Document Type
Unpublished Paper
Publication Date
2006
Keywords
socioeconomic factors, eight grade, achievement, test scores, educational reform, Maine, federal initiatives, state initiatives
Disciplines
Economics
Abstract
This paper examines the impact of socioeconomic factors on eighth grade achievement test scores in the face of federal and state initiatives for educational reform in Maine. We use student-level data over a five year period to provide a framework for understanding the policy implications of these initiatives. We model performance on standardized tests using a seemingly unrelated regressions approach and then determine the likelihood of meeting the standards defined by the adequate yearly progress requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and Maine Learning Results initiatives. Our results indicate that the key factors influencing a student’s test scores include the education of a student’s parents, special services received for learning disabilities, and alternative measures of academic achievement.
Recommended Citation
Meeting the Standards: An Analysis of Educational Assessment Test Scores in Maine Michael Donihue, Joseph Mattos, Caroline Theoharides, Charlotte Tiffany Goldfarb Center Working Paper No. 2006-003 August 2006