Educators are examining many aspects of schools as they find ways to help students improve their performance on standardized tests in order to meet both federal and state standards. This study examined the relationship between organizational climate and student achievement on the Virginia Standards of Learning tests. A total of 1,061 teachers in 47 schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia responded to the climate survey. The survey instrument was the Organizational Health Inventory for Elementary Schools (OHI-E). This brief survey instrument examined five aspects of school climate. They were Teacher Affiliation, Collegial Leadership, Resource Influence, Institutional Integrity, and Academic Emphasis. Third and fifth grade Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests were the measure of student achievement in English. mathematics, science, and social studies. This study also examined the effects of socioeconomic status as measured by the percentage of students receiving free and reduced price lunches.There was a significant positive relationship between overall school climate and third grade performance on the mathematics SOL test and fifth grade performance on the social studies SOL test. Socioeconomic status was significantly negatively correlated with SOL scores in third grade math, science, and social studies and all fifth grade tests except mathematics.Further regression analyses of the aspects of climate measured by the OHI-E (Institutional Integrity, Collegial Leadership, Resource Influence, Teacher Affiliation, and Academic Emphasis) indicated that Academic Emphasis had a significant independent effect on third grade English and mathematics SOL scores as well as fifth grade English, science, and social studies SOL scores. There was a negative correlation between Institutional Integrity and English SOL scores in both the third and fifth grade. This negative correlation shows that when teachers perceive that the school is vulnerable to outside interference, English scores tend to be higher.

Nearly 60 years after the Supreme Court Decision in Brown, segregation is still an ingrained facet of American public education. This study investigated the extent to which these continued patterns of segregation influenced graduation rates from high school. The study used data provided by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) on the 2011 graduating cohorts in 302 public high schools across the state. The results indicate that graduation rates for all students vary significantly as a function of the overall socioeconomic and racial composition of high schools. In addition, low-income students are significantly more likely to graduate in low-poverty high schools and minorities are significantly more likely to graduate in high schools that are not highly segregated by race. Finally, school level demographic variables explain a significant, independent share of the variance in graduation rates among high schools. These results lend weight to policies designed to integrate high schools as a way to equalize educational opportunity.

Thesis advisor: Karen D. Arnold / "Parental involvement," a term long part of the K-12 lexicon is now included in the higher education vocabulary. Many college administrators today associate "parental involvement" with a certain pattern of behavior and describe the contemporary traditional-aged student-parent relationship with negative examples. Dubbed by the media as "helicopter parents," this sub-population of overly involved mothers and fathers has come to represent all parents of college students, even though these examples are largely socioeconomic class-based. This qualitative phenomenological study considered the lived experience of the relationship between working class and low-income students and their parents during the first semester of college. All students in the sample were enrolled at four-year colleges and had attended an alternative high school where parental involvement was supported and encouraged. Students (n=6) participated in three open-ended, qualitative interviews and their parents (n=7) participated in two. What constitutes "parental involvement" for working class and low-income students and parents in the context of higher education? This study found that the parents had positive, emotionally supportive relationships with their students. Students were autonomous and functionally independent, but emotionally interdependent with parents. Parents in the study did not have a direct connection to their child's college or university; students served as intermediaries in this parent-institution relationship. Therefore, this sample did not fit the current definition of parental involvement in higher education. As colleges and universities implement parent services as a reaction to the phenomenon of parental involvement, they need to consider alternative pathways for communicating with parents from lower socioeconomic groups, many of whom have not attended college. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education.

