Applied mathematics and reading for information scores on the American College Testing (ACT) Work Keys assessment: Comparing groups by race, gender, and educational level

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were statistically as well as meaningfully significant differences on the ACT Work Keys assessment in the areas of Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information attributable to gender (male or female), race (Black or White), or level of education (secondary or postsecondary). Participants were 1,634 high school students, technical/2-year college students, and employees from a local industry in Dothan, Alabama. Each of these participants completed the Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information subtests of the ACT Work Keys assessment in the winter quarter of 2001. The variables selected from the data collected by the Work Keys Career Center in Dothan, Alabama consisted of participants' scores from these two subtests and self-reported data of gender, race, and level of education on the Work Keys answer folder. Fourteen research questions were formulated regarding statistically significant gender, race, and educational level differences in Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information Work Keys assessment scores.; Two univariate ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate the effects of gender, race, and educational level on participant skill level in Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information. Main effects, two-way interactions, and three-way interactions were examined in this study.; The results of this study indicated that statistically significant differences existed on the Applied Mathematics assessment for Blacks and Whites and for secondary and postsecondary level students and on Reading for Information assessment for Blacks and Whites and for secondary and postsecondary level students. Skill levels were higher for the White participants than for the Black participants. Skill levels were also higher for the postsecondary students than for the secondary students.