Reading Test Scores Research Articles

Intergenerational effects of a casino-funded family transfer program on educational outcomes in an American Indian community

Cash transfer policies have been widely discussed as mechanisms to curb intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic disadvantage. In this paper, we take advantage of a large casino-funded family transfer program introduced in a Southeastern American Indian Tribe to generate difference-in-difference estimates of the link between children’s cash transfer exposure and third grade math and reading test scores of their offspring. Here we show greater math (0.25 standard deviation [SD], p =.0148, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.05, 0.45) and reading (0.28 SD, p = .0066, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.49) scores among American Indian students whose mother was exposed ten years longer than other American Indian students to the cash transfer during her childhood (or relative to the non-American Indian student referent group). Exploratory analyses find that a mother’s decision to pursue higher education and delay fertility appears to explain some, but not all, of the relation between cash transfers and children’s test scores. In this rural population, large cash transfers have the potential to reduce intergenerational cycles of poverty-related educational outcomes.

Spatial Variability in Relationships between Early Childhood Lead Exposure and Standardized Test Scores in Fourth Grade North Carolina Public School Students (2013-2016).

Exposure to lead during childhood is detrimental to children's health. The extent to which the association between lead exposure and elementary school academic outcomes varies across geography is not known. Estimate associations between blood lead levels (BLLs) and fourth grade standardized test scores in reading and mathematics in North Carolina using models that allow associations between BLL and test scores to vary spatially across communities. We link geocoded, individual-level, standardized test score data for North Carolina public school students in fourth grade (2013-2016) with detailed birth records and blood lead testing data retrieved from the North Carolina childhood blood lead state registry on samples typically collected at 1-6 y of age. BLLs were categorized as: (reference), , and . We then fit spatially varying coefficient models that incorporate information sharing (smoothness), across neighboring communities via a Gaussian Markov random field to provide a global estimate of the association between BLL and test scores, as well as census tract-specific estimates (i.e., spatial coefficients). Models adjusted for maternal- and child-level covariates and were fit separately for reading and math. The average BLL across the 91,706 individuals in the analysis dataset was . Individuals were distributed across 2,002 (out of 2,195) census tracts in North Carolina. In models adjusting for child sex, birth weight percentile for gestational age, and Medicaid participation as well as maternal race/ethnicity, educational attainment, marital status, and tobacco use, BLLs of , and were associated with overall lower reading test scores of [95% confidence interval (CI): , ], (, ), and (, ), respectively. For BLLs of , , and , spatial coefficients-that is, tract-specific adjustments in reading test score relative to the "global" coefficient-ranged from to 2.52, to 3.90, to 7.85, and to 4.33, respectively. Results for mathematics were similar to those for reading. The association between lead exposure and reading and mathematics test scores exhibits considerable heterogeneity across North Carolina communities. These results emphasize the need for prevention and mitigation efforts with respect to lead exposures everywhere, with special attention to locations where the cognitive impact is elevated. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13898.

Inequality of educational opportunity among primary school children in Cameroon

Despite several education policies related to the Sustainable Development Goals, educational inequalities persist at the primary school level in Cameroon. However, little is known on students’ circumstances and efforts in an attempt to reduce these inequalities. The aim of this paper therefore is to analyse inequality of opportunity in Cameroon’s primary education sector. Using the 2014 and 2019 PASEC databases, we decompose students’ reading and mathematics test scores based on Shapley and non-parametric approaches to assess the role of household, school and environmental circumstances. Results show that inequality of opportunity contributes between 38.1 % and 46.3 % of total inequality for between 2014 and 2019 in test scores. Interestingly, school factors like school type, location, resources, and class size, have a bigger impact than students’ family background. Policies to improve school conditions should focus on rural and under-resourced areas in terms of educational materials, while improving school inspections and reducing class sizes may be more effective in reducing educational inequalities.