Introdução: Vários fatores podem interferir na adesão ao tratamento dos hipertensos e conseqüentemente no controle da doença. Dentre estes se destaca o contexto socioeconômico em que vivem os hipertensos. Objetivos: Caracterizar hipertensos atendidos em unidades básicas de saúde de acordo com o nível socioeconômico em relação às variáveis biossociais, econômicas, crenças, atitudes, conhecimento sobre a doença e tratamento, falta e interrupção do tratamento; e associar o nível socioeconômico com essas variáveis. Casuística e método: O estudo foi realizado em três unidades básicas de saúde na região oeste da cidade de São Paulo. Para avaliação econômica foi feito o cálculo do índice de bens acumulados, por meio da somatória de preços de eletrodomésticos constantes na residência do paciente, dividido este por doze e posteriormente pelo valor do salário mínimo para equivalência do poder aquisitivo mensal. Os dados foram processados no sistema SPSS v.7.5. O nível de significância adotado foi de 0,05. Resultados: Foram estudados 440 hipertensos. A maioria era do sexo feminino (66%), cor branca (51%), casados (56,8%), com ensino fundamental (52%), índice de massa corporal 29,99±6,0 kg/m², idade de 57±12 anos e renda mensal familiar de 1 a 3 salários mínimos (43,6%). Do total de hipertensos estudados que interromperam o tratamento (34,8%), verificou-se que interrompeu menos de forma significativa (p<0,05) quem possuía mais televisão a cores. Em relação a faltar às consultas médicas houve associação significante (p<0,05) com geladeira duplex, verificou-se que aqueles com maior posse desse eletrodoméstico faltavam menos às consultas. Os hipertensos que não concordaram com a crença de que “não há nada que se possa fazer para evitar a pressão alta“ apresentaram índice de bens acumulados com valores significativamente mais elevados (1,25± 0,36 vs 1,17±0,35, p<0,05). Em relação às atitudes frente ao tratamento, os hipertensos que afirmaram nunca chegarem atrasados às suas consultas apresentaram índice de bens acumulados com valores significativamente mais baixos (1,20±0,3 vs 1,31± 0,32, p<0,05). Na avaliação de como os pacientes “se sentiam em relação a sua vida como um todo", a referência de tristeza se associou com índice de bens acumulados com valor significativamente mais baixo (0,98 ± 0,35 vs 1,28 ± 0,36 e 1,25±0,32, p< 0,05). Conclusão: A condição econômica dos hipertensos se associou com alguns aspectos relativos à adesão ao tratamento. / Introduction: A lot of factors can interfere at the adherence in the treatment and consequently control of the disease and detached among them the socioeconomic context where the hypertension people living. Objectives: To make up the people with the hypertension attending in the health basic units in agree with the socioeconomic level and the biosocial economics variables such as believes, attitudes, knowledge about the disease and treatment, lack and interruption of the treatment; and associating the socioeconomic level with these variables. Casuistic and Methods: The study was realized on three health basic units in the west region of Sao Paulo city. To economic survey was done a calculating of the accumulated capital assets from the sum up of the domestics appliances prizes in the patient residence divided for twelve and on the minimum salary value for equivalence of the monthly acquisitive power. The data were processed in the system of significance adopted were 0.05. Results: Were studied 440 hypertensive patients. The great majority were females (66%), white colour (51%), married (56,8%), with fundamental degree (52%), body mass index 29,99±6,0 kg/ m², 57±12 years of age and familiar income of 1 to 3 minimum salary monthly (43,6%). From the total of studied hypertensive patients with the interrupted the treatment (34,8%) was verified whom less significant way (p<0.05) those with the coloured television. In relationship no attendance to the medical appointment have significant association (p<0.05) with duplex freezer, those who have major posses of theses domestic appliances were less absent the medical consults. The hypertensive patients that have not agreed with the belief that "they can not do anything about the high blood pressure" showed the accumulated capital assets index with the values significantly more elevated (1.25± 0.36 vs 1.17±0.35, p<0.05). About the attitudes to the treatment, the hypertensive patients to referred never were late to a medical appointment showed accumulated capital assets index with lower values (1.20±0.3 vs 1.31± 0.32, p<0.05). In the evaluation of the patients with “How to feel with the life" the reference with sadness have a association with accumulated capital assets index with lower values (0.98 ± 0.35 vs 1.28 ± 0.36 e 1.25±0.32, p< 0.05). Conclusion: The economic situation of the hypertensive patients is linked with some aspects related to the adherence of treatment.

