Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Deanne W. Otto

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to describe the relationship between gender and grade level to mathematics achievement for high achieving military-connected students in Grades 3 through 9 who attended American public schools between 2012 and 2016. The theoretical framework was based on Sax's research on gender differences in learning. The research questions were: if there was a statistically significant difference between the percentage of military-connected students scoring in the top 2 quartiles (at or above the national average) for normal curve equivalent (NCE) mathematics scores on the Terra Nova Third Edition (TNTE) using gender as a predictor; and if there was a statistically significant difference between the percentage of military-connected students scoring in the top two quartiles for NCE mathematics scores on the TNTE by gender and grade band. The sample size consisted of archival scores from 135,571 students, aggregated into 136 representative grades and provided by the participating school district's Research Center. A two-tailed t test was conducted to answer Research Question 1. The results were alpha = .05, t(-.696), df = 134, and p = .000. An ANOVA and logistical regression were conducted to answer Research Question 2, alpha = .05, F(.168),and p =.984. There were no statistical differences between the mean numbers of females and males by grade level or grade band. There was gender equity within the population studied. Therefore, the null hypotheses were accepted for both research questions. This study contributes to positive social change by adding to the limited body of knowledge about mathematics achievement for high achieving military-connected students relative to gender.

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