Committee Chair

Davis, Lloyd

Committee Member

Miller, Ted; Carter, Pamala; Kelly, Kirk

Department

Dept. of Education

College

College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

This study examined the effect of middle school student mobility on standardized test achievement in mathematics and reading. The variables of gender and poverty were also examined in the context of their relationship to a student’s mobility. The data set consisted of the mathematics and reading scores of 9,083 middle school students in a large Tennessee school system of approximately 42,000 students. The first research question asked if there were any differences between mobile and non-mobile students on the mathematics and reading sections of Tennessee Comprehensive Achievement Program Achievement Test (TCAP). Utilizing independent samples t tests for the mathematics and the reading data, the findings demonstrated a significant difference between the scores of mobile and non-mobile students with non-mobile students scoring higher. The second research question asked if there were differences between mobile and non-mobile male and female students on the mathematics and reading sections of TCAP. To answer this question, two-way ANOVAs were conducted with the mathematics and then the reading scores. Significant differences were found between the scores of both boys and girls when compared by mobility (mobile boys versus non-mobile boys and mobile girls versus non-mobile girls), with non-mobile students scoring higher. This significant difference, however, did not exist between boys and girls when they were both mobile (mobile boys versus mobile girls). The third question asked if there were any differences between mobile and non-mobile students on the mathematics and reading sections of TCAP for students who were socio-economically disadvantaged (SED) and for students who were not socio-economically disadvantaged. Two-way ANOVAs were conducted on both the mathematics and reading scores. The findings were that both non-mobile and non-SED students scored significantly higher in both mathematics and reading. The final research question asked if there were any differences between mobile and non-mobile male and female students on the mathematics and reading sections of TCAP for students who were socio-economically disadvantaged and who were not socio-economically disadvantaged. Three-way ANOVAs were conducted on both the mathematics and reading scores. The findings supported the two-way ANOVA findings. Additionally, girls’ reading was more negatively affected by mobility than boys’ reading.

Degree

Ed. D.; A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education.

Date

12-2012

Subject

Academic achievement; Education (Middle school); Student mobility (Middle school)

Location

Tennessee

Keyword

Achievement in mathematics and reading; Middle school student mobility

Discipline

Education

Document Type

Doctoral dissertations

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xii, 98 leaves

Language

English

Rights

https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

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