Research
Discipline Assignment Inequities by the Gender and Ethnicity/Race of Grade 9 Students with a Learning Disability
The extent to which differences were present in the receipt of in-school suspension and out-of- school suspension assignments as a function of gender and ethnicity/race for Texas Grade 9 students who had a Learning Disability in the 2008-2009 school year was addressed in this investigation. An analysis of Texas statewide data revealed the presence of statistically significant differences in the receipt of both in-school suspension and out-of- school suspension to boys and girls. Boys who had a Learning Disability received statistically significantly more instances of both discipline consequences than did girls with a Learning Disability. With respect to ethnicity/race, Grade 9 Black students who had a Learning Disability were assigned in-school suspensions and out-of- school suspensions at statistically significantly higher rates (i.e., 1 to 2 times more often) than their Hispanic and White counterparts. Clear disproportionalities were established in the assignment of both in-school suspensions and out-of- school suspensions by the gender and ethnicity/race of Texas Grade 9 students who had a Learning Disability.
Grade 5 Mathematics and Science Achievement Differences by Student Gender and Ethnicity/Race: A Multiyear, Statewide Study.
Analyzed in this study were the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Mathematics and Science raw scores for Grade 5 students to determine the degree to which gender and ethnic/racial (i.e., Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White) differences were present. Four school years (i.e., 2011-2012 through 2014-2015) of statewide data were analyzed. For all tests, statistically significant differences were present by gender and by ethnicity/race. Trivial effect sizes were present between boys and girls for each analysis. However, medium effect sizes were revealed with regard to the raw score differences by ethnicity/race for the four years analyzed. Every year, Asian students had the highest average test score, followed by White, Hispanic, and Black students, respectively. A stair-step achievement gap (Carpenter, Ramirez, & Seven, 2006) was present in each school year analyzed.
Academic Achievement Differences by Grade Span Configuration for White, Black, and Hispanic Students: A Multiyear Statewide Analysis
Three years of Texas statewide data were analyzed to determine the degree to which two grade span configurations (i.e., multi-grade and single/double grade levels) influenced the reading and mathematics performance of Grade 5 and 6 White, Black, and Hispanic students. Data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency for all Grade 5 and 6 White, Black, and Hispanic students who were enrolled in either single/double grade level (Grades 4-5, 5 only, or Grades 5-6)or multi-grade level (PreK-6) configurations for the 2012-2013 through the 2014-2015 school years. In all cases, reading and mathematics passing rates were statistically significantly higher in multi-grade level settings for Grade 5 and 6 White, Black, and Hispanic students than for their peers in single/double grade level settings. Implications for policy and practice are provided.
Gender and Ethnic/Racial Differences in Community College Student Enrollmentin Honors Courses: A National Study
Examined in this study was the gender and ethnic/racial composition of students who had participated in community college honors courses. Data were gathered from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, a 38 question instrument in which information was obtained about student perceptions of the academic and nonacademic community college environment. The data that were examined consisted of survey responses from over 108,000 students, a 25% random sample of the 2014 cohort dataset. Within the group of students who participated in honors courses, 6,609 students indicated their gender, and 5,507 students indicated being in an ethnic/racial group. Inferential statistical procedures revealed the presence of similar percentages of male and female students had enrolled in honors courses.Statistically significant differences were present, however, in student enrollment by ethnicity/race. The percentage of Hispanic students participating in honors was less than expected whereas the percentage of Black students participating was higher than expected. Smaller class sizes and opportunities for greater engagement with faculty may benefit both Hispanic and Black students, two student groups that have had less success in community colleges. Implications and suggestions for further research were discussed.