Analyzing how well an equity-based, inclusive school reform strategy with MTSS integration can improve the math and reading performance of students with IEPs

Equity-based investments provide a long-term potential for substantial returns. In the long run, stocks have performed better than a lot of other investing options, including bonds or cash. It's important to keep in mind that past performance does not guarantee future results, and there may be ups and downs in the stock market. The goal of the current research was to determine Would a broad, based on stocks educational transformation paradigm nestled inside an Multi-Tiered System Of Support (MTSS) framework might increase the arithmetic and reading test scores of children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). According to descriptive data, pupils with IEPs had higher math state test results throughout the implementation period. The scores were strongly and positively predicted by model fidelity of implementation scores. Students with IEPs improved their math scores in implementing schools in faster rate’s compared with their counterparts in comparable educational institutions, according to a subsequent analysis comparing The approach's efficacy in three institutions that used it faithfully enough compared to non-implementing institutions. The findings on inclusivity as well as the steps taken to enable high-fidelity MTSS adoption are discussed. The consequences were included reform’s approach with the integration go beyond math and reading outcomes, even though this research concentrated exclusively on these areas.

The Impact of Community Eligibility Provision on Multilingual Learner Outcomes

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows schools that meet certain criteria to provide free meals to all students. I provide new evidence on the impact of CEP with a focus on a particular group of students: those who are Multilingual Learners (MLL). These students may have been less likely to enroll to receive free meals before CEP even when income-eligible and were potentially less likely to take-up free meals when enrolled during the pre-CEP period due to heightened stigma. Using a student-level panel from North Carolina, I estimate the impact of CEP on MLL student math and reading achievement and school suspensions. I estimate student fixed effects models that suggest CEP positively impacts MLL students, whose math and reading test scores improve .032 and .082 of a standard deviation, respectively, on average when they attend schools enrolled in CEP. These students also see a reduction in the chance of being suspended in a given year of ∼2.3%, a 20% reduction of the mean, though this finding is more sensitive to how school-level poverty is measured.

The Effects of Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) Instruction on Standardized Reading Comprehension Test Scores of Third-Grade Students

Despite many school reform initiatives designed to ensure reading proficiency for all students, recent reports from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveal that only 37 percent of fourth-grade students and only 34 percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the proficiency levels measured in reading (NAEP, 2017). This quantitative study used a non-equivalent control group design to examine the impact of direct instruction of the Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) strategy on standardized reading test scores of third-grade students. It also specifically examined the impact of direct instruction of the QAR strategy on traditionally underserved students' standardized test scores. A two-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted. Adjusted marginal mean post-test scores in the group receiving treatment of the QAR strategy (64.580) were higher than the mean post-test scores of students who did not receive QAR instruction (56.382). Adjusted marginal mean post-test scores of students who did not receive QAR instruction (56.382). Adjusted marginal mean post-test scores of historically underserved students showed no significant differences (60.05 and 60.90, respectively). In addition, adjusted marginal mean post-test scores of historically underserved and non-historically underserved students who received QAR instruction showed no significant differences (54.48 and 58.29).

The Effect of Self-identity and Positive Emotion Intervention on College Students' English Reading Study on the Correlation between Test Scores

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of self-identification and positive emotion intervention on college students' English reading comprehension. In the context of globalization, proficiency in English reading is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication and career advancement. However, previous research has primarily focused on the influence of self-efficacy on long-term learning, neglecting the examination-specific utilization of psychological adjustment strategies (such as positive emotional intervention) and its correlation with test performance and scores among students. Therefore, this study posits that through psychological adjustment and alleviation of test anxiety, positive emotional intervention and self-identification can facilitate improvements in English reading comprehension skills as well as enhance test coping abilities. A total of 61 non-English major college students were randomly selected and divided into two groups: “moderate self-identification group” and “high self-identification group”. Each group was further subdivided into an intervention group and a control group. The statistical software SPSS was employed to conduct descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and difference analysis in order to elucidate the relationship between positive emotions, self-identification, and English reading scores. These findings aim to provide novel insights for both the education industry and the psychological field. The results revealed that positive emotion intervention significantly influenced students' English reading test scores across different levels of self-identification. Specifically, students with a moderate level of self-identification exhibited improved performance after receiving positive emotion intervention, whereas those with a high level of self-identification maintained better performance without additional situational motivation. Furthermore, it was observed that reading materials of varying difficulty levels also impacted reading comprehension at an intermediate level of English proficiency. Overall, this study confirms the efficacy of positive emotion intervention in assisting students in effectively coping with challenges and enhancing their accuracy.

