TY - JOUR
T1 - A longitudinal study of school connectedness and academic outcomes across sixth grade
AU - Niehaus, Kate
AU - Rudasill, Kathleen Moritz
AU - Rakes, Christopher R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by a university-sponsored research incentive grant. The authors would like to thank the middle school students, teachers, and administrators who were involved in data collection and those individuals in the school system's research and planning office who helped gather archival data from student records.
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - The current longitudinal study examines the extent to which school connectedness (i.e., students' perceptions of school support and the number of adults with whom they have a positive relationship) is associated with academic outcomes across sixth grade for students from high poverty neighborhoods. Data were collected from 330 sixth-grade students attending two middle schools in a large public school district. Specifically, students completed a survey to assess their perceived connection to the school environment, and academic information regarding students' grades, attendance, and discipline referrals was obtained from school records. Results from latent growth curve modeling showed that, on average, students' perceptions of school support declined significantly across the sixth-grade year. However, students who reported less decline, or growth, in school support across sixth grade had higher academic achievement at the end of the year than students who reported more decline in school support. Sixth-grade boys were at a greater risk for negative outcomes (i.e., lower school support, lower GPAs, and more discipline referrals) across the school year than girls. Results point to the importance of perceived connectedness to school in helping economically disadvantaged students experience a safe and successful transition to middle school.
AB - The current longitudinal study examines the extent to which school connectedness (i.e., students' perceptions of school support and the number of adults with whom they have a positive relationship) is associated with academic outcomes across sixth grade for students from high poverty neighborhoods. Data were collected from 330 sixth-grade students attending two middle schools in a large public school district. Specifically, students completed a survey to assess their perceived connection to the school environment, and academic information regarding students' grades, attendance, and discipline referrals was obtained from school records. Results from latent growth curve modeling showed that, on average, students' perceptions of school support declined significantly across the sixth-grade year. However, students who reported less decline, or growth, in school support across sixth grade had higher academic achievement at the end of the year than students who reported more decline in school support. Sixth-grade boys were at a greater risk for negative outcomes (i.e., lower school support, lower GPAs, and more discipline referrals) across the school year than girls. Results point to the importance of perceived connectedness to school in helping economically disadvantaged students experience a safe and successful transition to middle school.
KW - Academic outcomes
KW - High poverty students
KW - Latent growth curve modeling
KW - Middle school
KW - School connectedness
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsp.2012.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jsp.2012.03.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 22710015
AN - SCOPUS:84862505667
SN - 0022-4405
VL - 50
SP - 443
EP - 460
JO - Journal of School Psychology
JF - Journal of School Psychology
IS - 4
ER -