Proposal For the Research
The achievement gap is one of the biggest issues in modern American society, as it has so many far reaching implications. It fuels a cycle of systematic oppression of the most disenfranchised groups in the country. Low-income and minority families are forced to deal with a number of issues that their white, affluent counterparts simply do not have to face, including poor healthcare, reduced nutrition, and very limited access to sufficient educational opportunities. It is because of this lack of access to the same types of educational opportunities that leads to the continual subjugation of these groups, as education is the key to social mobility in America. Increased levels of education correspond with better jobs, higher wages, and consequently, better overall quality of life. It is for this reason that the achievement gap needs to be closed, so as to provide all people with equal opportunities to succeed.
As described throughout this site, there are various factors that influence student achievement. These factors include the student's own race and socioeconomic status, the racial and socioeconomic composition of the school they attend, whether the school is in an urban area, the average class size within the school, the quality of the teachers at the school, how involved the student's parents are in their educational experience, and whether the student attended Pre-Kindergarten. This site aims to further research the effects of these factors on the achievement gap, and to investigate how they consequently affect future academic success. I plan to achieve this through a robust review of previous literature on the subject of the achievement gap and factors that influence individual achievement, and by developing a regression model that will predict the effect of these factors on students' GPA. I will then examine the results in order to try to determine if there are certain majors and certain intended career paths that correspond with the higher GPAs.
As described throughout this site, there are various factors that influence student achievement. These factors include the student's own race and socioeconomic status, the racial and socioeconomic composition of the school they attend, whether the school is in an urban area, the average class size within the school, the quality of the teachers at the school, how involved the student's parents are in their educational experience, and whether the student attended Pre-Kindergarten. This site aims to further research the effects of these factors on the achievement gap, and to investigate how they consequently affect future academic success. I plan to achieve this through a robust review of previous literature on the subject of the achievement gap and factors that influence individual achievement, and by developing a regression model that will predict the effect of these factors on students' GPA. I will then examine the results in order to try to determine if there are certain majors and certain intended career paths that correspond with the higher GPAs.