A comparison of achievement, self-concept, and perceived school environment of students attending alternative and non-alternative elementary schools in Unified School District No. 259

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study:

With a limited data bank and research focusing on what might happen to the affective and cognitive domains of elementary school aged children attending alternative education programs, it was the purpose of this study to consider the effects of alternative education upon elementary children over a two-year period as compared to a similar group of non-alternative elementary children who remained in their neighborhood schools. Studies have given evidence that alternative education have not negatively effected children's achievement while self-concept has been enhanced. However, the research on the effects of alternative education of elementary school aged children and their achievement, self-concept and perceived school environment is practically nil.

Criterion measures employed in this study in assessing achievement were composite, reading, and mathematics scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Self-concept was measured by the Children's Self-Concept Scale; Sinclair's Elementary School Environment Survey (ESES) was the instrument used in assessing the children's perception of their school. Native and/or general ability (I.Q.) and attendance were obtained from the students' permanent records.

Analysis of Covariance (ANOCOVA) was computed to compare achievement between the groups at each grade level with previous achievement and I.Q. held constant. The t-ratio was computed to compare self-concept and attendance. The Mann-Whitney U was computed to compare students' perceptions of their school environments. Degree of confidence was established at the .05 level. Seventy-nine fifth grade and ninety-four sixth grade subjects in one Midwestern school district constituted the alternative school subjects and are referred to as the experimental group. One hundred twenty-eight fifth and seventy-nine sixth grade subjects constituted the non-alternative school subjects and are referred to as the control group. The alternative subjects attended one of four elementary alternative schools and the non-alternative subjects attended regular elementary schools in their neighborhood for the same two-year period.

Findings and Conclusions:

The data indicates that fifth grade alternative subjects performed significantly better in composite, reading and mathematics achievement than a comparable group of regular elementary fifth grade students on the main effects and group with I.Q. and pre-test achievement as covariates. There were no significant differences between the fifth grade alternative and non-alternative subjects in self-concept and perceived school environment during the two-year period of this study. There were no significant differences between the two groups relative to I.Q. and attendance.

The data further indicates that sixth grade alternative subjects performed significantly better in mathematics achievement than a comparable group of regular elementary sixth grade students over the same period of time. There were no significant differences between the two groups in composite and reading achievement on the main effects by group with I.Q. and pre-test achievement used as covariates. There were significant differences between alternative and non-alternative sixth grade subjects in certain self-concept factors. The significant differences were in favor of the alternative subjects. No significant differences existed between the sixth grade alternative and non-alternative subjects relative to perceived school environment and attendance.

These findings were sufficient to lend support to the proposition that alternative education does not negatively effect elementary school aged children in those aspects considered in this study. In fact, alternative educational experiences often enhance children's academic achievement and self-concept, while not negatively effecting attendance.