relationship between mobility and academic performance among African-American fifth graders attending urban schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mobility and academic performance among African-American fifth grade urban public school students. Blacks in South Florida are a diverse group. As of 1990 the U.S. Census Bureau identified 12 different ethnic groups that comprise the Black ethnic category in Broward County, Florida. The term African-American and the data used in this study reflect the ethnic diversity. This study examined Stanford Achievement Test scores in mathematics (SATM) and reading (SATR) over the years 1992, 1993 and 1994. The SATM (N = 2208) and SATR (N = 2178) scores over the three year period were the dependent variables in the study. Gender and mobility were the independent variables of the study. Mobility was divided into three categories of non-mobile, mobile and very mobile. Descriptive statistical procedures were applied to the data. The mean and standard deviations were established for the dependent variables for each year of the study. Analysis of variance was applied to the dependent and independent variables of the study over the three year period of 1992, 1993 and 1994. There were no statistically significant main effects or interactions (p >.05 for all effects). Consequently none of the null hypotheses were rejected. This study supports the conclusion that gender and mobility had no relationship with academic performance in urban African-American fifth grade public school students. Suggestions for further research include: (a) exploration of the linkage of gender and mobility with the variables of socioeconomic status, (b) family structure and character qualities in relationship to academic achievement in urban African-Americans, and (c) the replication of this study in a rural setting with students of a different race.