Four-year longitudinal study on the impact of migrant student identification on academic achievement

Authors

Graciela Villegas Perez, University of Texas-Pan American

Date of Award

12-2003

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Ralph Carlson

Second Advisor

Dr. Elena Bastida

Third Advisor

Dr. Veronica Estrada

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the impact of migrant student identification or non-identification by receiving schools on academic achievement. The relationship between migrant students' achievement and the condition of identification by receiving schools and potential correlates, gender, age, birthplace and language proficiency was also analyzed.

This is a four year longitudinal study on one hundred seventy five migrant students' academic achievement in grades third, fourth, fifth and sixth. The study is divided into two parts. The first part is the data analysis of student records obtained from the New Generation System (NGS), which records the identification or non-identification and school achievement of migrant students. The second part is an analysis of the effect of identification or non-identification by receiving schools on the academic achievement of migrant students as measured by the state assessment, Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Student records from eight schools in four school districts located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas were examined for the effects of identification. In addition to identification, the study included gender, age, place of birth and language proficiency.

The results of the study indicated that the condition of identification of migrant students by receiving schools has no impact on academic achievement in reading, mathematics, writing in fourth grades, fifth or sixth grades. Data showed that language proficiency was the variable, which accounted for or explained the largest proportion of the variance in academic achievement in reading, mathematics, writing in fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The effect size of language proficiency increased across the reviewed grade levels in reading and mathematics. The percentage of migrant students not tested increased across the grade levels. The percentage of migrant students not tested in the appropriate language also increased across the fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

Comments

Copyright 2003 Graciela Villegas Perez. All Rights Reserved.

https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/four-year-longitudinal-study-on-impact-migrant/docview/304658925/se-2?accountid=7119

Granting Institution

University of Texas-Pan American