Date of Award
2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant difference in the English/language arts and mathematics 2014 ISTEP+ median growth model scores between students of poverty based on their schools socioeconomic status (SES) level. The study examined if student enrollment size, percentage of minority students, and special Education student percentage serve as predictors of the schools ISTEP+ growth model score within different poverty levels. The study used Indiana public schools that contained students in Grades 4 through 8 who qualified for free and reduced lunches (FRL). The levels of SES were based on the schools FRL rate percentage and used three different levels: affluent (0-39.9%), moderate-poverty (40.0-60.0%), and high-poverty (60.1-100%). The results of this study showed only moderate-poverty middle schools were significantly different than high-poverty middle schools in the area of mathematics when looking between different levels of SES in elementary and middle schools. Special Education student percentage was a significant predictor of ISTEP+ median growth model scores for ELA and mathematics in high-poverty elementary schools and ELA in affluent middle schools. In all three levels, special Education percentage decreased the corresponding ISTEP+ growth model scores. Minority student percentage had a mixed effect on ISTEP+ median growth model scores. Mathematics scores increased in moderate-poverty elementary and affluent middle schools and decreased the ELA scores in high-poverty elementary schools and mathematics scores in moderate-poverty middle schools.
Recommended Citation
Kehrer, Brian L., "A Comparison Study Of Poverty Students' Istep+ Growth Model Scores Based On Schools' Socioeconomic Status Levels" (2016). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1521.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1521