Date of Award

2002

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether student residential and school mobility were related to alternative high school student academic achievement as measured by Graduation Qualifying Exam (GQE) scores and final cumulative grade point average (GPA). Residential and school mobility were defined using Swanson and Schneider's categories: movers, students who move from one residence to another but do not change schools; changers, students who change schools but do not move from one residence to another; and leavers, students who both move from one residence to another and change schools. The investigation was conducted as a case study of 98 graduates of Washington Alternative High School. In addition to descriptive statistics, the data were analyzed using multiple linear regression techniques. In the regression analyses, the individual contributions of the independent variables GQE, GPA, sex, and attendance were significant at the .05 level and both null hypotheses were rejected. The various forms of residential and school mobility were not found to be significant variables in predicting academic achievement. The study did validate the importance of sex differences and attendance in predicting academic achievement among at-risk students in an alternative high school. Also, the interrelationship between a standardized achievement test (i.e., Graduation Qualifying Exam) and cumulative grade point averages was established. Explanations for the relationship between mobility and attendance were also offered. Recommendations for positive interventions in the difficult lives of at-risk students were offered.

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