Impact of Socioeconomic Status -1

IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO

LEARN

By

ANGELA HIATT

Submitted to

The Educational Leadership Faculty

Northwest Missouri State University Missouri

Department of Educational Leadership

College of Education and Human Services

Maryville, MO 64468

Submitted in Fulfillment for the Requirements for

61-683 Research Paper

Summer 2012

July 29, 2012

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of socioeconomic status on students

and their ability to learn. The research includes findings that answer the questions, “Does a

student’s socioeconomic status impact their ability to learn?” and “In what ways can we more

effectively teach students of lower socioeconomic status?” Research was conducted through

DESE website. The findings were analyzed through Microsoft Excel and A Statistical Program

(ASP) software. T-Tests were conducted. Findings indicate that there is a negative impact on a

student’s ability to learn if they are of lower socioeconomic status. Using teaching strategies that

have shown to be successful with aforementioned students would be warranted. Professional

development in districts with the specified demographics may be useful.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

Background, Issues and Concerns

The middle schools in the ISD are struggling to bring students up to grade level in areas

such as reading and communication arts. These students are part of a district, which annexed

multiple schools into its learning community when a nearby district failed to improve. Various

learning strategies have been tried and students are still failing to make substantial gains. These

students, which largely consist of free and reduced lunch participants, are part of a low

socioeconomic status.

Practice under Investigation

The practice under investigation is how to reach students most effectively in the school

setting in efforts to work past their economic status and make substantial academic growth.

School Policy To Be Informed by the Study

These middle schools have grades six through eight. These classes are taught by certified

teachers, some of which who have been with the school since it being annexed over. Information

regarding these students will come from statewide test results for this district in which this

school resides, and surrounding schools used for comparison.

Conceptual Underpinning

Many professionals in the education field have decided that students of poverty do not

have the ability to learn as well as students who live above the poverty line. These teachers have

essentially predetermined the academic fate of the students in which they teach. There are
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theories, examples, and methods coming to attention of the world of education that entertain the

idea that these students can be taught just as effectively and made substantial academic gains. In

theory, if appropriate teaching methodologies are used, students from low socio-economic areas

can achieve at a high level by being provided with structure in the classroom, providing routine,

and setting the bar high. Students who come from a low socioeconomic status thrive in the

structure of well ran classroom, as this is something they are often missing outside of school.

They work will when given a predictable routine to follow. It is also found that the teachers that

use a student’s socioeconomic status as an excuse for low test scores is doing a disservice to that

student. Pushing them to improve results in students that can accomplish the academic gains we

need them to.

Statement of the Problem

Students of poverty are not making appropriate academic gains. Effective techniques

need to be found and implemented to lessen the achievement gaps.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to gather data and information on the affect that

demographics have in the role of educating diverse students. Information gathered from this

study will guide myself and other educators in the most effective ways to teach students from

less than desirable demographics.

Research questions

RQ: Is there a difference in student achievement based on socioeconomic status?

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Null hypotheses

Ho: There is no difference in student achievement based on socioeconomic status.

Anticipated benefits of the study

The result of this study will clarify whether the demographics of a student affect their

ability to learn, while highlighting the best way to teach students from less than desirable

demographics. The information gathered in this study will assist teachers, like myself, in

reaching more students to help close the educational gaps currently being demonstrated.

Definition of terms

NCLB: No Child Left Behind act of 2001 is the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act. NCLB really pushes literacy in young students and pushes for

high quality teachers.

DESE: Department of Secondary Education

PD: Professional Development

BCA: Benchmark Common Assessments are tests given to students to check for growth.

These students are given this test in fall and spring. It gages not only student growth, but is also

used as a tool to check for teacher competency.

STAR Results: Literacy testing to determine grade level of reading ability

CWC: CWC is a class within a class. These classes provide the classroom teacher with a

special education teacher and immerse the special education students into it. These classes are

commonly set up in the form of co teaching.

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IEP: Individual Education Program is a legally binding document that spells out exactly

what special education services your child will receive and why.