Introdução: A partir da segunda metade da década de noventa, a oferta de tratamento com a Terapia Antiretroviral de Alta Potência contribuiu para a redução da mortalidade de pessoas vivendo com aids nos locais com acesso universal a medicação. Porém, a introdução de procedimentos efetivos tem sido apontada como associada a desigualdades em saúde, quando fatores sociais dificultam o acesso e a aderência ao tratamento. Objetivo: Descrever a evolução temporal da mortalidade nos bairros de Campinas, verificando se houve declínio após a disponibilização da terapêutica antirretroviral de alta potência em 1997 e se este declínio foi homogêneo entre três agregados de áreas da cidade, ou se foi de algum modo associada com a condição socioeconômica das mesmas. Métodos: Foram avaliadas as taxas de mortalidade por aids em bairros de Campinas, São Paulo, de 1996 a 2012, a fim de testar sua associação com o status socioeconômico da área de residência após o início da oferta universal e sem custo de Terapia Antiretroviral de Alta Potência. Foram calculadas as taxas de mortalidade anuais por aids, ajustadas por sexo e faixa etária, com base em informações oficiais de população e mortalidade. Foi estimada a tendência de declínio da mortalidade por aids, usando o procedimento de auto-regressão de Prais- Winsten para séries temporais. A taxa de declínio anual nos três agregados de bairros da cidade foi comparada segundo índices socioeconômicos estimados para o Índice de Condições de Vida. Resultados: A mortalidade por aids ajustada por sexo e idade em Campinas caiu de 13,6 óbitos/100.000 habitantes em 1996 para 4,6 óbitos /100.000 habitantes em 2012. O decréscimo anual foi de 5,5 por cento (Intervalo de Confiança 95 por cento 3,3 por cento -7,5 por cento ). Não foram observadas diferenças significantes de mortalidade (magnitude e taxa de redução) entre as áreas de moradia. Na faixa etária de adultos (20 a 49 anos), houve menor queda da mortalidade no sexo feminino, principalmente na área de pior status socioeconômico. Conclusões: O programa de tratamento para as pessoas com aids foi efetivo para a redução global da mortalidade devida à doença na cidade de Campinas. A redução de mortalidade foi homogênea entre as áreas, o que é compatível com a hipótese de redução das desigualdades em saúde. Porém, a menor redução na mortalidade de mulheres, na faixa etária de adultos, principalmente na região de pior condição socioeconômica, aponta a persistência de desigualdades sociais em saúde. / Introduction: Since the second half of the 1990s, the provision of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) contributed to the reduction in mortality of people living with AIDS in places with universal access to medication. However, the introduction of effective interventions has been identified as associated with health inequalities, when social factors hinder the access and adherence to treatment. Objective: to describe trends of mortality in the districts of Campinas, checking if there was decline after the release of the HAART in 1997 and if this decline was homogeneous among the three aggregate areas of the city, or was somehow associated with their socioeconomic status. Methods: We assessed AIDS mortality in neighborhoods of Campinas, São Paulo, from 1996 to 2012 in order to compare differences among areas of residence after the introduction of universal, free-of-cost provision of HAART. We estimated annual death rates by AIDS, as adjusted for sex and age, based on official information from population and mortality. The annual percent change of AIDS mortality was calculated using the procedure of Prais-Winsten for auto-regression of time series. We assessed differences of the annual percent change between the three clusters of neighborhoods; their socioeconomic status was informed by a socioeconomic index assessed by local health authorities. Results: The adjusted death rate by AIDS in Campinas reduced from 13.6 deaths/100,000 inhabitants in 1996 to 4.6 deaths/100,000 inhabitants in 2012. The annual percent change was 5.5 per cent (95 per cent Confidence Interval 3.3 per cent -7.5 per cent ). No significant differences of mortality (magnitude and annual percent change) among the living areas was observed. In the age group of adults (20-49 years old), a lower decrease of mortality in women was observed, especially in the area of lower socioeconomic status. Conclusions: The program of treatment for people with AIDS was effective in the city of Campinas, as refers to the overall reduction of mortality due to the disease. This reduction was homogeneous among the areas, which is consistent with the hypothesis of a reduction of inequalities in health. However, the lower reduction in mortality in women in the age group of adults, especially in the region of lower socioeconomic status, indicates the persistence of social inequalities in health.

Analogical reasoning is a foundational skill necessary for enabling learners to draw inferences about new experiences, to transfer learning across contexts, and to make abstractions based on relevant information from daily experiences. Linguistic and executive function (EF) skills may support analogical reasoning ability, as both these skill sets have previously been shown to influence other higher-order cognitive abilities, such as perspective taking. Outside influences such as socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds may also influence analogical reasoning, as they have been shown to affect other cognitive processes. At present, current research offers little information about developmental relations among SES, language, EF and analogical learning. The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the extent to which the provision of relational language facilitates children’s analogical reasoning, and to investigate the influence of SES, executive function and language skills in regard to such facilitation. Results indicate that the use of relational language indeed aids analogical reasoning. SES significantly predicted analogical reasoning, but interestingly, this was so only when relational language was absent. These findings support that relational language plays a key role in scaffolding analogical reasoning, and this support is particularly beneficial to children whose cognitive skills may be influenced by SES.

