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The purpose of this study was to determine if the impact of socioeconomic status on the composite test scores of students enrolled in selected similarly sized but differently accredited school districts affected the district composite score on the Functional Literacy Examination. Further, this study examined differences in Functional Literacy Examination composite test scores based on student absenteeism. Three hundred eighty-two juniors from the participating districts attempting the Functional Literacy Examination as first-time test takers during the Spring 1996 administration constituted the sample pool. The study compared test scores of student subgroups from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, low socioeconomic status students enrolled in a selected Level 3 school district were compared to low socioeconomic status students enrolled in a selected Level 5 school district. Likewise, high socioeconomic status students, those not qualifying for free lunch, enrolled in a selected Level 3 school district were compared to high socioeconomic status students enrolled in a selected Level 5 school district. Therefore, the students were selected based primarily on school accreditation level.
Student and district scores from the 1996 Functional Literacy Examination, a 153 multiple-choice and constructed response test, were used as the dependent variable in all six hypotheses. Independent variables were low socioeconomic status, high socioeconomic status, accreditation level, and student absenteeism. A t-test was used to analyze the data for hypotheses 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. For hypothesis 5, a 2 by 2 factorial analysis of variance was used with the independent variables being accreditation level and student absenteeism. If the result of the factorial analysis of variance was significant, a Scheffe test was used to evaluate the significance of pairwise post hoc differences.
Based on the findings of this research, three null hypotheses were rejected, and three hypotheses were accepted. Findings suggest that socioeconomic status did impact the student and district composite test scores of a selected Level 3 and a selected Level 5 Mississippi school district. Additionally, student absenteeism did not affect student composite test scores on the Functional Literacy Examination between students enrolled in a selected Level 3 and a selected Level 5 Mississippi school district.