Summary

NMS is located in the western Missouri and contains students in grades six through eight.

It is one of four middle schools in the Independence School District, all of which are Title 1

schools. NMS has the highest free and reduced lunch percentage amongst all the middle schools

in the ISD. The majority of these students are living below the poverty line and not making

appropriate academic gains, which have been causing concern, as they are multiple grade levels

behind. Research will be done to show the impact that their socio-economic status is making on

their ability to perform in predetermined areas. The research findings will be paired with

conceptual underpinnings to show the most effective ways to reach these students.
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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Due to the downward spiral of our economy, the socioeconomic status of our students has

been greatly impacted. As found in “The State of Missouri’s Children: 2011” it can bee seen that

many of the children begin educated in this state are not only coming from poverty, but also less

than desirable circumstances. (Harris, Hawks, & Thornburg, 2011) This is also supported in

“U.S. Poverty Rate Hits 15.1 percent, new Census data show,” an article from the Kansas City

Star. (Stafford, 2011) The article in the Kansas City Star reviews poverty amongst multiple

ethnicities and both male and female. The district and school mentioned in this research study

are labeled Title 1 schools, meaning due to free and reduced lunch rates, the school receives

funds from the governments to support our students academically.

Once an educator is familiar with the demographics in their classroom they need to have

the understanding of how to appropriately address the poverty within their classroom. How the

educator addresses student’s socioeconomic status, it can greatly influence the atmosphere of

their classroom. In the article “How to Address Poverty in the Classroom” it explains how

addressing students within the aforementioned demographics can be detrimental. (Hougan, 2009)

The importance of understanding the division between the two is found in “Poverty Not Race,

Holds Back Urban Students”. (Bainbridge & Lasley, 2002) This article brings to light why there

is a gap between test results of white and black students. One reason that black students may

score lower than white students is due to the very fact that we focus on the impact ethnicity has.

This article also states that students who come from poverty score lower on tests, and often the

students who are coming from poverty are of a minority ethnicity. Because these two qualities

happen to go hand in hand, we see that students of a minority typically score lower than

Caucasian students. This, however, does not mean that white and black students cannot obtain
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the same academic success. However, due to the surroundings of many of the minority groups,

this has been difficult to achieve.

As found in this study, students of schools with greater free and reduced lunch rates do

not score as well on ACT composite tests and tend to have higher drop out rates. From this

research, you will find some ways that students of these demographics may be more successful

in the classroom, as found in “What You Can Do for Students Living in Poverty.” (Thompson,

J., 2008) These students living in poverty often have a very different mindset. Small fees, for

lockers or fieldtrips, can be very difficult to pay. Because they cannot afford the same

fashionable clothing as the other students, they are often a target for bullying. As teachers, we

need to provide the strong relationships they are lacking with adults and help put a stop to the

harassment they may be experiencing. Because students from poverty may not always know

socially correct behaviors, take time to explain to them why you have particular rules in your

classroom.

Because classroom management and understanding middle school students is pertinent,

reviewing literature regarding these aspects is invaluable. “For Teachers, Middle School is Test

of Wills” is a valuable article that highlights the developmental stage of students in middle

school. (Gootman, 2007) This article addresses the fact that students have a specific topography

of their brain, and for this reason it causes a high turnover rate in middle school teachers.

Teachers who teach middle school, and will be successful in doing so, have to be able to judge

quickly when quirky student behavior warrants discipline or deafness, as the article states.

Students in middle school are at a peak in regards to being distractible and having trouble

completing tasks at hand. Understanding the reasoning behind this can be found in “Middle

School Manages Distractions of Adolescence.” (Winnie, 2007) One of the most important ways
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to manage these distractions is to start with a teacher that has a desire to work with students of

the applicable age bracket. Some of the most successful middle schools only hire teachers that

prefer middle school. It is also crucial to, essentially, have completely different curriculum that

is focused on teaching social etiquette to these students. One program mentioned in Winnie’s

article is called Habits of Mind. It has 16 traits that are commonly found in highly successful

people. This program not only teaches them to be flexible individuals, but to also control their

impulses.

