FFA membership growth compared to a changing and growing student population

This study compares National FFA membership growth to the growth of the overall student population (percentage growth change, PGC) by state and region from 1990 to 2014 using data provided by the National FFA Organization and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using Ragin’s (1987) method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), student population growth and demographic changes in student race/ethnicity, locale, and free and reduced-price lunch were compared to FFA membership growth by state and region. The QCA method was also used to measure the effects of the National FFA Organization’s affiliation program. The Central Region had the largest increase in FFA membership PGC while the Southern Region had negative FFA membership PGC. Only 6% of states have both high student population growth and high FFA membership measured as a percentage of the student population. Of the states with higher FFA membership percentages, 74% also had larger White student populations, and 89% have larger rural or town student populations. Only one state using the affiliation program had negative FFA membership PGC while 22 states utilizing the affiliation program had positive FFA membership PGC.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Currie, Blaze Kelton

Contributors dc:contributor

• Thieman, Erica B.

• Future Farmers of America (FFA) membership
• National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization
• Student population growth
• Qualitative comparative analysis

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2017 Blaze Currie

Language dc:language

eng

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/97795

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/97795