Social support for academic learning and academic press as complementary school conditions¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 6 claims (6 for) · 3 studies (2 associational, 1 qualitative), q2–q3 · 0 of 3 report an effect size · 6 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The report defines two complementary conditions for achievement. "Social support for academic learning" designates "the personal relationships that students have with people who may help them do well in school", drawn from teachers, parents, peers, and community. Academic press is "the extent to which school members, including teachers and students, experience a normative emphasis on academic success and conformity to specific standards of achievement", operating by giving direction and creating incentives. The framework holds the two are complementary rather than competing reform ideologies.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Both conditions must be present together for maximum achievement gains; each alone is insufficient

Constraints¶

• Support received may not always be conducive to achievement, e.g., peer groups may stigmatize academic success

Target Learners¶

• sixth and eighth grade students in urban public schools

Target Learning Objectives¶

• reading and mathematics achievement

Claims¶

• Press Plus Support Combined Gains [+M]
• School academic press is positively related to school-average reading and math achievement gains in Chicago middle grades [+W]
• Personalism and academic press each had only small influences on engagement, but their combination elevated student academic engagement substantially [+W]
• Students' social support is positively related to one-year reading and math achievement gains in Chicago middle grades, controlling for background and school characteristics [+W]
• School Supports Including Academic Press, Social Support, and Instructional Program Coherence Relate to Achievement [+W]
• Schools high on both personalism and academic press show substantially higher student academic engagement than schools high on either alone [+W]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• Schools should pursue strategies that strengthen social support and academic press together rather than choosing one reform approach

Key Sources¶

• Valerie E. Lee, Julia B. Smith, Tamara E. Perry, Mark A. Smylie. (1999). Social Support, Academic Press, and Student Achievement: A View from the Middle Grades in Chicago. Chicago Annenberg Research Project, Consortium on Chicago School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/social-support-academic-press-and-student-achievement-view-middle-grades-chicago