Economic status differences in reading performance: A multiyear study of grade 4 Black boys in Texas

Abstract

In this statewide, multiyear analysis conducted in the United States, the extent to which Grade 4 Black boys differed in their reading performance on the Texas state-mandated reading assessment as function of their economic status (i.e., economically disadvantaged and not economically disadvantaged) was determined. Analysis of three school years of Texas statewide data yielded statistically significant differences in reading by the economic status of Black boys. In all three school years and in all three reporting categories, Black boys who were in poverty answered statistically significantly fewer items correctly than Black boys who were not in poverty. Similarly, statistically significantly lower percentages of Black boys who were in poverty met the three grade level standards than Black boys who were not in poverty. Implications for policy and for practice, along with recommendations for future research, were provided.