An Analysis of FFA Chapter Demographics as Compared to Schools and Communities

Abstract

This descriptive study was a special project for the National FFA Organization to determine the demographic makeup of rural, suburban, urban, and randomly selected at-large FFA chapters from the four national FFA regions. Summary data for this study revealed that gender in selected FFA chapters was 55% male and 45% female. Eighty percent of FFA members were reported to be White while the respective communities were 54% White. Rural FFA chapters had the highest percentage of FFA members in relation to their agricultural education course enrollments. Urban chapters reported more than half (52%) of their agricultural education students were FFA members. The majority of agricultural education teachers are White males. The demographic characteristics of FFA chapters in relation to their respective schools and communities provide a snapshot of today’s agricultural education programs and FFA chapters. Furthermore, this research could help identify strategies to move FFA chapters toward a more parallel representation of the schools and communities in which they exist