Neighborhood Schools Research Articles

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.

Association between passive smoking and dental caries status in children: A cross-sectional analytical study.

Several risk factors contribute to the development of dental caries in children, including sociodemographic, dietary, oral hygiene-related and other miscellaneous factors. Maternal smoking was highly associated with dental caries when compared to smoking by fathers or other household members. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of dental caries and their association with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) among 5- to 10-year-old students attending private and government schools. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among schoolchildren. Data was collected from the primary caregivers using a pre-tested form to assess the ETS exposure under 5 domains based on history: antenatal exposure; exposure during the index period; exposure in the school neighborhood; exposure in restaurants/roadside stalls; and exposure in bus stops/railway stations. Dental caries was assessed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines from 1997. The association was reported using prevalence ratios (PRs) (95% confidence interval (CI)). Data was obtained from 211 schoolchildren attending government (39.8%) and private schools (60.2%). The overall prevalence (95% CI) of dental caries was 49.3% (42.5-56.1%). Among all the risk factors evaluated in the study, exposure to ETS was associated with a significantly increased risk of dental caries. The adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) of ETS exposure varied with the mother's educational status and high sugar exposure, although this was statistically insignificant. The prevalence of dental caries among schoolchildren aged 5 to 10 years in the city was moderate and similar to the national average. Among the risk factors assessed in the study, antenatal exposure to ETS was found to significantly increase the prevalence of dental caries by 41% after adjusting for other factors. Therefore, it is important to educate parents on the causal role of ETS exposure in dental caries.

Structure and agency in resistance to schooling: Class, race, and the reproduction of unequal outcomes

For low-income and marginalized racialized minority youth, declining prospects of mobility can undermine favorable attitudes toward schooling if adolescents anticipate limited utility in schooling. We find that adolescents' awareness of race and class inequality affects a complex set of attitudes toward schooling, and that these attitudes contribute to outcomes varying by race/ethnicity and class. We capitalize on a unique longitudinal dataset with a random stratified sample of 1428 Black and White high school graduates from a large school system. Using surveys and administrative data, we show how structural factors and student characteristics shape educational attitudes; and then how these attitudes, school structural features, student, family, and neighborhood factors predict educational outcomes. We find the common ground between Willis' resistance theory emphasizing class and Ogbu’s cultural-ecological model focusing on race. Results provide greater conceptual clarity for core constructs associated with both theories of resistance.

Black adolescents’ motivation to resist the false dichotomy between mathematics achievement and racial identity

This study investigates the racial-mathematical identity profiles of Black American adolescents. Survey data were collected in five schools across one U.S. urban school district at two time points (spring 2018 [n = 197] and spring 2019 [n = 210]). Based on extant research regarding psychological response patterns to racialized school stress, we investigated the existence of an identity negotiation pattern in which students were motivated to resist negative stereotypes about Black people by achieving well in mathematics. We conducted a latent profile analysis combining students’ self-beliefs across five indicators: racial centrality, racial public regard, mathematics attainment value, mathematics mastery experiences, and resistance motivation. Three distinct racial-mathematical identity profiles emerged: (1) Mathematics Devalued/Ambivalent, (2) Moderately Math Attained, and (3) Resistors. We found associations between profile membership and students’ gender, negative math emotions, and their receipt of cultural and critical mathematics instruction. We also found an association between the identity profiles and school type (academically selective “magnet” schools vs. open-enrollment neighborhood schools), but not in the direction that might be assumed. Moreover, we found that certain school environment factors (i.e., racial stereotyping and cultural and critical mathematics instruction) were significantly different in racially diverse magnet schools than in the neighborhood schools. Overall, our data reveal the existence of a highly motivated Resistor profile among Black students, that is predicted by cultural and critical mathematics instruction but underrepresented within this district’s selective magnet schools.

Imagine your perfect park: a qualitative study on adolescents’ usage of green spaces, perceived benefits and preferences

ABSTRACT Green spaces are essential urban infrastructures. They represent cost-effective interventions to reduce health inequities and contribute to climate-resilient cities and adolescents’ health and well-being. Nevertheless, evidence suggests they are underused by adolescents, especially in Southern Europe. We explored the perspectives of adolescents on their use of green spaces (including frequency of use, activities performed, and types of space), perceived benefits, and preferences regarding green spaces’ characteristics. We performed seven online focus groups with 34 adolescents (15–16 years old) recruited from the Generation XXI cohort (a population-based birth cohort from the Porto Metropolitan Area, Portugal), stratified by socioeconomic status. Data were analyzed thematically by a deductive-inductive approach. Participants reported regular use of green spaces to perform physical activity, rest, and socialize. They perceived associated benefits for their general well-being and respiratory and mental health. The views shared by the participants suggest that the perfect park was idealized as large and multifunctional, providing a diversity of equipment and sufficient vegetation. It should be close to school and residential neighborhoods, upkeep, and made dynamic by the organization of cultural or sports events. Youth-led perspectives in urban planning might improve adolescents’ use of green spaces and encourage sustainable and equitable health-promoting urban environments.