One successful way of assisting students struggling with behaviors in the classroom, in

which may make it difficult to assist students of poverty, is a Behavior Action Plan, as found in

the article “Middle School Classroom Management: Behavior Action Plan.” (Waxler, 2007)

This is a plan that a student fills out, addressing three sentences to be finished by the student.

The first question addresses why they are filling out a behavior action plan, the second question

addresses why the behavior was not appropriate, and the third component addresses how they

could prevent this behavior from happening again. Students in middle school do not always have

a clear understanding of proper social etiquette. This is a great tool to teach them proper

classroom behaviors, and also to hold them accountable.

Continuing to search for best practices for the classroom and staying focused

professionally is key to pushing any student to excel. Continuous change as a teacher is

undeniable, and favorable, as found in “Be a Pro-Changing Teacher.” In this article it explains

how teachers who have been teaching for many years often fear change, as they are set in their

ways. As our student body changes, our curriculum changes, and new ideas come about,

teachers must be ready to change continuously. This article recommends having students give

the teacher feedback on how a lesson could have went better or simply what they would do as a
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teacher if given their job for a day. While teachers need to be prepared for some unreasonable

responses, if they look closely, they will find ways to refresh their learning style and improve

their ability to reach their students. (Martin, N/A)

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RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design

The alpha level was set at 0.25 for all tests with this research. The independent variable

was free and reduced lunch. The dependent variable was test scores. T-tests were performed to

compare standardized testing results for math and communication arts between four schools of

low socioeconomic status and four schools with low percentages of free and reduced lunch

qualifiers.

Study Group Description

The district being used as the focus of this study has 18 elementary schools, 4 middle

schools, 3 high schools and 1 alternative school. The particular district that is the focus of this

study has 3,051 students divided into four middle schools. The middles schools all have grades

six through eight. These grade levels are co-ed and majority of IEP students are mainstreamed.

There are CWC classes in each grade level. All four schools are classified as Title 1 schools, due

to having a high number of free and reduced lunch rates. The four middle schools being used for

comparison have a low number of free and reduced lunch percentages, and have a combined

number of 3,568 students, all containing grades six through eight. These schools come from

surrounding districts from the same geographic area.

Data Collection and Instrumentation

Information regarding these students comes from the DESE web site. These will include

MAP tests, enrollment numbers, and school’s rate of free and reduced lunch.
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Data Analysis Methods

A Statistical Package (ASP) software was used to complete the statistical calculations in

this study. T-test was used to obtain information, along with Microsoft Excel to compile some

totals used in this research.

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FINDINGS

The middle schools Nowlin Middle School, Pioneer Ridge Middle School, Bingham

Middle School, Bridger Middle School, New Mark Middle School, South Valley Middle School,

Campbell Middle School, and Delta Woods were chosen for comparison. Through the tables,

graphs, and narratives below, the comparison of attributes of free or reduced lunch, math MAP

proficiency results, and communication arts MAP proficiency results of each school are

presented in this descriptive analysis.

Comparison of Free/Reduced Lunch Percentages with MAP Scores

2011 Math 2011 CA

MAP MAP
School Proficiency Proficiency F/R Lunch

Pioneer Middle School 49.70% 54% 56.70%

Nowlin Middle School 32% 31.20% 81.30%

Bridger Middle School 49% 49.50% 57.30%

Bingham Middle School 54.30% 57% 62.20%

New Mark Middle School 68.40% 64.80% 22.70%

Campbell Middle School 72.50% 69.30% 21.80%

South Valley Middle School 76.80% 64.10% 14.70%

Delta Woods Middle School 71.50% 69.80% 17.90%

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90.00%
9
80.00%
8
70.00%
7
60.00%
6
50.00%
40.00%
4
30.00% MATH MAP
20.00%
2
CA MAP
10.00%
1
F/R LUNCH
0.00%

When
W comparing 8 middlle schools, itt can be seenn that there iis a correlatioon between free

and reducced lunch raate and studeents performaance on the state standarrdized MAP
P test. Southh

