The Effects of Neighborhood and School Context on Extracurricular Participation and Educational Outcomes
Open Access
Author:
Smith, Jason Michael
Graduate Program:
Sociology
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
June 01, 2006
Committee Members:
George Farkas, Committee Chair/Co-Chair Barrett Alan Lee, Committee Member Suet Ling Pong, Committee Member Roger C Shouse, Committee Member
Keywords:
education attainment extracurricular neighborhood effects school effects racial composition class composition
Abstract:
Participation in the extracurriculum is fairly well established as having positive effects on educational outcomes, including grades, high school graduation, and postsecondary attainment. Furthermore, measures of disadvantage at the neighborhood and school levels have been shown to be associated with lower levels of achievement and attainment. However, the links between neighborhood and school contexts and participation in school activities has rarely been investigated, and the effects of extracurriculars have not been considered in light of neighborhood and school effects on educational outcomes, and have often been presented as monolithic. This study addresses both these gaps in the literature by employing a three-level analysis of students within neighborhoods within schools to answer two primary questions: 1) Do neighborhood and school context influence extracurricular participation? and 2) Does extracurricular participation affect educational attainment, controlling for these other influences? The answers appear to be 1) yes, but not as much as expected, and 2) yes.
