Effects of a ninth grade academy on student achievement

Ninth Grade Academy Program in Georgia: An Overview of Research

School administrators in Georgia and throughout the United States have struggled to meet the proficiency demands fostered by No Child Left Behind. A close look at some of the trends at the high-school level which have made proficiency standards so difficult to meet demonstrates that low graduation rates and other problematic factors begin at the transition into high-school at the 9th grade level. The research investigation considered here, the Effects of a Ninth Grade Academy on Student Achievement, looks to demonstrate the value of the Ninth Grade Academy as one emergent strategy for easing this transition.

According to the study in question, the transition into high-school brings about new academic, social and personal challenges. Without proper support, many students in low-achieving schools demonstrate an inability to weather the transition from the outset. Many of those who will ultimately fail to graduate begin to provide ample evidence of this tendency during the freshman year.

Problem:

This points to the primary research issue at hand, which is the question of value created by the Ninth Grade Academy in helping students better acclimate to high school and, consequently, in improving eventual graduation rates. The primary hypothesis is that the implementation of Ninth Grade Academy leads to improved the attendance rate, retention rate, achievement on standardized tests, discipline referrals rate, and dropout rate of students enrolled in academies.

Rationale:

The research employed an ex post facto causal comparative study which measured the performance capabilities of students in the above-noted categories in Georgia schools that had and had not implemented a Ninth Grade Academy program. The rationale for the chosen methodology is the opportunity for a comparative investigation of control and experimental populations operating in the exact same context. This reduces the risk of unwanted variables.

Details:

The quantitative methodology included 9th graders from 41 Georgia high schools. Using purposive sampling, the study selected participants that had common characteristics such as the traditional 9-12 structure. The primary instrument for measurement was the Governor's Office of Student Achievement-prepared Report Card which includes 7 categories of proficiency. An ANOVA data analysis was used to assess statistical differences between schools in the control and experimental groups based on these Report Cards.

Findings:

Ultimately, this method did not yield evidence of any significant statistical difference in performances in either literature or algebra between students in the control and experimental groups, suggesting limited empirical value in the Ninth Grade Academy program.