Estimating the effect of latent time-varying count exposures using multiple lists.

A major challenge in longitudinal built-environment health studies is the accuracy of commercial business databases that are used to characterize dynamic food environments. Different databases often provide conflicting exposure measures on the same subject due to different source credibilities. As on-site verification is not feasible for historical data, we suggest combining multiple databases to correct the bias in health effect estimates due to measurement error in any 1 datasource. We propose a joint model for the time-varying health outcomes, observed count exposures, and latent true count exposures. Our model estimates the time-specific quality of sources and incorporates time dependence of true count exposure by Poisson integer-valued first-order autoregressive process. We take a Bayesian nonparametric approach to flexibly account for location-specific exposures. By resolving the discordance between different databases, our method reduces the bias in the longitudinal health effect of the true exposures. Our method is demonstrated with childhood obesity data in California public schools with respect to convenience store exposures in school neighborhoods from 2001 to 2008.

Intervensi Konseling Kelompok Untuk Mengurangi Dampak Bullying Terhadap Kesehatan Mental Remaja

Bullying behavior is very vulnerable to occur in adolescent boys and girls. Depending on the context, bullying can occur in various places, ranging from educational or school environments, workplaces, homes, neighborhoods, playgrounds, and others. Bullying can have a significant impact on the mental health of adolescents, both victims and perpetrators. In victims, bullying can cause various problems, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sleep disorders, suicidal thoughts, behavioral problems, substance abuse, aggressiveness, violence. This research uses the literature research method sourced from journals, articles, theses, from research that has been done before. This study aims to: (1) To find out the impact received by adolescent victims of bullying on their mental health. (2) To find out what methods are relevant to reduce the impact of bullying on adolescent mental health.

Adolescents' perceptions of food outlets in the school neighbourhood and their unhealthy snacking behaviour on the way to and from school.

To understand the relationship between adolescents' unhealthy snacking behaviour during their school journey and their perceived and objective measures of food outlet availability in the school neighbourhood. A cross-sectional survey enquired about socio-demographic information, school transport modes, perceived presence of food outlets in the school neighbourhood and unhealthy food purchase and consumption on the school journey. A geographical information system analysis of the food outlets within 500 m and 1000 m school buffers was undertaken. Data were analysed using generalised linear mixed modelling. All twelve secondary schools in Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand, March 2020-June 2022. Adolescents aged 13-18 years (n 725) who reported being familiar with their school neighbourhood. Perceived availability of food outlets in the school neighbourhood was inversely correlated with distance to the closest food outlet from school and positively correlated with food outlet density within 500 m and 1000 m school buffers. Adolescents' purchase and consumption of unhealthy snacks and drinks during the school journey were associated with perceived availability of food outlets and with shorter distance to the closest food outlet from school. Mixed transport users, girls and those living in high-deprivation neighbourhoods had higher odds of purchasing and consuming unhealthy snacks and drinks during the school journey than active transport users, boys and those living in low-deprivation neighbourhoods, respectively. Adolescents perceptions of the food environment and close access to food outlets in the school neighbourhood may influence adolescents' food purchase and consumption behaviours during the school journey.

Exploring the relationship between the food environment and preferences among schoolchildren in a low socioeconomic community in Sri Lanka: A GIS-based assessment.

The food environment in school neighborhoods plays a crucial role in manipulating the food choices of schoolchildren. This study investigated the relationship between the food environment in neighborhoods and the dietary practices of government school students in a low socioeconomic setting in Sri Lanka. This cross-sectional study surveyed the neighborhood food environment of selected schools (n = 30) in the Monaragala District, Sri Lanka, using geographical information system (GIS) data and collected dietary information from a representative sample of schoolchildren (n = 603). Chi-square and Spearman correlation tests were performed using SPSS version 23.0 to estimate the associations between the food environment and BMI, while ArcGIS 10.4.1 was used to analyze the GIS data. The majority of the students (35.5%) were 15 years old, and approximately 51% were females. The mean BMI of the study participants was 18.14 (±3.28). More than 90% of outlets within proximity sold unhealthy foods. Consumption of confectionaries was 72.3% of the students, whereas healthy food choices ranged from 5% to 12%. A positive correlation between consuming unhealthy food and distance to outlets from school was observed (p<0.05). The risk of consuming low-nutrition food doubled (OR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.52-3.89) among the students studying in schools where a larger proportion of energy-dense food was sold in closer proximity. In conclusion, the density and proximity of outlets that sell food with low nutrients in the school neighborhood environment were positively associated with students' unhealthy food item choices.

