Purpose: Efforts to address the achievement gap that exists between African Americans and European Americans and between children who are economically “advantaged” and “disadvantaged” often focus on curricular and instructional strategies in the classroom. This approach ignores the well-established relationship between the social environment of children and their school performance and the strengths-based perspective of social work. The current study employed a strengths-based, within-group analysis to identify social environmental factors associated with achievement among upper elementary school students. The study was also innovative in its use of child-report perceptions of the social environment, instead of adult reports.

Methods: The sample comprised 385 African American (n=174) and European American (n=211) children from a larger sample of 3rd through 5th graders in a NIDA-funded study of the Elementary School Success Profile (ESSP). The ESSP is a newly validated, ecological assessment tool for school practitioners serving 3rd through 5th graders. Achievement data from teachers and child perceptions of the neighborhood, school, friends, and family were used in the study. The social environment scores of achievers (at or above grade level) and low achievers (below grade level) within four demographic groups (African American, European American, economically advantaged, and economically disadvantaged) were compared using t tests in order to identify group-specific factors associated with achievement.

Results: Positive friend and peer behavior were the most common protective factors reported by achievers across the four demographic groups. Achievers in all four groups reported less aggressive behavior on the part of their friends than low achievers. Being accepted by peers was also a protective factor for achievers who were African American, European American, or economically advantaged. Achievers from these three groups also reported significantly higher levels of family caring than low achievers from the same groups. Perceptions of the school environment appeared more salient for economically advantaged students than students in the other demographic groupings. Achievers from this group were more likely than low achievers to perceive that their teachers were supportive, school was a fun place to learn, and school was a fun place socially. The fewest significant differences in social environmental perceptions were found for economically disadvantaged achievers and low achievers. Higher levels of teacher support, less aggressive friend behavior, and more social support were associated with achievement in this group.

Implications: Social environmental strengths of achievers within and across groups have implications for practice. First, the finding that having non-aggressive friends is associated with higher achievement for all groups, and that peer acceptance is associated with higher achievement for three of the four groups, suggests that universal interventions to reduce antisocial behaviors may enhance achievement promotion efforts for elementary school students in general.

African American students in particular may benefit from enhanced support from adults in their neighborhood and other environments. Economically advantaged students may be particularly responsive to efforts to enhance their perceptions of support from teachers and other students in the classroom. Low achievers who are economically disadvantaged may be particularly responsive to enhanced levels of teacher support and general social support.