In-School and Out-of-School Factors That Build Student Achievement

Introduction

There is much we do not know about the actual lives of academically successful youths, especially those successful youths from impoverished backgrounds. After years of working with schools and families to improve students' achievement outcomes, it has become clear to me that variations in student achievement on standardized tests (whether within-group or between groups) are closely associated with variations in what people do. Data presented in this paper show that variations in students' achievement test scores closely associate with actions that are taken by students, teachers, parents, and others in pursuit of achievement.

Students routinely spend time learning academic and social skills during school activities, home activities, and community activities. However, researchers have conducted few studies of achievement patterns among the same cohort of urban students that adequately takes into account the role of family, school, and neighborhood process factors. That is, studies rarely analyze students' school achievement patterns in relation to the students' daily and weekly activities and routines and their overall lifestyles. Nevertheless, these types of ecological research studies are essential if we are ever to definitively answer questions about the relative impact of school, home, and community policies and practices on urban children's learning and school achievement.

Data from four samples drawn from exploratory research studies are discussed in this paper. There are three elementary school samples (Nashville, Tennessee; Bakersfield, California; Los Angeles, California) and one high school sample (Long Beach, California). Exhibit 1 lists pertinent information about each sample.