For Immediate Release: April 15, 2023

Contact:
Tony Pals, tpals@aera.net
(202) 238-3235, (202) 288-9333 (cell)

Marla Koenigsknecht, mkoenigsknecht@aera.net
(202) 238-3233, (517) 803-1591 (cell)

AERA23 Study Snapshot: School Choice and Reading Development in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade

Study: “School Choice and Reading Development in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade”
Author: Angela Cox (Vanderbilt University)
Embargoed until: 12:01 a.m. CT Saturday, April 15

This paper will be presented at the place-based component of the AERA 2023 Annual Meeting. 
Session: Academic Experiences and Achievement in School Choice and Policy Reform Contexts
Date/Time: Saturday, April 15, 9:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. CT

Main Finding:

• Preliminary results show that school type—traditional public, non-traditional public, or Catholic—does not have a relationship with elementary reading growth for students from kindergarten to fifth grade.

Details:

• Since the early 2000s, there has been a sharp increase in the number of charter schools in the United States, with a significant shift in the landscape of public schools and an increase in publicly funded schools of choice. Often, these schools set explicit goals for reduction or closure of language achievement gaps and for accountability for individual student performance.
   
• The author examined the impact of school type—traditional public, non-traditional public, or Catholic—on elementary reading development between kindergarten and fifth grade among students from different demographic groups and different early reading levels. Other types of private schools were not included in the study.
   
• While the results indicate that enrollment in schools of choice—both non-traditional public and Catholic—is related to family income consistent across racial and ethnic groups, school type does not have a relationship with elementary reading growth when controlling for family income, key student demographics, and pre-treatment reading scores.
   
• The purpose of this study is to explore the academic impact of commonly available elementary school alternatives compared to traditional public elementary schools.
   
• “Family enrollment decisions are often motivated by a belief in superior educational opportunities,” said study author Angela Cox, a doctoral student at Vanderbilt University. “Using publicly available Education Department data, I examine the connection between academic growth and school type, specifically the relationship between school type and reading growth in children from different backgrounds. I found that school type does not have a positive effect on reading development when controlling for key demographic and academic characteristics.”
   
• For her study, the author used a nationally representative U.S. Department of Education data set of 10,327 children who entered kindergarten in the 2010–11 school year.
   
• Note: These are preliminary findings. This is an ongoing study.

To request a copy of the working paper, or to talk to the study author, please contact AERA Communications: Tony Pals, Director of Communications, tpals@aera.net, cell: (202) 288-9333; Marla Koenigsknecht, Communications Associate, mkoenigsknecht@aera.net, cell: (517) 803-1591.

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About AERA
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.