Geography, Community, and Student Achievement: Development of a Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index

• In Event: 28.038 - Innovative Approaches to Measuring and Serving Students Experiencing Poverty

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of a student vulnerability index, which has multiple uses in decision-making and research. A six step development process is discussed, which can be applied to other data sources to produce a tailor-made index. Two school-level measures are computed using the index, which allow for a diverse range of applications. Results are presented throughout from a large school board in Ontario. These findings add to the growing literature that suggests communities—specifically their socioeconomic status—play important roles in the lives of students.

Authors

• Jeffrey Napierala, York Region District School Board

• Paul Favaro, Peel District School Board & York University - Ontario