Education

Child-Development Study Gets $450,000 U.S. Grant

December 11, 1985 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University have received a three-year, $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to complete a longitudinal study of the social and academic development of elementary-school children.

The study, now in its fourth year, is paying particular attention to the relationship between home and school, say the researchers, Karl Alexander and Doris Entwisle, professors of sociology.

“There are a number of variables included in the data which will help untangle cause and effect in the early years of schooling,” said Mr. Alexander. “At first consideration of the data, there are indications that a4child’s social and academic potential is developed in the very early elementary years and that the relationship between the school and the home is a crucial factor in that development.”

The research is said by Mr. Alexander and Ms. Entwisle to be the only sociological study of its kind.

In 1982, under grants from the National Institute for Child Health and Development and the Grant Foundation, the researchers began their work by selecting a representative sample of 800 1st-grade students enrolled in Baltimore city schools. Those pupils, most of whom are now in the 4th grade, represent a mixture of racial groups and come from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

The researchers collect data on the children at the start and end of each school year through interviews with teachers, parents, and the students themselves.

“We’re looking at teachers’ expectations versus the students’ marks, teachers’ expectations versus students’ socioeconomic status, and students’ marks versus the psychological environment of the home,” said Mr. Alexander.

In addition, the researchers are attempting to address such questions as whether the differences in mathematics achievement between boys and girls in the early years are sex-based, whether children’s aspirations in such subjects are a product of their home environment or their teachers’ influence, and how achievement patterns affect students’ retention rates.

The study will also examine what happens to a child’s social and academic achievement when the parents and the teacher have different expectations.

The research, which will follow the original group of children through the 6th grade, will be completed in 1988. But, according to Mr. Alexander, “it is our intention to be cautious and careful,” and it could be several more years before the implications of the work are made available.--ab

A version of this article appeared in the December 11, 1985 edition of Education Week as Child-Development Study Gets $450,000 U.S. Grant

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Ed-Tech Policy Webinar Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Building a Roadmap for AI Use in Schools
AI in education: game-changer or classroom chaos? Join our webinar & learn how to navigate this evolving tech responsibly.
Education Webinar Developing and Executing Impactful Research Campaigns to Fuel Your Ed Marketing Strategy 
Develop impactful research campaigns to fuel your marketing. Join the EdWeek Research Center for a webinar with actionable take-aways for companies who sell to K-12 districts.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 13, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 7, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: January 31, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read