Can Community and School‐Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First‐Generation Immigrant Children Attending High‐Poverty Schools?

Abstract

Using a quasi-experimental design, the effects of a student support intervention were estimated for the math and reading achievement of first-generation immigrant children (n = 667, M = 11.05 years of age) attending high-poverty, urban elementary schools. The intervention was designed to help schools identify developmental strengths and barriers to learning and, in turn, connect children to community and school supports aligned with their strengths and needs. By exploiting within-school changes in the implementation of the intervention, the present study revealed statistically and practically significant treatment effects indicating improvements in math and reading achievement at the end of elementary school. In addition, the intervention appears to considerably narrow achievement gaps between English language learners and immigrant children proficient in English.

Differences in the Reading Performance of Texas Grade 4 Students as a Function of Their Economic Status: A Multiyear, Statewide Analysis

“…For many years, connections between poverty and low reading achievement have been well documented (Conradi et al, 2016;Dearing et al, 2016;Harris & Slate, 2017;Hernandez & Casey, 2011;Reardon, Valentino, & Shores, 2012;Tran et al, 2017). Research has been conducted on Grade 3 students, first year performance on the STAAR assessment, and on students' performance in high school; however, research on Grade 4 student performance in Texas on the STAAR Reading assessment has not been conducted.…”

“…A substantial body of research (e.g., Conradi et al, 2016;Crosnoe & Cooper, 2010;Dearing et al, 2016) has been generated illustrating the presence of a statistically significant relationship between poverty and low student achievement in reading. Compared in numerous empirical studies are the relationship between poverty and reading performance as a function of economic status.…”

“…It is due to this lack of basic reading skill acquisition that children below the poverty line do not achieve at adequate levels (Stinnett, 2011). Many researchers (e.g., Conradi, Amendum, & Liebfreund, 2016;Dearing et al, 2016;McGown, 2016;Tran et al, 2017) have examined the relationship between poverty and academic performance in reading. Amid the multitude of empirical research articles in the extant literature, the influence that poverty has on a student's ability to read fluently and proficiently as measured by standardized assessments has been detailed in several studies.…”

The Impact of Economic Inequality on Children’s Development and Achievement

“…City Connects student outcomes are also consistent across important subgroups of students. For example, the City Connects intervention considerably narrowed academic achievement gaps between English language learners and immigrant children who were proficient in English (Dearing et al 2016).…”

The Development of Immigrants in Education

“…Studies have researched different ways of helping immigrant students adjust and thrive in their new schools. For example, strong community and support systems aid in immigrant students' development and in turn have supported their school achievement (Dearing et al, 2016). Additionally, maintaining strong relationships with peers, family, and the community are factors in prosperity and school achievement of immigrant students (Suárez-Orozco et al, 2010).…”