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The long‐term differential achievement effects of school socioeconomic composition in primary education: A propensity score matching approach
Author(s) -
Belfi Barbara,
Haelermans Carla,
De Fraine Bieke
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/bjep.12120
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , propensity score matching , psychology , academic achievement , multilevel model , matching (statistics) , selection bias , longitudinal study , sample (material) , differential effects , mathematics education , developmental psychology , demography , sociology , statistics , medicine , population , mathematics , chemistry , chromatography
Background The effects of school socio‐economic composition on student achievement growth trajectories have been a hot topic of discussion among politicians around the world for many years. However, the bulk of research investigating school socio‐economic composition effects has been limited in important ways. Aims In an attempt to overcome the flaws in earlier research on school socio‐economic composition effects, this study used data from a large sample, followed students throughout primary education, addressed selection bias problems, identified the grade(s) in which school socio‐economic composition mattered the most, and studied the differential effects of school socio‐economic composition by individual socio‐economic status ( SES ). Sample In a longitudinal design with seven occasions of data collection, the authors drew on a sample of N = 3,619 students (age at T1 about 5 years, age at T7 about 12 years) from 151 primary schools in Flanders (the northern part of Belgium). Method Students in low‐, medium‐, high‐, and mixed‐ SES schools were matched using propensity scores. To compare students’ achievement growth trajectories in the different school compositions, multilevel regression modelling with repeated measurements was applied. Results The results showed that students had more positive achievement growth in high‐ SES as compared to low‐ SES and mixed‐ SES schools. In two of the three comparisons, students in mixed‐ SES schools showed the lowest math development. The negative effects of mixed‐ SES schools on math achievement growth were the strongest for high‐ SES students. Conclusions Our findings contribute to the ongoing discussion on the effects of school socio‐economic composition on student achievement growth.