DIFFERENCES IN MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE OF GRADE 6-8 BLACK BOYS BY ECONOMIC STATUS IN TEXAS
TAMIKA ALFORD-STEPHENS
Sam Houston State University, United States
JOHN R. SLATE *
Sam Houston State University, United States
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Investigated in this study was the extent to which differences were present in mathematics achievement of Grades 6, 7, and 8 Black boys in Texas as a function of their economic status. Statewide data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System on all Black boys in the 2010-2011 school year. Statistically significant differences were present for Black boys in their mathematics achievements for all three grade levels as a function of their economic status. Black boys in all three grade levels who were economically disadvantaged had statistically significantly lower mathematics scores than did Black boys who were not economically disadvantaged. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for further research are made.
Keywords: Black boys, economically disadvantaged, mathematics achievement, grade 6, grade 7, grade 8, Texas