We analyzed a population-based cohort ( N = 10,922) to investigate the onset and stability of racial and ethnic disparities in advanced (i.e., above the 90 th percentile) science and mathematics achievement during elementary school as well as the antecedent, opportunity, and propensity factors that explained these disparities. About 13% to 16% of White students versus 3% to 4% of Black or Hispanic students displayed advanced science or mathematics achievement during kindergarten. The antecedent factor of family socioeconomic status and the propensity factors of student science, mathematics, and reading achievement by kindergarten consistently explained whether students displayed advanced science or mathematics achievement during first, second, third, fourth, or fifth grade. These and additional factors substantially or fully explained initially observed disparities between Black or Hispanic and White students in advanced science or mathematics achievement during elementary school. Economic and educational policies designed to increase racial and ethnic representation in STEM course taking, degree completion, and workforce participation may need to begin by elementary school.
more »
« less
Is Daily Parental Help with Homework Helpful? Reanalyzing National Data Using a Propensity Score–Based Approach
Previous analyses of large national datasets have tended to report a negative relationship between parental homework help and student achievement. Yet these studies have not examined heterogeneity in this relationship based on the propensity for a parent to provide homework help. By using a propensity score–based approach, this study investigates the relationship between daily parental homework help in first grade and student achievement in third grade with nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Class. Results indicated that low prior achievement, socioeconomic disadvantage, and minority status were associated with a high propensity to provide daily homework help. Daily parental homework help was also associated with improved achievement for children whose parents had a high propensity to provide daily homework help. These patterns suggest that complex factors induce daily parental homework help and that these factors are related to heterogeneity in the relationship between daily parental homework help and achievement.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1749275
- PAR ID:
- 10184850
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Sociology of Education
- Volume:
- 92
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0038-0407
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 367 to 385
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
In this study, the authors used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 to examine the instructional time allocation and instructional practices in eighth-grade English language arts classes for struggling readers, as measured by track level. The authors also analyze the titles and text complexity of the last three books assigned to students. The authors found that track level continues to be a significant predictor of what happens instructionally in the classroom. Struggling readers placed in low-track classes spent a larger portion of class time on skills and strategy instruction, completing worksheets, watching videos, and reading aloud than students in grade-level classes. Students in high-track classes spent more time on literature analysis, comprehension instruction, and group projects and were more frequently assigned homework than students in grade-level classes. Although there was considerable overlap in the text complexity and the text titles of books assigned at each track level, students in low-track classes read less challenging texts than students in grade-level or above-grade-level classes. Regression models controlling for a variety of student, teacher, and school variables, including student achievement, show that these adjustments in class time allocation, instructional practices, and text complexity go above and beyond what would be expected based on student achievement alone.more » « less
-
The present study tested the learning avoidance model by examining the degree to which learning avoidance in various afterschool settings mediated the negative association between math anxiety and math achievement. Participants consisted of 207 third to sixth graders. Using a path model, findings showed that students’ math anxiety was negatively associated with both standardized math achievement test scores and parent-reported math school grades. Additionally, higher math anxiety was associated with more negative homework behaviors and less frequent participation in math-related extracurricular activities. Finally, the association between math anxiety and math achievement was partially mediated by negative math homework behaviors and participation in math extracurricular activities. Effort in math exam preparation did not contribute to explaining the association between math anxiety and math achievement. Overall, these findings support the learning avoidance model and suggest that avoidance behaviors in everyday learning in the afterschool setting may contribute to explaining the undesired math achievement among highly math anxious students.more » « less
-
We used the generalized propensity score method to estimate the differential effects of five Early Child Care and Education (ECCE) experiences (Prekindergarten, Head Start, Center-based Child Care, Home-based Child Care, and Parental Care) in reducing math and reading achievement gaps between boys versus girls, Latinx versus Whites, and Blacks versus Whites. Findings revealed differential effects of ECCE in reducing gender and racial achievement gaps. However, results indicated that significant gender and racial gaps still exist despite ECCE experiences and that these gaps widen throughout the elementary and middle school years.more » « less
-
This study investigated if student placement in a primary grade 1-3 classroom with a teacher who had been trained in a U.S. science Framework-aligned (NRC, 2012) professional development science approach impacted student science achievement as measured in 5th grade. Students in the treatment group also received take-home science materials and treatment families were invited to participate in community-based science events. A two-level, random-slope mixed regression model was used to assess the effect of the treatment on later student achievement as measured by performance on the Science Subtest of the Ohio Achievement Assessment. This study found that students from the treatment group scored significantly higher on 5th grade science tests as compared to their peers. Overall, this study suggests that providing Frameworkaligned science instruction, coupled with parent support, during early years improves science skills in later elementary grades.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

