A Quantitative Study Comparing Traditional High Schools and High Schools Implementing Freshman Academies in the State of Tennessee.

The purpose of this study was to compare 9th grade student achievement in Tennessee schools the year before and after the schools implemented a freshman academy, as well as compare such schools with traditional Tennessee high schools. The factors in this study that impact student achievement and serve as the dependent variables were attendance rates, number of credits earned, and suspensions for 9th graders. Data were obtained by various software programs used by the schools to enter, maintain, and retrieve student data. 2 x 2 ANOVAs were conducted to determine if there were differences in the mean attendance rates and mean number of credits earned among 9th graders based on the type of institution, the academic years prior to and following the implementation of the freshman academy approach, and the 2-way interaction between the type of institution and the academic year. Crosstabulated tables and chi-square tests were used to determine if there was a relationship between suspensions prior to the academic year the Freshman Academy was implemented and the academic year following its implementation. The 2 x 2 ANOVAs conducted using Freshman Academy A and Traditional High School C indicated there was a significant difference in mean attendance rates and mean number of credits earned. Mean attendance rates and mean number of credits earned were higher at Freshman Academy A once the academy approach was implemented. The 2 x 2 ANOVAs conducted using Freshman Academy B and Traditional High School D indicated there was no significant difference in mean attendance rates and mean number of credits earned once the academy approach was implemented. Two-by-two crosstabulated tables and chi-square tests were used to determine if there was a relationship between suspensions at the Freshman Academy high schools (A & B) for years prior to and following implementation of the academy approach. The analysis of the data indicated there was a significant difference in the number of students suspended following the implementation of the academy approach at Freshman Academy A but not at Freshman Academy B