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The role of achievement, gender, SES, location and policy in explaining the Indigenous gap in high-school completion
Schellekens, Melissa Ciarrochi, Joseph Dillon, Anthony Sahdra, Baljinder Brockman, Robert Mooney, Janet Parker, Philip
Schellekens, Melissa
Ciarrochi, Joseph
Dillon, Anthony
Sahdra, Baljinder
Brockman, Robert
Mooney, Janet
Parker, Philip
Abstract
Internationally, there is a gap in high-school completion rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. In Australia, gap estimates are commonly based on lag indicators, precluding examination of underlying mechanisms. Using two longitudinal representative samples of Australian youth, we explored differences in high-school completion between Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates, and whether the gap varies for students of similar academic ability. Using an intersectional approach, we show the Indigenous gap is significant, is mostly a function of differences in academic achievement, but varies by socioeconomic status (SES) and location. Specifically, high SES and living in urban settings are protective factors for non-Indigenous students, but not for Indigenous students. Conversely, rural and poor non-Indigenous students appeared to have dropout rates as large or even larger than similarly poor and rural Indigenous youth. Overall, the results suggest the need for a more nuanced perspective on ‘Indigenous gaps’ in educational attainment.
Keywords
dropout, high-school completion, Indigenous, socioeconomic status
Date
2022
Type
Journal article
Journal
British Educational Research Journal
Book
Volume
48
Issue
4
Page Range
730-750
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Education and Arts
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY-NC 4.0
File Access
Open