Before and After Football: Impact on Student Behavioral and Academic Outcomes

Abstract

This study was undertaken by the researcher to examine the impact that the adoption of a football program had on a small rural Texas high school as indicated by student behavioral and academic outcomes. The researcher used extant data gathered from the student management software system, which included attendance records, discipline records, and standardized test scores. The data were examined using a t-test and box and whisker plots.

The data revealed that there was very little impact on student behavioral outcomes as measured by attendance and discipline. The results for test scores revealed an impact. Tests for mathematics, reading/ELA, social studies and science revealed an increase in raw scores. The greatest increases in scores were in reading/ELA and mathematics.