Think! Evidence

Beyond Free Lunch: Which Family Background Measures Matter?

Show simple item record

dc.creator Sarah Lubienski
dc.creator Corinna Crawford Crane
dc.date 2010-05-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned 2015-07-20T22:22:40Z
dc.date.available 2015-07-20T22:22:40Z
dc.identifier 1068-2341
dc.identifier https://doaj.org/article/b79832c7e52d4da0bbc1ed24f245b051
dc.identifier.uri http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/20750
dc.description Most studies of school achievement use free-lunch eligibility or other basic indicators to adjust for differences in students’ socioeconomic backgrounds. This study determines whether these variables are enough to separate the confounding effects of students’ backgrounds from the main variables of interest in education studies. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study dataset from the kindergarten class cohort of 1998-99 (ECLS-K) provides an unusually vast array of information regarding children’s home resources and experiences. This plethora of parent-reported data raises questions about which variables researchers should include in their analyses, and it provides an extraordinary opportunity to examine this question. Using a split-sample design, stepwise regression, and multi-level modeling, this study systematically examines over 200 ECLS-K student background variables to determine which factors predict reading and mathematics achievement after typical SES controls are employed. The study identifies several variables that are important supplements to traditional SES measures, including the number of children in the household, mother’s age at first birth, and children’s books at home. Results indicate the extent to which “value added” studies can be flawed when using only basic demographic variables. The findings hold implications for data collection and accountability efforts, including NCLB, teacher evaluation plans, and the design of state longitudinal data systems.
dc.language English
dc.language Spanish
dc.language Portuguese
dc.publisher Arizona State University
dc.relation http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/756
dc.relation https://doaj.org/toc/1068-2341
dc.rights CC BY
dc.source Education Policy Analysis Archives, Vol 18, p 11 (2010)
dc.subject social class
dc.subject socioeconomic status
dc.subject Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K)
dc.subject large- scale data
dc.subject multi-level modeling
dc.subject mathematics
dc.subject reading
dc.subject elementary school
dc.subject United States, 1999–2005.
dc.subject Special aspects of education
dc.subject LC8-6691
dc.subject Education
dc.subject L
dc.subject DOAJ:Education
dc.subject DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject Special aspects of education
dc.subject LC8-6691
dc.subject Education
dc.subject L
dc.subject DOAJ:Education
dc.subject DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject Special aspects of education
dc.subject LC8-6691
dc.subject Education
dc.subject L
dc.subject Special aspects of education
dc.subject LC8-6691
dc.subject Education
dc.subject L
dc.subject Special aspects of education
dc.subject LC8-6691
dc.subject Education
dc.subject L
dc.title Beyond Free Lunch: Which Family Background Measures Matter?
dc.type article


Files in this item

Files Size Format View

There are no files associated with this item.

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

Search Think! Evidence


Browse

My Account