Learning and Educational Trajectories

This project analyzes data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) to assess how socioeconomic disadvantages within the family and in the school, and how the linkages at different levels of the educational system (the family, school, classroom, and state) affect children's mathematics achievement from kindergarten through elementary school. The project also investigates how the policy context, such as school finance and policy intended to influence classroom instructional practices affect the learning environment and consequently the child's academic trajectory.

The project has three specific aims: 1) Evaluate differences in state mathematics instructional policy, including content standards, curriculum frameworks, and teacher professional learning, with particular emphasis on the implications for low-income children; 2) Examine how differences in state mathematics instructional policy are associated with school learning environment, especially in high poverty elementary schools. We also examine how school learning environment is associated with classroom instructional practices; and 3) Identify the relationships between family income, parental investment, school learning environment, and classroom instructional practices on growth in mathematics proficiencies through the third grade.

The project undertakes several research activities:

• Assess how instructional practices sustain achievement gains during the transition from kindergarten to first grade;
• Assess whether instruction can effectively moderate the adverse impact of poverty on early school achievement and educational inequality;
• Assess how neighborhood social and economic forces act as moderating influences on academic achievement;
• Examine the mobility patterns among elementary school students, and the underlying mechanisms that might connect mobility to their achievement; and
• Examine the association between standards-based policies, school finance and mathematics achievement during elementary school.

Funding Source: National Science Foundation.

Contact: Annie Georges, Ph.D.

Current Social Context of Education Projects

Completed Social Context of Education Projects