| Pamela Davis-Kean
University of Michigan
Trajectories of achievement: Understanding the profiles of achievement within race
The achievement gap in American schools has been the focus of recent educational research, policy, and intervention (Farkas, 2006; Jencks & Phillips, 1998; Rumberger & Anguiano, 2004). Unfortunately, even though it is now clear that a racial gap in achievement exists and is potentially growing (Fryer & Levin, 2004), the research has been inconclusive on the causes of the gap and how to reduce the gap. This study will directly test for various achievement profiles within each racial group and determine what characteristics of the school and family predict to different achievement trajectories. We use latent class analyses that allow us to test whether these trajectories actually differ by race. In preliminary analyses, we have found that European and African American achievement trajectories differ significantly from each other. Hence, the achievement trajectories must be examined separately. Other racial groups will be tested to see if their trajectory profiles differ significantly from these groups. In order to test these questions we will be using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K). This dataset has a rich set of variables that will allow us to test for trajectories within racial groups but also to test the predictors of these differential trajectories. This study, using sophisticated longitudinal analyses, will allow for the identification of different groups of achievers and future interventions can be structured to meet the specific needs of these groups.
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