Direct and indirect effects of school learning variables on the academic achievement of African American 10th graders

In focusing on the direct and indirect effects of certain school learning variables on the academic achievement of African American 10th graders, a model was proposed. The model considered those variables associated with student background characteristics (i.e., gender and socioeconomic status); the school (i.e., students' perceptions of the school environment, teachers, and teaching); the family (i.e., parental expectations and involvement); and students (i.e., student educational aspirations and motivation). It was tested using data from African American students who participated in the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988. A revised model was developed after only socioeconomic status, prior academic achievement, and students' perceptions of teachers and teaching quality were found to have statistically significant effects opt achievement.