Racial/ethnic disparities in academic achievement in U.S. middle schools: An integrated multilevel modeling approach

Using data from a large sample (N = 3115, 48% female; M_ageT1 = 11 years; 40% Latino, 31% Black, and 29% White) of US students attending 36 urban public middle schools in the Midwest, this study explored the effects of parents, teachers, and school context at the beginning of middle school (fall of sixth grade) on academic achievement at the end of middle school (spring of eighth grade). The results of a hierarchical linear model indicated that a higher level of parental monitoring (b = 0.31, p <.001), positive student-teacher relationships (b = 0.12, p =.030), and greater school racial and ethnic diversity (b = 1.08, p =.044) were independently associated with higher academic achievement. An examination of mesosystem effects revealed that for Latina/o students, attending a more racially and ethnically diverse school was associated with higher academic achievement, especially for those who reported having positive relationships with teachers (b = 0.42, p =.002). Moreover, parental monitoring was particularly beneficial for students attending low-socioeconomic schools (b = 0.92, p =.002). Implications for educational practice and policy aimed at reducing racial and ethnic disparities in education are discussed.