Individual and contextual determinants associated with bullying in schoolchildren eight to ten years of age

Abstract Investigate individual and contextual determinants associated with bullying in schoolchildren eight to ten years of age. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 739 schoolchildren, who answered a question about episodes of bullying related to oral health and questionnaires addressing childhood anxiety and orofacial dysfunction. The guardians provided information on sociodemographic characteristics, sleep disorders, and oral health literacy. Trained examiners assessed the children for the diagnosis of dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System, malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index, orofacial dysfunction using the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening and traumatic dental injury (Andreasen criteria) (Kappa&gt; 0.80). The contextual variables were the type of school and the monthly income of the school neighborhood. Descriptive statistics was performed to characterize the sample and unadjusted and adjusted (p &lt;0.05) multilevel Poisson regression models were run. The prevalence of bullying was 13.3%. After the adjusted analysis, malocclusion (PR=1.59; 95%CI:1.03-2.44) and anxiety (PR=1.79; 95%CI:1.10-2.93) remained associated with bullying. In terms of context, the monthly income of the neighborhood of the school was associated with bullying (PR=1.75; 95%CI:1.12-2.72). Malocclusion and anxiety influenced the occurrence of bullying. A lower average income in the school neighborhood was an important contextual determinant for the increase in the prevalence of bullying.

Urban school neighbourhoods dominated by unhealthy food retailers and advertisements in Greater Tunis: a geospatial study in the midst of the nutrition transition.

Food environments are a major determinant of children's nutritional status. Scarce evidence on food environments exists in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This study aims to fill this gap by documenting the obesogenicity of food environments around schools in Greater Tunis, Tunisia - an LMIC of the Middle East and North Africa region with an ongoing nutrition transition and increasing rates of childhood obesity. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed built food environments around fifty primary schools. Ground-truthing was performed to collect geographic coordinates and pictures of food retailers and food advertisement sets within an 800-m road network buffer of each school. Retailers and advertisement sets were categorised as healthy or unhealthy according to a NOVA-based classification. Associations between school characteristics and retailers or advertisement sets were explored using multinomial regression models. Greater Tunis, Tunisia. Random sample of fifty (thirty-five public and fifteen private) primary schools. Overall, 3621 food retailers and 2098 advertisement sets were mapped. About two-thirds of retailers and advertisement sets were labelled as unhealthy. Most retailers were traditional corner stores (22 %) and only 6 % were fruit and vegetable markets. The prevailing food group promoted was carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages (22 %). The proportion of unhealthy retailers was significantly higher in the richest v. poorest areas. School neighbourhood food environments included predominantly unhealthy retailers and advertisements. Mapping of LMIC food environments is crucial to document the impact of the nutrition transition on children's nutritional status. This will inform policies and interventions to curb the emergent childhood obesity epidemic.

School Choice and Neighborhood Sorting: Equilibrium Consequences of Geographic School Admissions

School Choice and Neighborhood Sorting: Equilibrium Consequences of Geographic School Admissions

Assessment of sustainable school transport policies on vehicular emissions using the IVE model

The increased vehicle demand leads to a rise in congestion, exhaust emissions and travel duration. It makes countries adopt policies to reduce vehicular exhaust emissions to achieve sustainable development with improved air quality. The present study identifies factors that influence student's preferences, estimate vehicular emissions and examine policies to minimize use of passive school transport (PST). The responses of 945 students are statistically examined using the Multinominal Logit (MNL) model with factors that affect preferences of school transport. The MNL model revealed that private transports are preferred more by female students. Students covering up to 3 km distance preferred more to use active school transport (AST) than students with travel distance of above 5 km. The model has predicted that students with travel distance of 4 km or above are mostly opted for public travel modes. The representative driving cycle was developed for morning and afternoon school trips and used as an input parameter for the International Vehicle Emission (IVE) model to estimate exhaust emissions. School policies are proposed to reduce PST modes associated student kilometer travelled (SKT) and emissions. The study outcomes revealed that neighborhood school policy predicted significant reduction in yearly SKT for AST (6.07%) and PST (36.03%) modes. While increased walkability policy anticipates modest impact in minimizing the PST mode associated total exhaust emissions (3.18–40.34%). The private vehicle associated SKT and total exhaust emissions are reduced by nearly 27.58% and 34.66% under increased use of public transport policy respectively.

