.

GlobalVoices InAustralia; Transparency, Autonomy, and Performance Pay in Australia

A new web site in Australia has become the focus of a swirling debate about national testing, transparency, and performance pay. The new web site, called My School (www.myschool.edu.au), was unveiled earlier this year and reports the performance of each of Australia's almost 10,000 schools on national tests of student achievement. Tests in the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) were administered for the third time in May 2009 for all students in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. School cards contain a description of each school along with the raw scores on tests and comparisons to 60 statistically schools and schools in the same neighborhood. The web site reports student attendance rates and how each school scores on the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). All schools that receive public funds, including public and private schools, have an online report card. The web site has brought into focus extensive debate in recent months on the merits of national testing and the high level of transparency. The public generally supports the testing program and the high level of transparency. But teachers, principals, and the public oppose transparency in the form of the My School web site if it allows the media to construct so-called league tables that compare school performance. Teachers and Testing Members of the Australian Education Union (AEU), the largest of the teachers unions serving the public sector, unanimously approved a resolution at its annual conference in January that teachers will refuse to administer the 2010 tests scheduled in May unless federal Minister for Education Julia Gillard assures them that such league tables can't be produced. She has provided that assurance in the past, but there have been no changes in how school performance is presented online, and several crude league tables duly appeared in several newspapers after My School went live in January. Gillard, who is also deputy prime minister, has threatened legal strike-breaking action if teachers withdraw their services. The opposition party in the federal parliament, the Liberal-National Coalition, has taken a cautious approach to the My School web site. The Liberal-Nationals strongly endorse the national testing program--not surprising, because this is the party that initiated national testing when it was in government before the election of the Rudd Labor government in late 2007. On the one hand, the opposition downplays the web site, claiming it will prove ineffective or be ignored, going the way of similar initiatives of the government called Fuel Watch and Grocery Watch. Events since the launch of My School suggest this did not occur. There have been an unprecedented number of hits on the web site, and there has been vigorous and balanced debate on the main pages of daily newspapers. After the initial appearance of simplistic tables, newspapers have refrained from publishing full league tables. A private company that has done so may well be sued by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, which conducts the tests and operates My School. The Liberal-National opposition argues that high-stakes testing and reporting demands that principals have more authority to select their staff. The level of autonomy across the country is uneven. Private schools, which enroll about 35% of all students (exceeding 50% at the upper secondary level in the largest capital cities), have a very high level of autonomy; public schools in much of the country have relatively little. Julia Gillard has yet to declare her hand regarding what level of autonomy would prove best for schools. …