Effect of student’s SES (socio-economic status) backgrounds on ethnic minority secondary school students’ academic achievement

This study investigates the patterns between ethnic minority secondary school students SES (socio-economic status) backgrounds and their academic achievement. A main education policy conducted a research and discovered the achievement gap was ample among the students that were classified as minority and low-socioeconomic status students. (Crane, 1996; Desimone & Long, 2010; Delen & Bellibas, 2015; Flores, 2007; Haycock, 2001; Kober, 2001; Ladson-Billings, 2006; Lubienski, 2002). This study utilized the mixed method research design to obtain results for the following two research questions from 56 ethnic minority secondary school students.: 1) What factors of socio-economic status are most significant to ethnic minority secondary school student academic achievement? 2) How do these factors impact the academic achievement of ethnic minority secondary school students?

The results obtained indicate secondary school ethnic minority students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds generally faced challenges in their academic achievement due to their family income and family education. These factors were significant and has negatively impact their academic achievement. It is anticipated that the results of this study will instigate more research to meet the needs of these students.