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Investigation of school change and academic outcomes in British Columbia

In this large research study commissioned by CCL, the author Cheryl Aman investigates school change and academic outcomes across nine provincial cohorts of Kindergarten–Grade 12 students in British Columbia. This first component focused on six cohorts of students at elementary grade levels. The second component focused on three cohorts of students at secondary grade levels (Kindergarten–Grade 12).

The Relationship of Student Mobility to Academic Success in Three Kindergarten to Grade 4 Cohorts and Three Kindergarten to Grade 7 Cohorts in British Columbia

The Relationship of Student Mobility to Graduation Rates in Three Kindergarten to Grade 12 Cohorts in British Columbia

The Relationship of Student Mobility to Academic Success in Three Kindergarten to Grade 4 Cohorts and Three Kindergarten to Grade 7 Cohorts in British Columbia

Cheryl Aman

Summary (PDF, 51 KB) Full Report (PDF, 4.2 MB)

Description

In this first component these key questions were addressed:

(1) What is the pattern of school mobility among different school populations in B.C.?

The descriptive data makes evident that B.C.’s students move both across school districts and within school districts in substantial proportions. Band and Non-band Aboriginal student groups change schools more frequently than Regular Program or ESL students. Approximately 35% of Aboriginal students have changed schools two or more times by Grade 4 and 50% by Grade 7.

(2) Is school change related to negative schooling outcomes when the entire Kindergarten–Grade 7 grade trajectory is considered?

There are substantial pre-existing differences between the student groups regarding schooling outcomes. In the descriptive data, school change is clearly associated with higher rates of not progressing through grades, lower participation rates on Grade 4 and Grade 7 foundation skill assessments (FSAs), poorer success rates on FSAs. This is true for most student groups in most schooling contexts for most types of schooling change. Generally exceptions occur in the demographic of students changing to independent schools and French immersion programs and moving to higher income school neighbourhoods. Band affiliated students may experience more positive outcomes when making a single school change.

(3) Do the timing, frequency, and type of school change across the Kindergarten–Grade 7 trajectory associated with different schooling outcomes?

The descriptive data confirms that school change in elementary grade levels is detrimental. Yet the descriptive data confirms that a higher number of school changes is associated with increased risk. When school changes occur within a school district they are associated with greater vulnerability. School changes across school districts, however, is also associated with schooling risk. While interruption of school may or may not involve a school change (to a school out of province, or to a new school upon return to the B.C. system), it too substantially lowers the odds of success at schooling outcomes.

Findings

Main points in the Kindergarten–Grade 4 Descriptive Analysis:

• Approximately one out of every two students changes school at least once by Grade 4 in B.C.
• The more often students change schools, the more disadvantages they face. Each time students change schools, rates of meeting FSA expectations and FSA scores are lower.
• Students who change schools are less likely to participate in FSA exams. This is true at each grade level students may change schools.
• Approximately 20% of the cohort experiences school change at each grade level. Most school change is either school change within district (5% of all students) or a move to a new school district (7% of all students). 
• Grade progression as a cause of school change affects few of students in these early grades. Grade progression occurs mainly after Grade 3. There is no evidence that students making this school change are adversely affected.
• Approximately 13% of the students who change schools within their school district are changing across school types. The change is from or to independent schools or to and from French Immersion schools.
• Students in the Regular Program have the lowest rate of school change. Band students and Non Band Aboriginal students have substantially higher rates.
• All groups have fairly consistent in migration rates each year after a “peak” year of students enrolling after Kindergarten. This peak of students entering the B.C. system after the Kindergarten year reflects to some unknown degree the “deferred entry” rate.
• Band students have a high (approximately 10%) rate of deferred entry into the school system.
• There are several Bands where over 25% of the Band students enter school in Grade 1: Band students who enter the B.C. system in Grade 1 do not perform as well on both the Numeracy and Reading exams.
• There are many school districts where the rate of changing schools is within district is higher (over 15%) than the overall 7% of provincial cohort rate.
• When students change schools within their district they are less likely to meet expectations and have lower scores on FSA exams. This is true no matter what grade level the change occurs.
• ESL students who have changed schools are particularly less likely to participate on FSA exams.
• Exam participants who change school districts are less likely to meet expectations on FSAs and have lower FSA scores. This is true no matter what grade level the move across school districts occurs.
• Students in the Regular Program and Non Band Aboriginal students exam participants who change school districts appear to have a similar disadvantage on the Numeracy FSA (as opposed to Reading FSA).
• Band exam participants who change school districts appear to have a greater disadvantage on the Reading FSA compared to the Numeracy FSA.
• ESL exam participants who migrate to B.C. in the year preceding Grade 4 have substantially lower scores than those ESL students arriving in the B.C. system in earlier grades.
• When exam participants change schools in their district, there is typically a steeper decline in Reading FSA scores at grade level (Grade 3) preceding the FSA test year. For Band students, however, there is a steeper decline in Numeracy scores at this grade level.
• When exam participants in the Regular Program group change schools within their district, there is a decline in Numeracy scores.
• Gender differences are most apparent in the group of exam participants who migrate to B.C. Female students who migrate to B.C. have an advantage over male students who migrate to B.C.
• Band exam participants who change school district after Kindergarten have an advantage over all other Band students including those who do not change schools.
• Band exam participants who change schools within their district have a greater disadvantage than those Band students who change school districts.

The Relationship of Student Mobility to Graduation Rates in Three Kindergarten to Grade 12 Cohorts in British Columbia

by Cheryl Aman

Description

Summary (PDF, 39 KB) Full Report (PDF, 893 KB)

In this second component three key questions were addressed:

(1)   What is the pattern of school mobility among different school populations in B.C.?

The descriptive data makes evident that BC’s students move both across school districts and within school districts in substantial proportions. Band and Non-band Aboriginal student groups change schools more frequently than Regular Program or ESL students. Approximately 65% of Aboriginal students have changed schools two or more times by Grade 12.

(2) Is school change related to negative schooling outcomes when the entire Kindergarten - Grade 12 grade trajectory is considered?

There are substantial pre-existing differences between the student groups regarding schooling outcomes. In the descriptive data, school change is clearly associated with poorer performance on Foundation Skill Assessments, participation on exit exams, higher rates of not progressing through grades, higher school-leaving rates, and lower graduation rates. The logistic regression graduation odds model confirms that for all student groups, even while controlling for additional demographic and school factors, school change decreases odds of graduation. Further, the odds model provides evidence that high student mobility rates within high schools lowers the odds of graduation for most students who are enrolled in these schools (Band students are a possible exception).

(3) Do the timing, frequency and type of school change across the Kindergarten–Grade 12 trajectory associated with different schooling outcomes?

Both the descriptive data and the graduation odds model confirm that school change in elementary grade levels is far less detrimental than school change in secondary grade levels to the ultimate schooling outcome: graduation. Yet the descriptive data and the odds model confirm that a higher number of school changes is associated with increased risk. When school changes occur within a school district they are associated with greater vulnerability for all groups except Band students. However, school change across school districts is also associated with schooling risk. While interruption of school may or may not involve a school change (to a school out of province, or to a new school upon return to the B.C. system), it too substantially lowers the odds of success at schooling outcomes.

School changes involving enrolment in French-Immersion programs and Independent schools are associated with less vulnerability; those involving enrolment at Band-operated schools and non-standard programs are associated with increased vulnerability. It should be noted that group differences exist in the proportion of Band, Non-Band Aboriginal, ESL and Non-Aboriginal students enrolled in these schooling options. Finally, where students change schools to higher-income school neighbourhoods, risk is reduced (though not for Band students).

 

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