Poor air quality at school and educational inequality by family socioeconomic status in Italy

This paper investigates social stratification in the context of poor air quality's impact on educational achievement in Italy, a country characterized by high levels of air pollution and significant geographical diversity. We address two primary questions: firstly, whether students from different socio-economic backgrounds vary in their exposure to high levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) at school, and secondly, if the effect of exposure to poor air quality on academic performance differs between children from high and low socio-economic status families. Utilizing a novel dataset comprising test scores in math and reading for 456,508 8th-grade students, collected nationally in Italy in 2019, we geocode the locations of 6882 schools based on their addresses and link the level of air pollution in the surrounding areas using PM2.5 data from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group. To address potential confounding factors, we estimate municipality and province fixed effects and control for indicators of school neighborhood characteristics and school quality. Our analysis yields three key findings. Firstly, students from higher socio-economic backgrounds tend to attend schools with higher PM2.5 levels. However, the positive association between SES and exposure to PM2.5 disappears when adding province and municipality fixed effects, suggesting that the positive association can be explained by selection into provinces and municipalities by SES. Secondly, we identify a small yet consistent negative effect of PM2.5 on math and reading test scores. Thirdly, this adverse impact is primarily observed among students from low socio-economic backgrounds. We conclude that the relationship between environmental risks and disparities in educational achievement based on social background in Italy is nuanced and critically influenced by the country's specific context.

The Returns to Public Library Investment

Local governments spend over $12 billion annually funding the operation of 15,427 public libraries in the United States, yet we know little about their effects. We use data describing the near universe of public libraries to show that public library capital investment increases library visits, children’s attendance at library events, and children’s circulation by an average of 5–15 percent in the years following investment. Increases in library use translate into improved test scores in nearby school districts: a $200 or greater per student capital investment in local public libraries increases reading test scores by 0. 01–0.04 standard deviations in subsequent years. (JEL G31, H75, I21, L86)

The Interplay between Metacognitive Knowledge, L2 Language Proficiency, and Question Formats in Predicting L2 Reading Test Scores

In the context of L2 academic reading, teachers tend to use a variety of question formats to assess students’ reading comprehension. Studies have revealed that not only question formats but also L2 language proficiency might affect how students use metacognitive strategies. Moreover, studies have determined that students’ L2 reading comprehension is positively influenced by their metacognitive knowledge, though whether this positive influence is reflected in students’ test scores is still under debate. This study therefore adopted path analyses to investigate the relationship between metacognitive knowledge, L2 reading proficiency, L2 reading test scores, and question formats. A total of 108 ESL students took English reading tests in multiple-choice and short-answer question formats and completed a reading strategy survey to measure their metacognitive knowledge of three types of strategies: global, problem-solving, and supporting. In both question formats, path analyses indicated that (1) metacognitive knowledge contributed to L2 reading test scores and (2) students’ L2 reading proficiency mediated the impact of metacognitive knowledge on their test performance. Moreover, path analyses revealed that question formats might play an important role in altering the impact of metacognitive knowledge on L2 reading test scores. Implications for instruction and L2 reading assessment are discussed.

Stress and Cognitive Performance: Evidence from a South Korean Earthquake

Abstract Studies have identified negative effects of cortisol, a stress hormone, on academic performance. Because natural disasters induce community-wide stress, students who experience natural disasters may subsequently perform worse academically. Our study is the first to examine the immediate effects of close exposure to a natural disaster on academic performance. We examine the impact of the 2017 Pohang earthquake in South Korea on college entrance exam scores. The 5.4 magnitude quake occurred one day before the scheduled nationwide college entrance exam date, necessitating its postponement for one week. Several aftershocks occurred during that postponement period. We find that the earthquake decreased the reading test scores of students in the Pohang area by 0.05 standard deviation but had no effect on math test scores. The reading test was administered earlier in the day than the math test, so these findings suggest that students taking exams in post-traumatic situations might be able to perform better after a warm-up testing period. Finally, male students suffered the largest adverse impacts on their reading test scores, with serious implications given the high-stakes nature of the exams.

Inequalities in learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile: the significance of school effectiveness

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic-associated learning losses were unequal across school subjects and sociodemographic groups. This study posits that these losses are also heterogeneous based on pre-pandemic school effectiveness, that is, the value schools added above the expected students’ learning based on their socioeconomic background. Using national-scale standardized mathematics and reading test scores, we compared learning losses between 2013–2018 (pre-pandemic) and 2022 at the school level in Chile and examined how they varied according to an indicator of schools’ pre-pandemic effectiveness. Schools with high effectiveness underwent the highest pandemic-driven losses, especially in mathematics. These losses were more pronounced as schools reopened later and students’ post-pandemic attendance decreased. Educational policies should adjust to this heterogeneity. While high-vulnerability, high-effectiveness schools require support to mitigate the pandemic’s effects, low-effectiveness schools must enhance their capacity to foster student learning beyond these impacts.

