Student Achievement in Appalachia: A Regional Analysis Using a Representative Subsample of NAEP Reading and Mathematics

• In Event: 61.075 - NAEP Studies SIG Paper Session: NAEP's Role in Educational Achievement

Abstract

Using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), students in Appalachia were compared to the rest of the nation through regression models and descriptive statistics. Results showed that Appalachia is characterized by a higher proportion of students who are rural, white, and attend school in economically disadvantaged counties. Overall, there was no difference in performance between Appalachia and the rest of the nation from 2003 to 2013. However, white students in Appalachia performed six points lower than in the rest of the nation. This difference largely disappeared when the economic status of students and schools was accounted for.

Authors

• Austin Lasseter, American Institutes for Research

• Markus Broer, American Institutes for Research

• Nathan Rubin, University of Saint Thomas