The Effect of Magnet Program Participation on the Academic Progress of High School Students During Emergency Remote Learning due to Covid-19

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Behavioral Science

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

The Northwestern Education Association (NWEA) concluded that students' academic performance declined significantly during emergency remote learning due to school closures in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic (Hoofman & Secord 2021, May 19). The purpose of this study was to determine whether freshmen high school students in magnet programs and students not in magnet programs experienced different academic declines. It was hypothesized that magnet students would have a lesser academic decline than nonmagnet students due to the programs’ rigor. Freshmen completed an online questionnaire about their emergency remote learning experiences. The average score for responses to questions relating to emergency remote learning having a positive effect (M=2.49) was further from the strongly agreed score, 4, than responses for a negative effect (M=2.60). Math and Reading Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores of freshmen in honors and college preparatory courses from Fall 2019 and Fall 2021 were compared to those of freshmen students in magnet programs using a paired t-test. Comparing the mean difference between the reading scores showed a statistically significant difference between magnet 2019-2021 mean reading scores and nonmagnet 2019-2021 mean reading scores (t=-7.26, p=<.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in math scores (t=-.881, p=.381). It can be concluded that magnet programs do not significantly impact the academic decline of high school freshmen. This is significant because it means declines in academic performance are related to factors other than participation in a magnet program.

Location

B&E 237

Start Date

4-2-2022 11:00 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Apr 2nd, 11:00 AM

The Effect of Magnet Program Participation on the Academic Progress of High School Students During Emergency Remote Learning due to Covid-19

B&E 237

The Northwestern Education Association (NWEA) concluded that students' academic performance declined significantly during emergency remote learning due to school closures in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic (Hoofman & Secord 2021, May 19). The purpose of this study was to determine whether freshmen high school students in magnet programs and students not in magnet programs experienced different academic declines. It was hypothesized that magnet students would have a lesser academic decline than nonmagnet students due to the programs’ rigor. Freshmen completed an online questionnaire about their emergency remote learning experiences. The average score for responses to questions relating to emergency remote learning having a positive effect (M=2.49) was further from the strongly agreed score, 4, than responses for a negative effect (M=2.60). Math and Reading Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores of freshmen in honors and college preparatory courses from Fall 2019 and Fall 2021 were compared to those of freshmen students in magnet programs using a paired t-test. Comparing the mean difference between the reading scores showed a statistically significant difference between magnet 2019-2021 mean reading scores and nonmagnet 2019-2021 mean reading scores (t=-7.26, p=<.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in math scores (t=-.881, p=.381). It can be concluded that magnet programs do not significantly impact the academic decline of high school freshmen. This is significant because it means declines in academic performance are related to factors other than participation in a magnet program.