Demographic profiles associated with academic performance for third grade students in North Forest and Aldine Independent School Districts in Texas

摘要

The study examined the demographic profiles associated with academicperformance for third grade students in North Forest and Aldine IndependentSchool Districts (ISDs) in Texas. Specifically, the study showed the impact thatgender, ethnicity, and whether students receive free or reduced lunch (parentincome level), had on third grade reading Texas Assessment of AcademicSkills (TAAS) scores.The population for this study was 368 of the 9,007 third grade studentsfrom both the North Forest and Aldine Independent School Districts. Studentsin this study were of the predominant ethnicities at the schools: Black, Hispanic,and White. Utilizing this sample size allowed the study results to be generalizedas trend data for all third grade students in the two districts. Data were collectedduring the spring semester of the 2002-2003 school year. Information for thestudy was provided through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports ofboth school districts.Results showed that gender does not relate to the TAAS score in NorthForest, but the income level is related to third grade reading TAASperformance. Income showed a significant relationship in that North Forest hada higher percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch. Thisimpacted the third grade TAAS reading scores. Gender was significantly relatedto third grade TAAS performances at Aldine ISD in that Aldine had 66 moregirls to take the test than boys. There were only 54 boys who took the test.Gender had no significance in North Forest ISD because there was an evennumber of girls and boys who took the test. Ethnicity would not be analyzed atNorth Forest ISD due to the small percentage of non-Black students in the thirdgrade. At Aldine ISD, no relationship was found between ethnicity and thirdgrade TAAS performers. The success rate on third grade TAAS wassignificantly higher at Aldine ISD (percent passed 85.1) than at North ForestISD (percent passed 39.6).