Education Policy Analysis Archives - Volume 18 - Number 29 - Examining the Effects of School Composition on North Carolina Student Achievement over Time

Oct 15, 2026

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Study examines how school-level characteristics shape North Carolina students’ reading and math achievement from fourth through eighth grade, emphasizing links to schools’ racial and poverty composition. Race-by-poverty school cohorts support multilevel modeling for the same students across grades. Results indicate racial and poverty composition continues to affect achievement even after accounting for student, family, and other school influences. Stronger teacher quality and additional school resources reduce but do not remove these effects.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages45

Reading Time1 h 53 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Achievement inequalities and historical context

School poverty and racial composition

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal
Arizona State University
| | --- | | Volume 18 Number 29 November 30th, 2010 ISSN 1068–2341 | | Examining the Effects of School Composition on North Carolina
Student Achievement over Time1
Stephanie Southworth
Clemson University
Citation: Southworth, S. (2010) Examining the effects of school composition on North Carolina student achievement over time. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 18 (29) . Retrieved from [http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/848](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/848)
Abstract: This study explores the effects of school-level characteristics on North Carolina students’reading and math achievement from fourth through eighth grade, focusing on the relationships between achievement and the racial and poverty composition of schools. After creating race-by-poverty cohorts of schools, I use multilevel models to examine math and reading achievement for the same students in fourth, sixth, and eighth grades. The racial and poverty composition of schools affect student achievement after factoring in student, family, and other school influences. In addition, increasing teacher quality and school resources reduces but does not eliminate the effects of school racial and poverty composition on student achievement. Policies leading to reductions in racial and poverty isolation in schools and increases in teacher quality should be pursued to guarantee equality of educational opportunities to all children in North Carolina schools. Keywords: North Carolina; educational achievement; math; reading; poverty; segregation; multi-level models.
Examinando los efectos de la demografía escolar a través del tiempo en el rendimiento delos estudiantes en Carolina del Norte
Resumen: Este estudio explora los efectos de las características demográficas a nivel escolar en el rendimiento en matemáticas y lectura de los estudiantes en Carolina del Norte desde cuarto a octavogrado, centrándose en las relaciones entre el rendimiento académico y la composición racial y de lapobreza de las escuelas. Después de crear cohortes de escuelas según las variables demográficas deraza-por-pobreza, se utilizaron modelos multinivel para examinar el rendimiento en matemáticas y | 1 Accepted under the editorship of Sherman Dorn. Manuscript received: Revisions received: Accepted: Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 18 No. 29 2 lectura para los mismos estudiantes en cuarto, sexto, y octavo grados. Después de considerar las influencias estudiantiles, familiares, y otras influencias escolares, se determinó que la composición racial y el nivel de pobreza de las escuelas impacta el rendimiento de los estudiantes. Además, el aumento en la calidad de los docentes y de los recursos escolares reduce pero no elimina los efectos de la composición racial y el nivel de pobreza de las escuelas en cuanto al rendimiento estudiantil. Deben aplicarse políticas orientadas a reducir el aislamiento racial y el nivel de pobreza en las escuelas y que aumenten la calidad de los docentes para garantizar la igualdad de oportunidadeseducativas para todos/as los/as estudiantes en las escuelas de Carolina del Norte. Palabras claves: Carolina del Norte; logro educativo; matemáticas; lectura; pobreza; segregación; modelos multinivel. Examinando os efeitos da demografia escolar ao longo do tempo no desempenho dos alunos na Carolina do Norte Resumo Este estudo explora os efeitos das características demográficas a nível escolar emmatemática e leitura do desempenho dos alunos na Carolina do Norte a partir de quarta até a oitavasérie, enfocando a relação entre desempenho acadêmico e da composição racial e da pobreza deescolas. Depois de criar gerações de escolas de acordo com variáveis demográficas de raça, pelapobreza, os modelos multinível foram usados para examinar o desempenho em matemática e leitura para os mesmos alunos em séries quart

FAQs

What is the main focus of the study?

The study focuses on how school-level characteristics influence North Carolina students’ reading and math achievement over time, particularly the role of schools’ racial and poverty composition.

How does the study analyze changes across grades?

After creating race-by-poverty cohorts of schools, multilevel models are used to examine math and reading achievement for the same students in fourth, sixth, and eighth grades.

Do teacher quality and school resources fully eliminate the composition effects?

No. Increasing teacher quality and school resources reduces the effects of school racial and poverty composition on student achievement, but does not eliminate them.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda