ERIC Number: EJ1263975
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Aug
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Do Family Investments Explain Growing Socioeconomic Disparities in Children's Reading, Math, and Science Achievement during School versus Summer Months?
Coley, Rebekah Levine; Kruzik, Claudia; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth
Journal of Educational Psychology, v112 n6 p1183-1196 Aug 2020
In the face of rising economic and social inequality, American parents increasingly seek to promote their children's academic achievement through provision of enriching learning opportunities. In this study, we hypothesized that parental investments in both home and out-of-home learning resources may partially explain socioeconomic disparities in children's academic skills, and may function differently during school versus summer months. Using data drawn from the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-2011 (N ˜ 4,000), we assessed children's reading, math, and science skills from kindergarten entry through second grade, attending to how achievement gaps shifted during school versus summer months. Multilevel piecewise latent growth models identified significant, small socioeconomic status (SES) gaps in children's academic skills at kindergarten entry. These initial SES gaps remained stable for reading skills, grew during school months for science skills, and grew during summer months for math skills. Significant, small family SES disparities in home reading-based learning activities, out-of-home enrichment activities, TV/video time, and time in summer camps/child care programs also emerged, helping to explain growth in SES achievement gaps. Specifically, growing SES gaps in science skills appeared driven in part through school-year home learning activities and summer out-of-home enrichment activities. Growing SES gaps in math skills also functioned in part through summer out-of-home enrichment activities. Results suggest the importance of enhancing year-round investments across home, school, and community contexts to support the school success of economically disadvantaged children.
Descriptors: Reading Achievement, Mathematics Achievement, Science Achievement, Socioeconomic Status, Family Income, Achievement Gap, Surveys, Longitudinal Studies, Investment, School Schedules, Kindergarten, Young Children, Enrichment Activities, Summer Programs, Economically Disadvantaged, Reading Habits, Home Study, Television Viewing, Elementary School Students, Grade 1, Grade 2
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Grade 1; Grade 2
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF); National Center for Education Statistics (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1650035