Exploring the Impact of a Community School Reform Initiative on the Literacy Achievement of Middle Level English Language Learners

Abstract

Inequitable learning opportunities are a leading contributor to the persistent literacy achievement gaps evident between historically marginalized students and their more affluent peers. This study investigated the impact of a community school reform effort in an urban middle school. The community school initiative focused on meeting the complex academic and non-academic needs of newcomer (i.e., immigrant and refugee) students and families. The researchers compared the community school students to a propensity score-matched group and found that the community school students significantly outperformed the comparison group in English language arts (ELA) from Grade 6 to 8 and had significantly fewer course failures in Grade 8. Results of this study also indicate the promising contributions community school wrap-around services lend to reducing the literacy learning gap between ELL students and their non-ELL peers in the middle grades.

Role of Volunteerism as a Parental Involvement Strategy in the Achievement of Core Competencies among Learners in Public Primary Schools in Nandi County, Kenya

“…Parents actively participating in school activities or assisting teachers contribute significantly to their children's learning and competency development. Ammar, Sondergeld, Provinzano and Delaney (2021) suggest that parents actively participating in school activities or assisting teachers can significantly contribute to their children's learning and competency development.…”

Family and community inputs as predictors of students overall, cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning outcomes in secondary schools

“…Regarding school reforms, studies (e.g., Ammar et al, 2021;Haruthaithanasan, 2018) have found different implications on the quality of educational attainment among students. For instance, it was discovered in Lancaster City that community initiatives in reforming school programmes enhanced students' academic achievement (Ammar et al, 2021).…”

“…Regarding school reforms, studies (e.g., Ammar et al, 2021;Haruthaithanasan, 2018) have found different implications on the quality of educational attainment among students. For instance, it was discovered in Lancaster City that community initiatives in reforming school programmes enhanced students' academic achievement (Ammar et al, 2021). However, other studies have provided counter-findings that community educational reforms were not beneficial in improving students' academic success (Haruthaithanasan, 2018;Uzomah & Okereke, 2010).…”