Dual Language Immersion Programs and Student Achievement in Early Elementary Grades

This paper presents evidence of the effects of dual language immersion (DLI) programs on the academic outcomes of students in elementary grades. Leveraging enrollment lotteries from four cohorts of DLI applicants across 10 oversubscribed programs, analyses estimate the intent-to-treat effect of access to bilingual education on reading and math test scores. On average, native English-speaking students in Grades 1 through 4 who win access to a DLI program score higher in reading and math by 0.12 and 0.14 SDs, respectively. The achievement gains in test scores are realized as early as first grade.

Utility of data from the Danish National School Test Program for health research purposes: Content and associations with sociodemographic factors and higher education.

The Danish National School Test Program is a set of nationwide tests performed annually since 2010 in all public schools in Denmark. To assess the utility of this data resource for health research purposes, we examined the association of school test performance with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as correlations with ninth-grade exams and higher educational attainment. This nationwide descriptive register-based study includes children born between 1994 and 2010 who lived in Denmark at the age of six years. Norm-based test scores (range 1-100, higher scores indicate better performance) in reading (Danish) and mathematics from the Danish National School Test Program were obtained for children aged 6-16 attending public schools in Denmark from 2010 to 2019. Population registers were used to identify relevant demographic and socioeconomic variables. Mean test scores by demographic and socioeconomic variables were estimated using linear regression models. Among the full Danish population of 1,137,290 children (51.3% male), 960,450 (84.5%) children attended public schools. There were 885,360 children who completed one or more tests in reading or mathematics (test participation was 77.8% for the entire population, and 92.1% for children in public schools). Mean test scores varied by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, most notably with education and labour market affiliation of parents. For every 1-point decrease in the test scores, there was a 0.95% (95% CI: 0.93%; 0.97%) lower probability of scoring B or higher in the ninth-grade exam and a 1.03% (95% CI: 1.00%; 1.05%) lower probability of completing high school within five years after graduating from lower secondary school. In this study of schoolchildren in Denmark, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were associated with test scores from the Danish National School Test Program. Performance in school tests correlated closely with later educational attainment, suggesting that these early measures of school performance are good markers of subsequent academic potential.

An Association Study Between Educational Attainment-related Genes and Cognitive Functions in Japanese Patients with Schizophrenia Based on Full Pleiotropy.

This study presents the multifaceted effects of candidate loci identified by genome-wide association studies on parameters such as educational background and the clinical symptoms of Japanese patients with schizophrenia along with detailed psychological measurements. This study aimed to investigate whether gene mutations that affect cognitive dysfunction are (1) related to the onset of schizophrenia and (2) also affect cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. Case-control study. This study evaluated 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs10189857, rs2175263, rs9398171, rs12670234, rs6466056, rs11156875, rs2018916, rs11663602, rs11885093, rs9404453, rs2473938, and rs4275659) that are common in Japanese individuals and demonstrated a relationship with schizophrenia and educational attainment in a previous genome-wide study. We included 640 Japanese patients (schizophrenia group) and 640 healthy participants (control group). Both groups were investigated for the relationship between the SNPs and educational attainment as well as psychometric evaluations of cognitive function. The 12 SNPs were not identified as genetic risk factors for schizophrenia. However, rs9404453 was associated with a decline in educational achievement, educational performance, Japanese Adult Reading Test (JART100) score, and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) (full-scale intelligence quotient [FSIQ]) score in patients with schizophrenia, SNP rs6466056 was associated with a decline in the WAIS-R (FSIQ) score, and SNP rs11663602 was associated with a decline in the JART100 score. The SNPs rs9404453, rs6466056, and rs11663602 may be associated with academic performance or cognitive decline in patients with schizophrenia, although the overall findings from psychological tests did not show the expected consistency.

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.

