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Genetic associations with mathematics tracking and persistence in secondary school.

ABSTRACT: Maximizing the flow of students through the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline is important to promoting human capital development and reducing economic inequality. A critical juncture in the STEM pipeline is the highly cumulative sequence of secondary school math courses. Students from disadvantaged schools are less likely to complete advanced math courses. Here, we conduct an analysis of how the math pipeline differs across schools using student polygenic scores, which are DNA-based indicators of propensity to succeed in education. We integrated genetic and official school transcript data from over 3000 European-ancestry students from U.S. high schools. We used polygenic scores as a molecular tracer to understand how the flow of students through the high school math pipeline differs in socioeconomically advantaged versus disadvantaged schools. Students with higher education polygenic scores were tracked to more advanced math already at the beginning of high school and persisted in math for more years. Analyses using genetics as a molecular tracer revealed that the dynamics of the math pipeline differed by school advantage. Compared to disadvantaged schools, advantaged schools buffered students with low polygenic scores from dropping out of math. Across all schools, even students with exceptional polygenic scores (top 2%) were unlikely to take the most advanced math classes, suggesting substantial room for improvement in the development of potential STEM talent. These results link new molecular genetic discoveries to a common target of educational-policy reforms.

SUBMITTER: Harden KP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7002519 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genetic associations with mathematics tracking and persistence in secondary school.

Harden K Paige KP Domingue Benjamin W BW Belsky Daniel W DW Boardman Jason D JD Crosnoe Robert R Malanchini Margherita M Nivard Michel M Tucker-Drob Elliot M EM Harris Kathleen Mullan KM

NPJ science of learning 20200205

Maximizing the flow of students through the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline is important to promoting human capital development and reducing economic inequality. A critical juncture in the STEM pipeline is the highly cumulative sequence of secondary school math courses. Students from disadvantaged schools are less likely to complete advanced math courses. Here, we conduct an analysis of how the math pipeline differs across schools using student <i>polygenic scores</i>, ...[more]

PMID: 32047651

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Project description:BACKGROUND:A key priority for learning during the early years of school is for children to develop skills in numeracy and literacy. Consequently, less time may be allocated in the curriculum to foster other important developmental areas, including the ongoing motor skill development of school children, which has been positively linked to academic performance. In order to promote holistic approaches to teaching and learning in the early years of school, it is necessary to further delineate the nature of associations between motor skills and foundation academic skills. The aim of this study was to examine associations between fine and gross motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading in Year 1 children. METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted with Year 1 children from two primary schools in New South Wales, Australia (N?=?55; 25 boys, 30 girls; mean age 6.77?±?0.40?years). The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (2nd Edition) and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II (Australian Edition) were used to assess motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading, respectively. Associations between the components of motor proficiency and academic outcomes were examined using Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine how much variance in mathematics and reading composite scores could be explained by motor proficiency after controlling for age. RESULTS:A significant moderate positive association was found between total motor composite and mathematics composite scores (r?=?.466, p?<?.001). Fine manual control composite scores were significantly associated with both mathematics (rs?=?.572, p?<?.001) and reading (rs?=?.476, p?=?.001) composite scores. After controlling for age, fine motor integration was the only component of motor proficiency that explained significant variance in mathematics and reading composite scores. CONCLUSIONS:The results of the study revealed that Year 1 children's overall motor proficiency was significantly related to their mathematical ability. Children's fine motor integration skills were also predictive of mathematics and reading ability. These study findings may interest both early childhood educators and paediatric health professionals.

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Genetic associations with mathematics tracking and persistence in secondary school.

Publications

Genetic associations with mathematics tracking and persistence in secondary school.

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