Background and aims: Southern European countries have been showing high overweight and obesity (OW/OB) rates especially among the younger generations (Cattaneo et al. 2010). Portugal is one of those countries with 37.9% overweight and 15.3% obesity in 6 to 8 year olds (Rito et al. 2012). However little is known about the health of ethnic minorities living in its capital city, Lisbon. The Cape Verdean community in Lisbon, the second largest group in Portugal, would be expected to be more affected by this epidemic due to social inequalities. This community also tend to have low educational levels, material deprivation and struggle with discrimination and racism, factors that would likely be associated with a higher prevalence of OW/OB. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of Cape Verdean ancestry children aged 6 to 12 years old living in Lisbon according to their socioeconomic status, general living conditions, family composition, diet and physical activity levels. To compare the findings with previous projects conducted in 1993 and 2009 in the same location with Cape Verdean ancestry children and with Portuguese ancestry children (national study conducted in 2009). To determine what early life factors have significant effect on these children's nutritional health. Methods : Physical measures and household information were collected from November 2013 to February 2014 in Cova da Moura Neighbourhood in Lisbon. Physical measures included height, weight, skinfolds, arm and waist circumferences. From these survey data body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of stunting (chronic malnutrition - low height-for- age) and underweight (low-weight-for-age) were calculated according to reference values proposed by Frisancho (2008). Overweight and obesity values were defined based on the references established by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), CDC, and WHO depending on the specific aim or research question. Results: Results show this is a very deprived community with low educational levels and mostly employed in the service sector. Maternal height and child birth order showed a significant association with child's height. Moreover maternal height and age are associated with child leg length. Living in a single parent family is associated with an increase in child BMI of 1.412 units when accounting for maternal waist circumference. Also significant differences in height for boys and girls were observed between Cape Verdean and Portuguese children. Generally, Cape Verdeans growth falls within the healthy range of International growth references across all of the survey data collected. Cape Verdean rates for combined over nutrition (overweight and obesity) in 2013 (9.8% for boys and 16.7% for girls) are lower than the Portuguese (33% for boys and 31.7% for girls). Logistic regression models showed that Cape Verdean children have a lower risk of being OW/OB compared to Portuguese children when accounting for breastfeeding,birth weight,maternal education and occupation. Conclusions : Despite living in a deprived neighbourhood these Cape Verdean children seem to have grown healthier than Portuguese ancestry children. The challenge for policy makers will be to support improvement of the poverty related living conditions of this community without creating a risky environment for increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity.

Purpose: Food insecurity is an important social determinant of health and is linked with higher health care costs. There is a high prevalence of food insecurity among recent immigrant households in Canada. The aim of the present project was to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity in immigrant and non-immigrant households in Ottawa, to explore determinants of food insecurity in that population and to evaluate the link between food insecurity, diet quality and weight status. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 258 Ottawa households having a child between 6 and 12 years old, with a mother born in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean or Canada. Health Canada’s Household Food Security Survey Module was used to evaluate participants’ food access in the past 12 months. Children’s dietary intake was evaluated with the use of a 24-hour recall and a modified Healthy Eating Index diet quality score was calculated. Chi-square and logistic and linear regression analyses were used to determine correlates of food insecurity and its link with diet quality and weight status (n=249). Results: A high rate of food insecurity (39%) was found among participants. Household food insecurity was associated with low education attainment, lone motherhood, mother’s visible minority status, recent arrival to Canada, limited English fluency, reliance on social assistance, and subsidized/temporary/COOP housing. Food insecurity was associated with consumption of sweetened beverages, lower consumption of saturated fat among children, and with obesity among mothers. Conclusion: These findings suggest that food insecurity is associated with certain indicators of poor diet quality among children and with obesity among mothers. The findings also highlight the need for food insecurity to be explicitly addressed in immigrant integration strategies in order to improve the financial power of new immigrants to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally acceptable foods. Enhancing immigrants’ access to affordable child care and well-paid jobs, improving social assistance programs, and providing more subsidized housing programs would be beneficial to help reduce food insecurity and increase diet quality.

The increase in the number of parents who decide not to enroll their children into a formal kindergarten once they become of age has triggered questions of what impacts readiness. The act of redshirting has doubled since 1980. Redshirting is simply delaying a child’s entry into kindergarten by 1 year after they become age eligible to enroll. Parents want to make sure that with high stakes testing, a more demanding curriculum, and an increase in rigorous standards that their children are ready to start kindergarten with the best opportunity for success. The purpose of this study was to examine how preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive age, gender, prior preschool experience, and socioeconomic status impact a child’s readiness for kindergarten upon school entry. The study was also an examination of perceptions of preschool and kindergarten teachers as to whether or not readiness can be determined by a readiness test. The design method chosen for this study was nonexperimental quantitative. Teachers responded to an online survey. The survey was distributed via email to preschool and kindergarten teachers who were employed in 2 rural east Tennessee counties. This study included the responses of 46 participants who chose to respond to the survey.

This qualitative research study explores the correlation between socioeconomic status and factors of psychotherapy dropout among college students who have prematurely terminated therapy while attending college. Twelve female-identifying college students were interviewed in a semi-structured design. It was predicted that socioeconomic status moderates the impact of financial and logistical barriers to access, mental health stigma, and perceived lack of socioeconomic status competency among practitioners on the decision to leave therapy prematurely, such that these factors have an amplified effect for students coming from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds. Findings indicate that logistical barriers to access are experienced across the socioeconomic spectrum, but with low socioeconomic students having fewer treatment options and an additional step of securing external funding. Results pertaining to identity competency did not indicate a socioeconomic status moderation or the specific need for socioeconomic status competence. Stigma was not found to be related to dropout. Other results are discussed. Further research should apply the present findings and recommendations to intervention-based pilot programs to investigate ways in which dropout can be reduced.