School Gardens in the City: Does Environmental Equity Help Close the Achievement Gap?

• In Event: Contentious Issues and Cutting-Edge Perspectives in Education

Abstract

We aim to determine how school gardens serve as gateways to reduce inequality. We analyze pre-existing quantitative data on fifth graders across Washington DC, where public school gardens receive institutional support. We examine differences between traditional and garden-based learning schools to determine whether students who have a school garden at their schools perform academically better than their counterparts who do not, and if the presence of a garden plays a role in reducing race and social class disparities. We find that the presence of a school garden increases test scores and helps to reduce inequality among students. Ongoing research involves qualitatively studying four schools in depth. Policy implications for how school gardens can be implemented in other cities are explored.

Authors

• Carley Fisher-Maltese, George Mason University

• Rashawn Ray, University of Maryland - College Park

• Dana R Fisher, University of Maryland - College Park