Nature & Child-Wellbeing in Massachusetts Examining academic achievement and socio-economic indicators relative to proximity to open space in Massachusetts Public Schools
Ariam Ford • April 24, 2014 • UA 654
Research Questions
Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic achievement in Massachusetts?
Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age
children based on socio-economic level?
Is there a relationship between children living in single mother households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Conceptual Framework
Biophilia Hypothesis
Nature & Well-being
Children & Nature
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Hypotheses
Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic
achievement in Massachusetts?
As distance from open space decreases, academic achievement will increase.
Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children based on socio-economic level?
As distance from open space decreases, socio-economic level increases.
Is there a relationship between children living in single mother
households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?
As distance from open space decreases, the number of children living in single mother households will decrease.
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Variables Concept Proximity to Open Space
Operationalized Variable Distance of school to a state designated protected open space that is open to the public
and designated for recreational or conservational use
Academic Achievement by School for 2010
%Graduates attending higher education %Drop Out Rates MCAS Scores SAT Scores (out of 2400) %Student Discipline Data
Socio-Economic Level
% of population enrolled in K-12 under poverty line by Census Tract (Census 2010)
Household Type
% of students living in single mother households
by Census Tract (Census 2010) Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Open Space in Massachusetts
Data Source Census.gov Census Tract Layer year 2010
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Massachusetts Schools
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Massachusetts Schools
Data Source Census.gov Census Tract Layer year 2010
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Open Space & Public High Schools in Massachusetts
Data Source Census.gov Census Tract Layer year 2010
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
RQ: Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic achievement in Massachusetts?
Network Analyst
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Network Analyst Results:
RQ: Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic achievement in Massachusetts? Service Area Statistics for Schools Within a Specified Distance of a Public Open Space # of Schools in Category
Average % Graduates Attending Higher Ed.
Average % Average Proficient or Dropout Rate Higher on MCAS English
Average % Proficient or Higher on MCAS Math
Average SAT Scores (Combined)
Average % Students Disciplined
.5mi
3
45.8%
6.6%
44.3%
39.6%
970
13.5%
1mi
118
64.2%
9.7%
66.6%
63.8%
1269
9.7%
1.5mi
193
64.5%
9.3%
65.4%
62.2%
1256
10%
2mi
256
63.7%
9.7%
65.7%
61.6%
1243
10.8%
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Network Analyst Results Summary:
RQ: Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic achievement in Massachusetts?
Hypothesis: As distance from open space decreases, academic achievement
will increase.
5 out of 6 metrics support the hypothesis
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Research
Question #2: Does proximity to open
space vary for Massachusetts school age children based on socio-economic level?
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
RQ: Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children based on socio-economic level?
Spatial Join
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Spatial Join Results:
RQ: Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children based on socioeconomic level?
Average Amount of Public Open Space Relative to % of K-12 Students Under Poverty Line by Census Tract 600
500
400
300
574
200
100 70 3
0.1
0 0-5%
5-10%
10-20%
Above 20%
Average Amount of Public Open Space (Acres)
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Research
Question #3: Is there a relationship
between single mother households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Spatial Join Results:
Is there a relationship between single mother households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?
Average Amount of Public Open Space Relative to % of K-12 Students in Single Mother Households by Census Tract 700 600 500 400
685 567
300 200 100
73
0.4
0 0-5%
5-10%
10-20%
Above 20%
Average Amount of Public Open Space (Acres)
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Spatial Join Results Summary:
RQ: Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children based on socio-economic level?
Hypothesis: As distance from open space decreases, socio-economic level increases.
As the % of students in poverty increased, the amount of open space in the census tract decreased. This observation supports the hypothesis.
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Spatial Join Results Summary:
RQ: Is there a relationship between single mother households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?
Hypothesis: As distance from open space decreases, the number of students living in single mother households will increase.
As the % of students living in single mother households increased, the amount of open space in the census tract decreased. This observation supports the hypothesis.
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Summary of Findings The results of this spatial analysis support the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between proximity to open space and child academic
achievement/wellbeing in Massachusetts. As proximity to open space increases, the metrics of academic achievement and wellbeing increase.
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Limitations
Size, type and quality of open spaces
Differences in school sizes and test results
Narrow scope of distances
Proximity does not determine use
Strength of relationship
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions
Questions?
Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions