Difference in Algebra I, English I and II, and U.S. History End-of-Course Exam Grade Level Performance of Texas High School English Learners by Gender: A Multiyear Statewide Investigation

Date

2021-10-09

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the extent to which differences were present for English Learner boys and girls in their performance on the Texas state-mandated End-of-Course exam in Algebra I, English I and II, and U.S. History. Specifically examined was the extent to which English Learner boys and girls differed in their performance on three Grade Level performance measures: Approaches Grade Level standard, Meets Grade Level standard, and Masters Grade Level standard during the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years.

Method

A causal-comparative research design was present for all three studies. Archival data were collected through a Public Information Request form submitted to and fulfilled by the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years.

Findings

Concerning the STAAR Algebra I End-of-Course exam, English Learner girls had a statistically significantly better performance than English Learner boys in all three school years. With respect to the STAAR English I End-of-Course exam, English Learner girls had statistically significantly better STAAR English I End-of-Course exam performance than English Learner boys in all three school years with the exception of the Masters Grade Level standard during the 2016-2017 school year because a similar percentage of English Learner boys and girls met this standard. In regard to the STAAR English II End-of-Course exam, English Learner girls had a statistically significantly better performance on the Approaches Grade Level standard and Meets Grade Level standard. English Learner girls had a statistically significantly better performance in the Masters Grade Level standard in all school years except for the 2016-2017 school year where English Learner boys and girls had a similar percentage of students meet the standard. In regard to the STAAR U.S. History End-of-Course exam, English Learner boys had a statistically significantly better performance than English Learner girls in all three school years, with the exception of the Approaches Grade Level standard. In all three investigations, English Learner boys and English Learner girls had a large percentage of students who did not meet any Grade Level standard in all three years analyzed.

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Keywords

STAAR End-of-Course exams, State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, Texas Education Agency, English learners, Algebra I, English I and II, U.S. History, Approaches Grade Level Standard, Meets Grade Level Standard, Masters Grade Level Standard

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