Mickelson, Roslyn A.
Researchers: Roslyn A. Mickelson
University Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Email: Roslyn.Mickelson@uncc.edu
Research Question:
1) What was the extent of first- and second-generation segregation in CMS middle schools as of 1997? 2) What student- and school-level factors predicted middle school track placements and achievement in reading and mathematics? 3) Do segregated minority schools and disproportionate minority lower track levels contribute to students' achievement exclusive of other factors? 4.Do first- and second-generation segregation operate to sequentially and cumulatively disadvantage those who experience it?
Published: 1
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: American Educational Research Journal
Journal Entry: Vol. 52, No.4, Pp 657-692
Year: 2015
Findings:
- In 1997, 4 of CMS’s 24 middle schools were racially imbalanced White, 16 were racially balanced, and four were racially imbalanced Black. On average over 17.6% of students in segregated White school were Black. Also, in segregated Black schools, on average, 23.4% of the students were White.
- While nearly three-quarters of the second-grade White students who scored in the highest decile were in college preparatory language arts in CMS middle schools, less than one-fifth of similarly able Black students were in the top track.
- White second grader scoring in the second decile had a greater likelihood of placement in a college preparatory track in Grade 8 that a Black second grader who scored in the top decile in this or her CAT test.
- Holding all factors constant, the more years’ students spend in segregated elementary schools, the lower was their likelihood of learning in a college preparatory track once they got to middle school. (-1.522***).
- Black students (-0.456**) were less likely than Whites to be in higher tracks.
- Students with higher SES (.537**), concrete attitudes (0.153*), and prior achievement (0.040***) were more likely to be on the college preparatory track in middle school.
- Self-reported effort, cultural capital, abstract attitudes, and gender did not predict track placement.
- Attending racially imbalanced schools was negatively associated with middle school college preparatory track placement. Both forms of segregation are associated with EOG scores.