The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-DSC-24e

Bibliographic reference :
Heck, R.H., & Mahoe, R. (2006) Student Transition to High School and Persistence: Highlighting the Influences of Social Divisions and School Contingencies. American Journal of Education, 112(3), 418-446.

Abstract :

Research Overview
The ongoing problem of high school dropout led the authors of this American study to examine factors influencing student persistence. The authors took a general look at the way in which certain individual variables, student social groupings (ethnicity, social class), and school features intersect to foster students’ successful transition to high school and the likelihood of their receiving a high school diploma.

Variables Studied
Two groups of variables were studied: 1) within-school variables, including individual characteristics (ethnicity and social class) that affected students’ academic integration and orientations, in turn their successful transition to high school and eventual graduation, and 2) between-school variables, including school features (context, structure, and mode of operation) that could increase students’ likelihood of academic success and mitigate the negative effect of within-school variables.

Within-school variables included students’ social group, their educational aspirations and their academic results. Between-school variables included school type, location, clientele, size, classroom organization and support programs.

Methodology
Data came from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988. The total sample size of the study was 12,972 students from 984 high schools.

Two important periods in students’ academic career were targeted: the transition from grade 8 to 9 and the transition from grade 11 to 12 leading to graduation.

Main Results
Two explanatory models were used: one examined the influence of within- and between-school variables on the transition from elementary to high school, and the other examined the influence of these two groups of variables on the likelihood of graduating from high school.

Results highlighted the complexity of the correlation among the variables studied. Interaction between social grouping and social and academic integration could lead to quite diversified academic pathways. In addition, interaction between individual and institutional characteristics seemed to vary among students from various ethnic groups.

The results also showed the real influence that some school features could have on the likelihood of successful transition to high school and graduation. The mode of operation of the schools did not influence all students the same way. The main factor seemed to be ethnic origin.

In order to prevent student dropout, the authors stressed the importance of focusing not only on individual differences, but also on structural differences.

Links :
This journal is also available in electronic format

Key Words :
Individual Variables, Ethnicity, Social Class, School Variables, Student Persistence, Social Integration, Educational Aspirations, Social Organization, Academic Organization, Transition to High School, School Environment, Educational Inequalities, Longitudinal Study, National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, Quantitative Analysis, Secondary/High School, Newsletter2

Monitored Countries :
United States