Effects Of Student Family Structure And Attendance On Academic Achievement In Middle Grades Mathematics PDF Download

Students not only learn at different speeds and methods but also live in many different households and face many challenges to their personal academic journeys. These households have both positive and negative effects on the students which is often mirrored in the classroom. How students learn, and what are the factors that have positive and a negative effect on their learning is not only a very important aspect of education, but a highly evolving phenomena. Family households have changed rapidly over the last several decades and it is the job of the educational community to adhere to these changes in order to service each student in the very best way possible. The purpose of this study was to classify a selected group of students into three family households: married, single/divorced and foster guardianship and using state standardized tests in math and communication arts (MAP) along with school district quarterly benchmark assessments, see if a significant relationship exists between family households and student achievement. Once a significant relationship is identified, the study addressed to what degree the significance level existed, and finally through an analysis of the literature review, make recommendations that might benefit school districts in helping students that are not performing at the appropriate levels of success in state testing. The study will address four research questions: 1) How do 5th and 6th grade students from two parent homes compare academically with 5th and 6th grade students from single parent or guardianship homes, as measured by the Math MAP? 2) How do 5th and 6th grade students from two parent homes compare academically with 5th and 6th grade students from single parent or guardianship homes, as measured by the Communication Arts MAP? 3) How do 5th and 6th grade students from two parent homes compare academically with 5th and 6th grade students from single parent or guardianship homes as measured by Math quarterly benchmark assessments? 4) How do 5th and 6th grade students from two parent homes compare academically with 5th and 6th grade students from single parent or guardianship homes as measured by Communication Arts quarterly benchmark assessments? The testing instrument used was ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), which provided the appropriate measure of testing for the dependent variable (MAP and Quarterly Benchmarks) and the independent variable (family demographics, households). The results of the data will be organized and identified as having significant relationships and rejections of the null hypothesis or an acceptance of the null hypothesis. The study was significant because it examined literature that addressed the impact that a home life has on a student, and how that affect that students’ performance in the classroom. The study also will provide recommendations for educators that would be beneficial in addressing the growing needs of all students based on the type of household they dwell.