Alabama High School Graduation Exam Outcomes: Agricultural Education and Its Impact

Abstract

This study sought to determine if there is possible a relationship between agricultural education class credits obtained by students and their subsequent outcome on the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE). Also, the perceptions of Alabama agricultural educators regarding 1) student test taking preparation 2) academic standard integration 3) perceived barriers to science integration and 4) science integration’s impact on enrollment were investigated. Test outcomes detailing pass or fail scores for each of the agriculture students were tabulated with the number of agricultural courses completed by each student. Logistic regression analysis was run to determine if there was a relationship between the number of agricultural classes that a student took and subsequent outcomes on the AHSGE. The model generated for the reading, social studies, and biology portions was not statistically significant in predicting the pass/fail outcome on the AHSGE; however, probabilities indicated that students were more likely to pass each portion having taken more agricultural classes. The model did statistically significantly predict the outcomes on the language and mathematics portions of the exam. In order to address the second part of this study, the researcher developed a survey instrument that was administered at the 2011 summer meeting of the Alabama Association of Agriscience Educators. The survey contained five questions for each of the following constructs: 1) student test taking preparation 2) academic standard integration 3) perceived barriers to science integration and 4) science integration’s impact on enrollment. A Likert type scale was used which indicated that 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, and 4= strongly agree. Scores were summated with the calculation of frequency of response, mean, and standard deviation. One of the foremost responses was that 84.9% of agricultural teachers either agreed or strongly agreed that students are better prepared for the Alabama High School Graduation Exam after completing their class.