An analysis of the impact of student mobility on middle school students in one school district in Tennessee

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.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Robinson, Steven Scott

Contributors dc:contributor

• Davis, Lloyd
• Miller, Ted; Carter, Pamala; Kelly, Kirk
• College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

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

Licence

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

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/72

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1072