TITLE:
A Note on the Determinants of Recent Pupil Achievement
AUTHORS:
Frederic L. Pryor
KEYWORDS:
Test Scores, Pupil Characteristics, School Characteristics, State Policies
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.5 No.14,
August
15,
2014
ABSTRACT: This analysis
focuses on the average state scores in 2013 for reading and mathematics of
fourth and eighth grade pupils taking the National Assessment of Educational
Progress. Of the 19 possible determinants that are tested, two are most
important: average pupil/teacher ratios in the state and the share of pupils
coming from low income families who are eligible for free or low cost lunches.
Most of the other variables focusing on pupil and school characteristics or on
state policies such as expenditures on education, length of school year, or
required attendance at kindergartens did not have a statistically significant
impact.