The Relationship Between School-Level Social Networks and Student Achievement: An Exploratory Study

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 31
  In Roundtable Session: Centering Vulnerable Students in School Policy and Practices and Structures

Abstract

Researchers have become increasingly aware of the importance of social networks in education, but empirical studies have rarely been conducted to determine the impact of the school-level social network. In this exploratory study, 76 schools in the High-Impact Leadership for School Renewal grant project were surveyed about their interactions with each other. The hierarchical linear modelling method was used to analyze the relationship between the characteristics of social networks and student achievement. The result indicated that the following aspects are associated with higher student achievement: (a) having self-consciousness for network relationships; (b) having more reciprocal relationships, and (c) being connected to more schools that were important in the network. The findings have implications for educational research, policy and practice.

Authors

• yunzheng zheng, Western Michigan University

• Jianping Shen, Western Michigan University

• Patricia Lee Reeves, Western Michigan University

• Huang Wu, University of Missouri - Kansas City

• Lisa Ryan, Western Michigan University

• Dustin Anderson, Evalcorp