A Case Study: Factors Influencing Rural School K–12 Students’ Academic Achievement
Date
2023
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Abstract
Academic performance is a concern for many countries because outstanding academic success demonstrates a student’s overall intelligence. The problem was that rural K–12 schoolteachers feel students faced factors influencing academic achievement on summative assessments. The No Child Left Behind and Every Student Succeeds Act attempted to close the achievement gap between children of different ethnicities. Lower socioeconomic students lagged behind their peers on state assessments. Scant literature revealed limited research on the needs of rural schools compared to other populations. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore factors influencing rural school K–12 students’ academic performance and success. The research was conducted in a rural school district utilizing 15 teacher participants in Northeastern North Carolina. Purposive sampling was used to select teacher participants of different ethnicities and genders from multiple grade levels with at least three years of teaching experience. An exploratory case study design explored various factors affecting and contributing to K–12 students’ academic achievement. The theoretical framework of the research study was grounded on Walberg’s theory of educational productivity and the social constructivism theory. Data collection instruments included semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups. Data analysis procedures comprised transcribing data, segmenting and categorizing transcriptions, creating codes, and identifying key themes. Effective education in rural school districts is impeded by various factors, including high teacher turnover rate, socioeconomic status, and inadequate state financing. The findings will empower rural school administrators and educators with the skills and knowledge to improve students’ academic performance on summative assessments.
Keywords: academic achievement, rural schools, poverty, socioeconomic status
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