Differences in GPA by Gender and Ethnicity/Race as a Function of First-Generation Status for Community College Students
In this investigation, the degree to which GPAs might be different between first-generation and non-first-generation students by gender and ethnicity/race for community college students was addressed. Utilizing a 25% random sample of responses from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), student success as a function of their gender and race/ethnicity was analyzed. Student success was statistically significantly different between first-generation and non-first-generation students by gender and by ethnicity/race. In all cases, GPAs were higher for non-first-generation students than for first-generation students. Implications of the results were discussed
Differences in Graduation and Persistence Rates at Texas Community Colleges as a Function of Developmental Education Enrollment
Examined in this study were differences in graduation and persistence rates at Texas community colleges as a function of developmental education enrollment. Developmental Education Accountability Measures Data were downloaded from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board from Texas community colleges for the 2014 and 2015 academic years. Revealed by inferential statistical procedures were that students who required developmental education had statistically significantly lower graduation and persistence rates than students who did not require developmental education in both the 2014 and 2015 academic years. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are given.
Differentiating Charter Elementary Schools From Traditional Public Elementary Schools by Teacher Characteristics
In this study, the extent to which differences were present in teacher characteristics between charter elementary and traditional public elementary schools in Texas was addressed. The Moreno and Slate (2016) study was replicated in this investigation to determine whether the percentage of beginning teachers continued to be the major school characteristic that most differentiated charter schools from traditional public schools. Participants in this study were charter and traditional publicelementary schools in Texas in the 2014-2015 school year. Canonical stepwise discriminant analyses were conducted to determine whether teacher characteristics (i.e.,base salary average, teacher tenure average, teacher experience, beginning teachers, teachers with no degree, teachers with bachelor’s degree, teachers with master’s degree, teachers with doctoral degree, Blackteachers, Hispanic teachers, male teachers, and female teachers) could differentiate charter elementary schools from traditional public elementary schools.The canonical discriminant analysis revealed that the two school types could be statistically significantly differentiated, with the percentage of beginning teachers again making the most important contribution to the group separation. Charter elementary schools were more likely to have a higher percentage of beginning teachers, Black teachers, and teachers who did not have a college degree than were traditional public elementary schools. Implications of the results and suggestions for future research are provided.
Instructional Format and Differences in Remedial Mathematics Performance for Community College Students: A Multiyear Investigation
Differences in student success rates in remedial mathematics courses as a function of the instructional format (i.e., traditional face-to-face and computer-assisted) were investigated in this study. Data from the 2012-2013 through the 2014-2015 academic years from a single Texas community college were analyzed. For the 3 academic years examined, statistically significant differences were present in remedial mathematics performance by instructional format, with trivial to small effect sizes. Students had higher success rates in remedial mathematics courses in which a traditional lecture format was used than in computer-assisted courses. Implications and recommendations for future research were discussed.
College-Readiness Differences by Economic Status of Texas High School Students With a Learning Disability: A Statewide Multiyear Investigation
The extent to which differences were present in college-readiness rates in reading, mathematics, and both subjects by economic status for students who were Learning Disabled in Texas public high schools for 2008-2009 through 2010-2011 school years were analyzed in this study. Archival data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System on all high school students who were diagnosed as being Learning Disabled. Statistically significant differences in reading, mathematics, and both subjects college-readiness were present for all three school years. Extremely low college-readiness rates were present in reading, mathematics, and both subjects for students who were Learning Disabled in the 2008-2009 through the 2010-2011 school years.
Differences in Second Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement by Extracurricular Activity Participation for English Language Learners
In this study, differences in academic performance on the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System and State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness as a function of participation in extracurricular activities for English Language Learners were examined. Data obtained from a large, suburban district in southeast Texas for all students who were enrolled in Grades 6 through 12 for the 2014-2015 school year were analyzed. Patterned after the federal Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives for English Language Learners, participation in extracurricular activities for English Language Learners was not related to second language acquisition or the attainment of English fluency. Conversely, in regard to performance on state assessments in reading and in mathematics, English Language Learners who were not involved in extracurricular activities had higher scores than English Language Learners who were involved in extracurricular activities. Suggestions for research and policy were provided.
