Non Traditional Schools

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INTRODUCTION The traditional family structure dominated the majority of families in the United States up until a continuous decline in the 1970’s. A traditional family, or nuclear family, consists of a father, mother, and their biological children. Currently, the proportion of children raised in a traditional family structure has plummeted since 1970. Other less represented family structures such a single parent, stepfamilies, and extended families are replacing the stereotypical traditional family structure. With the increase in less traditional family structures, some sociologists are concerned about the effect of family structure on a child’s educational achievement. They argue that not only is one’s family structure important for the development …show more content…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of nontraditional family structures on an individual’s achievements and the school as a whole. Additionally, it was tested to determine if a low socioeconomic status and minimal parental relations of the student body could explain the student’s low academic achievement. Pong (1997) hypothesized that schools with a higher proportion of students with nontraditional family structures negatively effect a student’s academic achievement over the individualistic effects of one’s own family structure. He also hypothesized that low socioeconomic status and a low level of parental involvement in the school explained this negative effect. The data collected nationally represents public and private schools in the United States. Randomly, 26 eighth-grade students from each in school represented in the NELS:88 were analyzed based on a survey completed by the parent. Student-level variables included school outcomes, parental education, family income, and parental school participation. School-level variables included student composition and structural …show more content…

However, the socioeconomic statuses between stepfamilies and traditional families can be very similar. Both can include a social, economic, and cultural contribution to the child’s development. The article was only able to contribute information based on economic deprivation of nontraditional families that is most often seen in single parent family structures. Also, schools with many students from lower socioeconomic statuses experience other circumstances such as a lack of resources that can ultimately affect test

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