High School Socioeconomic Segregation and Student Attainment

Abstract

Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, this study examines the association between high school socioeconomic segregation and student attainment outcomes and the mechanisms that mediate those relationships. The results show that socioeconomic segregation has a strong association with high school graduation and college enrollment. Controlling for an array of student and school factors, students who attend high socioeconomic composition (SEC) schools are 68% more likely to enroll at a 4-year college than students who attend low SEC schools. Two mediating mechanisms were examined, including socioeconomic-based peer influences and school effects. The results indicate the association between SEC and attainment is due more to peer influences, which tend to be negative in the low SEC setting. However, school practices that emphasize academics also play a major role, particularly in mediating the relationship between SEC and 4-year college enrollment. These findings suggest that integrating schools is likely necessary to fully addressing the negative consequences of attending a low SEC school.

Northern Lights on TIMSS and PIRLS 2011

“…There is quite a rich body of literature of international research on different mechanisms of school segregation and their relative importance (see, e.g., Palardy, 2013;Sahlgren, 2013). However, results tend to be inconsistent across studies, and so far little consensus has been achieved.…”

The complex determinants of school intake characteristics and segregation, England 1989 to 2014

“…International studies illustrate that unequal distribution of resources and the stratification of students between schools by their parental income or immigrant status, all other things being equal, are linked to lower overall attainment (Goldsmith 2011, Condron 2011, Vasque and Home 2013, and to a larger achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students (Knowles and Evans 2012). The segregation of students is strongly linked to lowered patterns of high school graduation and college enrolment in the US, even after controlling for individual and other school factors (Palardy 2013). The mix of peers in school is linked to these longer-term outcomes but also to wider non-cognitive outcomes such as students' sense of justice , and to civic knowledge (Collado 2014), and subsequent civic engagement (Hoskins et al 2014).…”

The uncertain future of comprehensive schooling in England

“…International studies illustrate that the stratification of students between schools by their parental income or immigrant status, all other things being equal, is linked to lower overall attainment and to a larger achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students (Goldsmith 2011, Condron 2013, Vasque and Home 2013. The social and racial segregation of students is strongly linked to lowered patterns of language development (Belfi et al 2014), high school and graduation and college enrolment in the US, even after controlling for individual and other school factors (Palardy 2013). The mix of peers in school is linked to these longer-term outcomes but also to wider non-cognitive outcomes such as students' social skills (Gottfried 2014), emotional and behavioural problems (Muller and Hofmann 2014), sense of justice (Gorard and See 2013), and civic knowledge and engagement (Collado et al 2014).…”