Date of Award

12-1984

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. James A. Davenport

Abstract

A study was conducted to ascertain what influence transiency had on students' reading achievement in school. Transiency was defined as students moving from one school within the Kalamazoo, Michigan, Public Schools to another at a frequency double to that which school system policy required. Reading achievement was measured by a national norm-referenced test (Metropolitan Achievement Test) and progress in the school system reading program. A total population of 317 students was selected at the second, fourth, and sixth grade levels for the investigation. At each grade level, students were divided into transient groups or nontransient groups dependent on school stability. Students selected were matched closely in regard to possibly contaminating extraneous variables, i.e., race, sex, socioeconomic status, and number of parents in the household.

A central hypothesis of the study was that students from nontransient groups would show greater reading achievement progress than transient students. A t test was used to examine relationships in reading achievement between transient and nontransient students. Results obtained from scores on the Metropolitan Achievement Test and student progress in the school system reading program indicated that nontransient students gained in reading achievement at a significantly higher rate when compared to transient students. At all three grade levels tested, nontransient students were near or above grade level in reading achievement. Transient students were below grade level at all three grades in regard to reading achievement.

The investigation revealed a high percentage of students coming from single-parent households in both the transient and nontransient groups. Results were computed for single-parent groups of both transient and nontransient students with similar findings as the full sample. The study concluded that when variables of socioeconomic status, race, sex, and number of parents in the household were held constant, transiency was a factor in student reading achievement. The study was limited to Kalamazoo, Michigan, Public School students and the results were particular to that school system and student population. The study gives conclusions and recommendations in regard to transiency and school reading achievement.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

Included in

Counseling Commons

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