Spatial and temporal disparities in air pollution exposure at Italian schools

Air pollution poses major threats to children’s health and learning, making exposure at school particularly critical. However, some children are more exposed than others, especially depending on the socioeconomic status of their school’s neighbourhood. In this study, we explore how exposure to air pollution varies across schools, over time and by the socioeconomic characteristics of the neighbourhood using data on approximately 23 thousand schools in Italy connected with estimates on Particulate Matter 2.5 measured in µg/m3 at a 1 × 1 km resolution from 2002 to 2018 provided by the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG). Moreover, we create an indicator of school socioeconomic status (SES) using fine-grained information on the real estate value made available by the Italian Observatory of Real Estate Value. Results highlight three main findings. First, air quality at the location of the schools improved over time by about 35%. Secondly, SES shows an inverted U-curve with PM2.5 suggesting schools in middle SES neighbourhoods to be exposed to the highest levels of pollution. Thirdly, SES does not show a substantive association with a decrease in air pollution over time. In conclusion, air quality has improved over time in Italy, but schools still do not comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards and middle SES neighbourhoods remain the most exposed to air pollution.

Understanding school-going adolescent’s preferences for accessing HIV and contraceptive care: findings from a discrete choice experiment among learners in Gauteng, South Africa

BackgroundMany Adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa do not access HIV and reproductive health services optimally. To improve uptake of these services, it is important to understand the Learners’ preferences for how services are delivered so that implementation strategies can reflect this.MethodsA discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used to elicit preferences. The DCE was completed between 07/2018 and 09/2019 and conducted in 10 high schools situated in neighbourhoods of varying socio-economic status (SES) in Gauteng (South Africa). Learners aged ≥ 15 years (Grades 9–12) were consented and enrolled in the DCE. Parental consent and assent were required if < 18 years old. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine preferred attributes for HIV and contraceptive service delivery. Results were stratified by gender and neighbourhood SES quintile (1 = Lowest SES; 5 = Highest SES).Results805 Learners were enrolled (67% female; 66% 15–17 years; 51% in grades 9–10). 54% of Learners in quintile 1 schools had no monthly income (family support, grants, part-time jobs etc.); 38% in quintile 5 schools had access to R100 ($7.55) per month. Preferences for accessing HIV and contraceptive services were similar for male and female Learners. Learners strongly preferred services provided by friendly, non-judgmental staff (Odds ratio 1.63; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.55–1.72) where confidentiality was ensured (1.33; 1.26–1.40). They preferred services offered after school (1.14; 1.04–1.25) with value-added services like free Wi-Fi (1.19; 1.07–1.32), food (1.23; 1.11–1.37) and youth-only waiting areas (1.18; 1.07–1.32). Learners did not have a specific location preference, but preferred not to receive services within the community (0.82; 0.74–0.91) or school (0.88; 0.80–0.96). Costs to access services were a deterrent for most Learners irrespective of school neighbourhood; female Learners were deterred by costs ≥$3.85 (0.79; 0.70–0.91); males by costs ≥ R100 ($7.55) (0.86; 0.74-1.00).ConclusionsPreferences that encourage utilisation of services do not significantly differ by gender or school neighbourhood SES. Staff attitude and confidentiality are key issues affecting Learners’ decisions to access HIV and contraceptive services. Addressing how healthcare providers respond to young people seeking sexual and reproductive health services is critical for improving adolescents’ uptake of these services.

Assigning Students to Schools in an Era of Public School Choice: Patterns in Enrollment, Applications, and Offers in Chicago

Districts with expansive school choice must decide how to match students and schools. Increasingly, districts are centralizing applications on one-stop portals that feature information about schooling options, admission requirements, and a single application and deadline with the hope of increasing transparency and streamlining the enrollment process. After Chicago Public Schools introduced a centralized platform (GoCPS), students were more likely to enroll in high-performing high schools, although this continued as a pre-existing upward trend. Enrollment declined slightly at charter schools and increased at neighborhood schools, mirroring shifts in applications. GoCPS reduced the number of admission offers, likely lessening uncertainty around ninth-grade enrollment. Districts implementing similar systems should consider the availability of seats at high-demand schools and reduce barriers to navigating choice systems.

