An analysis of the effects that looping in the primary grades has on reading and mathematics achievement at Robeson Elementary Center

Current studies show supporting evidence that directs one to believe that students facing less stress, more stability, and fewer behavior issues, can achieve successfully up to and above their learning potential (Rasmussen, 1998). Looping is a practice that allows a teacher to teach his or her class for at least two consecutive years. In using this practice, the students would have less stress in the start of the second year. Having the same teacher creates stability, and the students are already aware of the behaviors expected.;The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in academic performance in the areas of reading and mathematics for the looping and non-looping classes. The study looked at each group of students in grades two and three. A comparison was made with their reading achievement, mathematics achievement, and the combination of reading, mathematics, and language on a standardized achievement test.;The subjects for this study came from the Robeson Elementary Center located in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. The subjects were from the middle to upper socioeconomic strata. Grades two and three were used for the study. The individual students were not used for the research, only the class scores as a whole group were used.;The instrument used to assess the academic achievement was the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). The CTBS provided information regarding the reading, mathematics, and combined reading, mathematics and language achievement in all of the classes within the study. The CTBS was given in the fall of each school year, rather than in the spring.;A fundamental goal of this study was to focus on one local elementary school where one group of students looped and another group of students did not. The only variable that was manipulated was that one class was looping and the other class was not.;The findings and results of the second and third grade classes' scores on the CTBS were analyzed. The mean, percentage increase, and correlation coefficient from the pretest and the posttest scores were determined. Each class was compared to the looping class in the areas of reading, mathematics and combined reading, mathematics and language achievement. Analysis of the data revealed that the looping class scored higher than the non-looping classes in all of the tested subject areas.