Relationship of Instructional Time Configuration on State-Mandated Middle Grades Social Studies Test Scores

Abstract

This study compared the academic performance of students on the 2019 South Carolina Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) by the instructional time configuration used and explored the relationship among the variables of gender, race/ethnicity and poverty on this performance. Results of 25280 seventh-grade student social studies test scores from 112 middle schools, as well as information regarding each school’s instructional time configuration, were analyzed. While controlling for poverty, students in schools using instructional time configurations with the least amount of social studies class time per week had the highest performance levels. Additionally, White students scored significantly higher on the test than Mixed students, Mixed students scored significantly higher on the test than Hispanic students, and Hispanic students scored significantly higher on the test than Black students regardless of the instructional time configuration used.