Effect of Enrollment in Agriscience on Students' Performance in Science on the High School Graduation Test

Abstract

This study determined whether enrollment in agriscience education was related to high school students’ science achievement. The results of the mandatory high school graduate exit exams were used to measure science achievement. All test scores from non-special education students were utilized for the study. The comparison of the science achievement of agriscience education students to that of non-agriscience education students revealed that there were significant differences in scores on the science test and the subtests. The effect size for each of these areas was either small or of negligible practical significance. Regression analyses were used to determine if enrollment in agriscience education explained variance in the science scores, after controlling for variance attributed to age, grade level, gender, ethnicity, 504 status, and socioeconomic status. Significant models with moderate or large effect sizes existed that explained a portion of variance in scores on the science tests and subtests. However, after controlling for the six variables listed above, the contribution of enrollment in agriscience education to the science test and subtest scores was negligible. This result is positive evidence for the value of agriscience education since agriscience education students acquire knowledge, skills, and experiences substantially beyond the academic content in the courses.