The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-ISC-29e

Bibliographic reference :
Rumberger, R.W., & Palardy, G.J. (2005). Does Segregation Still Matter? The Impact of Student Composition on Academic Achievement in High School. Teachers College Record, 107 (9), 1999-2045.

Abstract :

Forty years after the Coleman Report was released, the authors of this article examined whether school segregation (racial and socio-economic segregation) was still contributing to achievement differences among students. To do so, they attempted to answer the following three questions:

(1) Does racial and socio-economic segregation have an effect on academic achievement? More precisely, does the social composition of schools affect achievement in the same way or more when compared with students’ individual characteristics?

(2) Can the influence of the social composition of schools on academic achievement be attributed to school characteristics (resources or practices) or to the effect of peers? In the first instance, implementation of measures to improve academic achievement does not require desegregation efforts, while in the second instance, they are necessary.

(3) Does the social composition of schools influence the academic achievement of Afro-American and white students in the same way?

Methodology
Data was drawn from the National Education Longitudinal Survey of 1988 (NELS) for the period spanning 1988 to 1992. The sample included 14,217 students from 913 schools. This longitudinal study assessed the achievement growth in mathematics, sciences, reading and history of high school students in eighth and twelfth grades.

Data obtained through questionnaires administered to students, parents, teachers and school administrators provided information on school characteristics and individual student characteristics. In addition, several variables related to the composition, structure, resources and processes (policies and practices) of schools were assessed.

Main Results
The overall conclusion of this study highlighted the fact that even today, school composition has an effect on academic achievement while stressing that socio-economic composition matters more than racial composition.

Students attending schools with a majority of students from advantaged social classes learn more on average than those attending schools with a majority of students from disadvantaged social classes, regardless of their ethnicity, social class or school experience.

In addition, the effects of school socio-economic status on academic achievement were almost equivalent, at times even greater, than the effects of student socio-economic status. In fact, achievement in certain academic subjects, especially sciences, reading and history, was influenced more by the socio-economic status of schools than that of students.

The most significant influence of the socio-economic composition of schools on student achievement, in comparison with racial composition, appeared to be largely explained by the following school characteristics: high teacher expectations from students, the amount of homework done by students, the number of rigorous courses taken by students and students’ feelings about school safety.

The reasons explaining the effect of the socio-economic composition of schools on academic achievement were explored through three factors: the structural characteristics, resources and processes (policies and practices) of schools. The last factor appeared to best explain the effect of socio-economic composition on academic achievement, highlighting the importance of focusing on this particular effect the measures initiated within schools to offset inequalities.

By stating that desegregation (integration) was insufficient, the authors pointed out the importance of addressing the pervasive inequalities found in family and community resources to equalize educational opportunities and foster the achievement of all students.

Key Words :
Racial Segregation, Socio-economic Segregation, Social Composition,
Socio-economic Status, Educational Policies, Structure, Resources, Social Class, School Experience, Educational Practices, School Factors, School Environment, Longitudinal Study, Quantitative Analysis, Secondary/High School, Newsletter4

Monitored Countries :
United States