A Self-Regulation Intervention Conducted by Teachers in a Disadvantaged School Neighborhood: Implementers' and Observers' Perceptions of Its Impact on Elementary Students.

Self-regulated learning contributes to students' academic success and their future as citizens. However, self-regulation skills are seldom or poorly promoted during instruction. To address this gap, the current article reports data on the implementation of an evidence-based intervention (i.e., a narrative-based intervention called "Yellow Trials and Tribulations") in a disadvantaged school neighborhood. Prior studies showed positive results of this intervention in promoting elementary students' self-regulation skills. Still, the data are mainly quantitative and limited to students' reports or classroom observations made by researchers. Hence, the current study aimed to explore the implementers' and observers' perceptions of the impact of the intervention. Four elementary teachers implemented the intervention in their fourth-grade classes (N = 96 students). For each session, the implementers and observers completed a session sheet collaboratively, as well as individual final reports at the end of the intervention. The records were analyzed through a direct content analysis. The data indicated a perceived increase in knowledge and the use of self-regulation skills in the educational context and in daily life routines. Moreover, the data allowed for the identification of other positive gains of the intervention. The findings extended prior research while helping researchers to further understand the impact of the narrative-based intervention. The implications for research and educational practice are provided.

Associations between school-level environment and individual-level factors of walking and cycling to school in Canadian youth

Identifying individual-level and school-level correlates of walking and cycling to school remains a public health priority as only one in four Canadian youth actively travels to school. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Canadian youth in grades 6 to 10 who walk, cycle, or use motorised transport to go to school, and to examine if school neighbourhood walkability, neighbourhood-level and individual-level correlates are associated with mode of transportation to school. Data come from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. The walkability of the schools’ neighbourhood was measured using the Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) index. We observed that only 22.4% and 4.2% of youth walked and cycled to school, respectively. Most (73.4%) used motorised transport to school, including 53.2% of youth who lived less than 5 minutes from school. Schools located in neighbourhoods with higher Can-ALE classes (i.e., higher walkability) were positively associated with walking to school. No statistically significant association between school walkability and cycling to school was observed. Individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with walking, but not cycling, to school. Conversely, neighbourhood-level SES was associated with cycling, but not with walking, to school. Correlates of walking to school differed from those for cycling to school, suggesting that different approaches to promoting active transportation are needed.

Dialogic scientific gatherings with mothers and teachers from a primary school: raising awareness about the impact of gender and education research

Social science unveils new ways of engaging communities in science. However, it has not yet been analysed how dialogic scientific gatherings (DSGs), a community science action, involve communities to benefit from the research on two sustainable development goals: quality education and gender equality. Within the framework of the EU H2020-funded project “ALLINTERACT Widening and diversifying citizen engagement in science” (Flecha and ALLINTERACT Consortium, 2020), the DSGs on evidence in preventing violence and gender violence through education have been replicated to engage a group of 10 mothers from a low-middle socioeconomic background whose children attend the same neighbourhood school and two teachers. The participants’ perception of the DSGs’ replicability has been studied through focus groups. The first one was a pretest FG aimed at collecting the previous perceptions of the participants about their awareness of the scientific research benefits and impact and their previous engagement in science. The second round was a posttest FG after participating in the DSGs, which consisted of 11 sessions in which participants selected scientific articles to read and discuss together. The posttest FG explores changes in participants’ perception regarding the topics discussed in the first round and analyses how the replicability of the DSGs aimed at community participation in science developed. The main findings show that after participating in the DSGs, participants reported more awareness related to scientific research benefits and impact, increased involvement in science, greater understanding of the social impact of scientific evidence in preventing violence and gender violence through education, and more engagement in social issues for the improvement of their community. The implications for the replicability of DSGs as community science action are as follows: 1) The topics to be read must be based on the participants’ interests, and 2) the dialogical functioning criteria must be ensured.

Marginalized Children’s Views of School Choice in Global Cities: The Significance of Neighbourhood and Nature

This study aims to illuminate the perspectives of 40 marginalized children about school choice in two global cities in Canada. It builds on the sociology of school choice and critical geography, with a focus on children. By utilizing mixed-methods geospatial research, this study finds that children prefer attending a neighbourhood school where they feel supported by the community and experience daily connections to nature. These children’s perspectives offer new insights into how to move beyond neoliberal market reforms by pursuing transformative and decolonial approaches to educational policy making.