The Benefits of Attending Catholic Schools: A Look at the Academic-Achievement of African-American Boys in Elementary School

Abstract

African-American boys continue to struggle academically. Catholic schools have been found to have a positive effect on the academic achievement of minority students. Few studies have examined the relationship between attending Catholic elementary school and academic achievement for African-American boys. Using data from the 2012 Parent and Family Involvement in Education (PFI) survey, a survey of the National Household Education Program series, the purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between school climate and academic achievement for African-American boys attending elementary school. Spearman correlations and logistic regressions were used to explore the relationship between overall school climate and academic achievement. Strong correlations were found between contacting parents about school behavior problems as well as successful school work and overall behavior, suggesting parental engagement has a positive effect on the academic outcomes of African-American boys.