The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-ISC-35e

Bibliographic reference :
Marks, G.N. (2006). Are Between- and Within-school Differences in Student Performance Largely Due to Socio-Economic Background? Evidence From 30 Countries. Educational Research, 48(1), 21-40.

Abstract :

The author of this study sought to ascertain the extent to which the socio-economic background accounts for differences observed in student academic performance from one school to the other and within the same school.

Between- and Within-school Differences
It was observed that student academic performance differed between schools according to the type of programmes offered or the environment (privileged vs. underprivileged). Within-school differences in student performance may vary according to the ability level of students or school programmes offered.

The variety of tracks and school programmes (between schools and within the same school) raised an important question: To what extent do social inequalities influence allocating students to the different educational options offered in school?

Studies showed that establishing comprehensive school systems featuring a common school structure for all students is associated with the reduction of socio-economic inequalities in education, as opposed to tracked (or differentiated) school systems (variety of tracks) that seem to amplify these inequalities. Other studies showed that the allocation of students to different academic tracks is instead based on student ability and academic performance and that socio-economic status has little influence.

The combined influence of student socio-economic background and ability cannot be questioned. The research question raised in this study should instead be as follows: To what extent does student socio-economic background account for between-school and within-school differences in academic performance?

Methodology
The data used was drawn from the 2000 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) project database. As part of this programme, the scores in mathematics, sciences and reading of close to 172,000 fifteen-year-old students attending 6000 schools across 32 countries were collected.

Other data was collected on student academic location, determined by grade and school programme combined. Parental occupation and level of schooling, along with the presence of material and cultural resources at home, were used to determine students’ socio-economic background.

Main Results
Results showed that between-school and within-school differences in student academic performance appear to be due only in part to student socio-economic background and that individual ability (academic location) contributes a great deal to these differences. Indeed, in several of the countries under study, the observed correlation between student academic location and achievement in mathematics and sciences is stronger or similar to the correlation observed between student achievement and socio-economic background.

This study highlighted a major paradox. As demonstrated by several studies, socio-economic inequalities in education are more prevalent in countries with established tracked school systems than in countries with established comprehensive school systems. Yet, this study showed that student socio-economic background does not seem to contribute significantly to the allocation of students to different academic tracks, as these are much more related to student ability.

Links :
This journal is also available in electronic format. Publisher’s Website Address:
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/routledge/00131881.html"

Key Words :
Tracked School Systems, Comprehensive School Systems, Tracked Curriculum, Between-school Differences, Within-school Differences, International Comparisons, Socio-economic Status, Social Differentiation, PISA, Quantitative Analysis, Newsletter9

Monitored Countries :
Brazil, Latvia, Russia and all the OECD countries (except Japan)