Valley Middle
M Schoo
ol has the low
west free and
d reduced luunch rate, at 14.7%, withh the highest

percentag
ge of studentts scoring prroficient or advanced
a onn the MAP teest. South V
Valley has 766.8%

of their students scorring proficien

nt or advancced on their M
Math portionn of the test,, with 64.1%
%

scoring proficient
p or advanced on
n the Comm
munication Arrts portion. Delta Woodds Middle Scchool

had the next

n lowest percentage
p of free and reeduced lunchh, at 17.9%. Delta Woodds also had oone

of the hig
ghest percen
ntages for stu
udents scorin
ng proficientt or advancedd on the MA
AP test. Deltta

Woods Middle
M Schoo
ol students scored
s 71.5%
% on the Matth portion off the MAP teest and 69.8%
% on

the Comm
munication Arts
A portion. Nowlin Middle
M Schoool had the higghest free annd reduced luunch

rate, at 81.3%. Nowllin also had the lowest scores on thee MAP test. Nowlin scorred a 32% on the

Math porrtion and a 31.2%

3 on thee Communiccation Arts p ortion.
 Impact of Socioeconomic Status -15

t-Test Analysis Results for Free and Reduced Lunch and Communication Arts MAP Scores

Source Mean Mean D t-test df p-value

Lower 50% (n=4) 67

Upper 50% (n=4) 48 19 3.1508 6 0.0197

Note: Significant when p<=0.25

Eight middle schools in the state of Missouri were randomly selected to observe

differences between socio-economic status and Communication Arts MAP scores. The free or

reduced lunch percentages of each district were evaluated to produce two groups: the lower 50%

(bottom 4) were placed in one group and the highest 50% (top 4) were placed in another. The

mean of the more affluent schools was 67% and the mean of the higher poverty schools was

48%. The Mean D, or difference between the two groups, was 19%. The t-test result was 3.1508

and the df was 6. The null hypothesis states there is not a significant difference in

Communication Arts MAP scores based on socio-economic status, indicated by free or reduced

lunch percentages. Since the p-value was 0.0197, and the Alpha number was set at 0.25, the null

hypothesis must be rejected. Therefore, there is a significant difference in Communication Arts

MAP scores based on the percentage of free or reduced lunch students each middle school

contains. The lower 50% with the mean score of 67% scored significantly higher than the upper

group with the mean score of 48%. The lower the free or reduced lunch percentage, the more

significant the actual Communication Arts MAP score becomes.

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t-Test Analysis Results for Free and Reduced Lunch and Math MAP Scores

Source Mean Mean D t-test df p-value

Lower 50% (n=4) 72

Upper 50% (n=4) 46 26 5.017 6 0.0024

Note: Significant when p<=0.25

Eight middle schools in the state of Missouri were randomly selected to observe

differences between socio-economic status and Math MAP scores. The free or reduced lunch

percentages of each district were evaluated to produce two groups: the lower 50% (bottom 4)

were placed in one group and the highest 50% (top 4) were placed in another. The mean of the

more affluent schools was 72% and the mean of the higher poverty schools was 46%. The Mean

D, or difference between the two groups, was 26%. The t-test result was 5.017 and the df was 6.

The null hypothesis states there is not a significant difference in Math MAP scores based on

socio-economic status, indicated by free or reduced lunch percentages. Since the p-value was

0.0024, and the Alpha number was set at 0.25, the null hypothesis must be rejected. Therefore,

there is a significant difference in Math MAP scores based on the percentage of free or reduced

lunch students each middle school contains. The lower 50% with the mean score of 72% scored

significantly higher than the upper group with the mean score of 46%. The lower the free or

reduced lunch percentage, the more significant the actual Math MAP score becomes.
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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The null hypothesis stated that there is no difference in student achievement based on

socioeconomic status. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant difference in

student achievement based on socioeconomic status. Students of poverty scored lower, overall,

on their state tests. The four middle schools with the highest level of free of reduced lunch

participants (Nowlin, Bingham, Bridger, and Pioneer Middle Schools) had significantly lower

scores on their Communication Arts and Math portions of their MAP test. The four middle

schools with significantly lower free and reduced lunch participants (South Valley, Delta Woods,

Campbell, and New Mark Middle Schools) all had significantly higher scores on their MAP test.