An Investigation into the Critical Reading Skills of Engineering Students at 2 Private Universities in Malaysia and Vietnam

This study compares the critical reading proficiency of engineering students from two private institutions in Malaysia and Vietnam. It examines the degree to which PISAbased critical reading test scores of first- and final-year students vary. 182 engineering students, including 86 Malaysian and 96 Vietnamese undergraduates, were involved in this project. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were performed on the data. According to the findings, most students at two universities exhibited moderate critical reading skills. Moreover, the study’s outcomes revealed no substantial disparities between the critical reading levels of the final year Malaysian and Vietnamese students. By contrast, the performance of first-year students at two universities varied significantly on some test items. Some considerations regarding the selection of Western-based texts and the use of open-ended questions in the PISA reading test that might cause difficulties for Eastern students are also demonstrated in this study.
 Keywords: critical reading, Pisa 2018 reading assessment, engineering students, higher education

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Raids the Pillar of a Community: Student Achievement, Absenteeism, and Mobility Following a Large Worksite Enforcement Operation in North Texas

The scale and violence of workplace raids distinguish them from other interior enforcement actions, and they warrant careful scrutiny given their power to produce serious immediate and long-term consequences for entire communities with a single act. In this paper, we examine the short- and longer-run impacts of exposure to one large-scale workplace raid that occurred in Sumner, Texas, in August of 2018 on students’ academic and behavioral outcomes. We analyze student absenteeism, academic performance, and school mobility from the 2011–2012 to the 2021–2022 school year, which includes the period prior to and after the Load Trail raid. Our results indicate that there were large and direct consequences associated with the raid for Latinx and English learner students attending schools in four affected counties. In particular, student absenteeism increased markedly following the raid, reading and math test scores declined, and there were sharp increases in the number of students leaving their school districts. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence documenting how acts of community violence such as large-scale workplace raids can corrode institutional trust and severely impact the well-being of immigrants’, their children, and their communities.

Development of Flash Card Media for Early Reading Student

This research aims to study how first-gradestudents improve their reading skills by using digital picture word cards. This study uses the ADDIE development model and is a development research. The sampling technique in this study used simple random sampling by using the Slovin formula in determining the sample. The one-group posttest technique used in this study the experimental class followed the same experimental methodology. Normality and homogeneity tests were used in qualitative and quantitative data analysis methodology. The results of the analysis showed that with a percentage of 92.73%, the professional assessment of learning media design. With a percentage of 90%, the expert assessment of the learning media content is included in the very correct category. With a proportion of 95%, the linguist's assessment of educational media is included. With excellent criteria, the overall validation level of linguists, design experts, and material experts is 92.58%. This digital flash card media turned out to be feasible to use as a learning tool and can improve students' reading skills. The results showed a significant difference between students' initial reading test scores on the pretest and posttest. This conclusion is reinforced by the results of the Piered Sample Test which shows the variance in students' initial reading using digital picture word card media between pretest and posttest with a significance level of 0.000 <0.05. Therefore, it can be said that the use of digital flash card media can help children in elementary schools acquire basic reading skills.

PISA reading achievement, literacy motivation, and school burnout predicting Adolescents' educational track and educational attainment

In this four-year longitudinal study, we examined how reading comprehension, as assessed with PISA reading achievement, literacy motivation, and school burnout symptoms at the end of comprehensive school predict the choice of educational track (academic or vocational) and educational attainment in upper secondary education. The sample consisted of 1351 Finnish students whose PISA reading achievement, self-concept of ability in literacy, task value in literacy, and symptoms of school burnout (cynicism and exhaustion) were assessed at the end of comprehensive school. Information concerning their educational track during the first year of upper secondary education was derived from self-reports and information concerning the completion of upper secondary education were collected from school registers. The results indicated that PISA reading achievement, self-concept of ability in literacy, cynicism, and exhaustion were unique determinants of educational track choice after comprehensive school. The results suggest that there is a need, in comprehensive schools, to consider not only the development of basic skills but also literacy motivation and school well-being, as these all can have a long-term impact on students' educational paths. Educational relevance statementThe analyses of the present data showed relatively modest predictive value on the part of PISA performance for adolescents' later educational outcomes. The results of the present longitudinal study suggested that PISA reading score does not predict the completion of upper secondary education but that it is a unique predictor of educational choice after comprehensive school over and above other predictors in the model, suggesting that the explanation for the impact of PISA reading on educational track choice is not due to gender, parental socioeconomic status, or motivational or well-being factors. In addition to the PISA reading test score, a high self-concept in literacy and also symptoms of exhaustion increased the likelihood of attending general upper secondary school, whereas symptoms of cynicism increased the likelihood of attending vocational school. The results suggest that there is a need, in comprehensive schools, to consider not only the development of basic skills but also literacy motivation and school well-being, as these all can have a long-term impact on students' educational paths.