Relationships of Student Behaviors with Class Percentile Rank of Iowa High School Seniors

Abstract

The Problem. Low academic performance in schools cannot be resolved by the educational systems alone. Individual student behaviors, school factors and attitudes of students' families have been found to be related to achievement. Significant relationships between changeable student behaviors and student academic performance exist. Changing those factors could prove to be conducive to the improvement of student academic performance. Procedures. This study examined student behaviors of high school seniors in North Central Iowa. Students were selected from one of four size categories, utilized by the Iowa High School Athletic Association. A survey was utilized to gather data concerning seven student behaviors described in the review of literature. The behaviors categories included attendance, television, homework, reading, job, co-curricular participation, and rules. Findings. This study utilized an ex-post facto research design. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine relationships between behaviors and academic performance. Stepwise regression analysis was conducted to determine ranked strength of relationships between behaviors and academic performance. R-squared value of all seven behaviors forced into the regression equation was .331. Three behaviors, participation, homework, and rules, were significantly related to class percentile rank with P-values of .0001, .0001, and .0187, respectively. Conclusions. It was evident that student behaviors do significantly relate to class percentile rank. Nearly one-third of the variability of class percentile rank was explained by the seven student behaviors selected for this study. With one-third of the variability of class percentile rank explained by seven behaviors of this study, it appears that collaborative efforts of schools and parents to improve student performance would be most effective. Recommendations. It is the task of the school systems to capitalize on public opinion which demands improvements in student academic performance and foster cooperative relationships between home and school. This study suggests that parents encourage students to participate in those behaviors which positively relate to higher academic performance and discourage student behaviors which negatively relate to academic performance.