The results show that students are negatively impacted if they are of a lower

socioeconomic status. These students are less likely to graduate from high school and score

significantly lower on tests. Teachers play witness to a variety of reasons this occurs. Often

family support is nonexistent, not allowing them to see help on homework at home. Many times

these same students that are qualifying for free and reduced lunches are not being offered food at

home. They will return to school each day, and have not eaten since their free/reduced lunch

from the day before. These students also may not have the means to be prepared for class with

appropriate learning materials. Teachers have also experienced students that come to school with

physical ailments that their family cannot afford to treat.

For each these aforementioned reasons, these students find it difficult, if not impossible,

to thrive academically. Teachers have seen these students try to learn while hungry or ill. They

have been distracted in class due to not having the materials they needed to learn.

After researching, running T-tests and reading literature related to these findings, several

approaches are recommended. Schools could go beyond supplying a free/reduced lunch and
 Impact of Socioeconomic Status -18

they could join other schools in their efforts to feed students at home. Local schools have started

sending home a backpack at night that contains food to help them get through the night. Middle

schools in the Independence School District already hold food drives throughout the year, but

currently donate most of the food. It is recommended that schools use all the food donated to

create this type of backpack system.

It is also recommended that ISD should accept our students current supply situation and

should dedicate a portion of our budget to helping them be supplied and ready for class. This

budget would cover materials such as paper, pencils, backpacks, erasures, calculators and

coloring tools. When students are able to show up to class prepared they are much less

distracted.

Professional development for teachers and staff could be provided, so they may be

educated on the best way to interact with students of low socioeconomic status. Teachers often

create a poor learning environment by unintentionally not speaking the language of these

particular students. Ruby Pane is known for deciphering this language, and her materials may

prove to be useful at this recommended professional development.

What is important to take from this research is that students that are coming from a lower

socioeconomic status are not thriving academically; rather, they are being left behind? Teachers

need to be able to turn the reasoning away from them, and back on themselves. Teachers have to

ask themselves what they can do to better support these students, which involves teachers

pushing themselves to be ever evolving educators.

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REFERENCES

Bainbridge, W., & Lasley II, T. (2002, July 28). Poverty Not Race, Holds Back Urban Students. School

Match. Retrieved from www.schoolmatch.com

Gootman, E. (2007, March 17). For Teachers, Middle School is Test of Wills. The New York Times.

Retrieved from www.nytimes.com

Harris, T., Hawks, J., & Thornburg, K. (2011, January). The State of Missouri’s Children: 2011. Center

for Family Policy and Research. Retrieved from www.CFPR.missouir.edu

Hougan, E. (2009, January 29). How to Address Poverty in the Classroom. Teaching Community.

Retrieved from www.teaching.monster.com

Martin, J. New Teacher University. (N/A). Be a Pro‐Changing Teacher. Retrieved January 20, 2012, from

http://www.newteacheruniversity.com/resources/teacher‐articles/continued/be‐a‐pro‐change‐

teacher/

Ripley, A. The Atlantic. (January/February 2010). What Makes a Great Teacher? Retrieved January 20,

2012, from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/01/what‐makes‐a‐great‐

teacher/7841/

Stafford, D. (2011, September 13). U.S. Poverty Rate Hits 15.1 percent, new Census data show. The

Kansas City Star. Retrieved from www.kansascity.com

Thompson, J. (2008, January 8). What You Can Do for Students Living in Poverty. Teaching Community.

Retrieved from www.teachingmonster.com

Waxler, A. (2007, August 14). Middle School Classroom Management: Behavior Action Plan. Education

Articles. Retrieved from www.edarticle.com

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Winnie, H. (2007, March 12). Middle School Manages Distractions of Adolescence. The New York

Times. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com