Differences in Achievement Based on Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Student Enrollment inPull-out Instrumental Music

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in theacademic achievement, as measured by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) Mathematics and Reading Assessment scoregrowth, between all fifth- and sixth-grade students, low SES students, or studentsidentified as learning disabled who were enrolled in pull-out instrumental musicinstruction and students from those groups who were not enrolled. An additional purposeof this study was to determine if there was a difference in the academic achievement, asmeasured by the Kansas Mathematics and ELA Assessment scores between all fifth- andsixth-grade students, low SES students, or students identified as learning disabled whowere enrolled in pull-out instrumental music instruction and students from those groupswho were not enrolled. A quasi-experimental design was utilized for this study becausearchival data from previously administered tests were used, and a comparison of twoindependent groups took place. The independent variable was participation in pull-outinstrumental music instruction. The dependent variables were NWEA MAP Mathematicsand Reading Assessment score growth (fall to spring) and the Kansas Mathematics andELA Assessment scores. The sample for this study included fifth- and sixth-gradestudents in District S, a Midwestern suburban school district during the 2018-2019 schoolyear. The results of the analysis indicated that there were no significant differences inNWEA MAP growth scores for fifth- and sixth-grade students, low SES students, orstudents identified with learning disabilities enrolled in pull-out instrumental musicinstruction. Fifth-grade students identified as learning disabled not enrolled in pull-outmusic instruction showed more growth on the NWEA MAP mathematics assessment. The results of the analysis of the Kansas Mathematics and ELA Assessment scoresindicated significant differences between scores for all students and for low SES studentswho were enrolled in pull-out instrumental music instruction and their peers who werenot pulled out for instrumental music instruction. The scores of fifth-grade studentsidentified as learning disabled who took the Kansas Mathematics Assessments weredifferent between students enrolled in pull-out instrumental music instruction and thosewho were not enrolled in pull-out instrumental music instruction, with one exception.The scores of fifth-grade students identified as learning disabled were not differentbetween those enrolled in pull-out instrumental music instruction and those not enrolledin pull-out music instruction. This information should prove helpful to parents, teachers,and administrators when trying to decide whether involvement in instrumental music is awise choice for a student who may be categorized as low SES or learning disabled.