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East Tennessee State University

Academic Achievement of Elementary Students: A Comparison Study of Student Athletes Versus Nonathletes

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The place of sports in academic institutions has been analyzed at length for several years. However most studies focus on the participation of high school and university students in school sports. Very little research exists to suggest a positive or negative correlation between academic achievement and participation in interscholastic sports at the elementary level. As a result the relationship between academic performance and participation in school sports among elementary students in grades 4 and 5 was investigated in this study. Through an independent-samples t test analysis of 1,605 fourth and fifth grade boys and girls, it was determined that students who participated in school sports were likely to have higher standardized test scores in both reading and math as measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. This was true of both male and female students. Additionally students of African-American, Asian, and Latino ethnicity who participated in interscholastic athletics also performed significantly higher on standardized tests than did their peers who did not participate in school sports. However it was determined that no significant relationship existed between participation in school sports and attendance at the elementary level. The results of this study suggest that there exists a positive relationship between interscholastic sports participation and academic achievement.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
EdD (Doctor of Education)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation - unrestricted
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Educational Leadership
Year dc:date.issued
2013

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Dyke, Kimberly R

Subjects

dc:subject × 9

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Copyright by the authors.

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1142
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2276

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
East Tennessee State University
Base URL
dc.etsu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Dyke, Kimberly R. Academic Achievement of Elementary Students: A Comparison Study of Student Athletes Versus Nonathletes. Dissertation - unrestricted thesis, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1142