nature & child well-being in massachusetts (presentation)

Nature &

Child-Wellbeing in

MassachusettsExamining academic achievement and socio-economic indicators relative

to proximity to open space in Massachusetts Public Schools

Ariam Ford • April 24, 2014 • UA 654

Research Questions

Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic

achievement in Massachusetts?

Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age

children based on socio-economic level?

Is there a relationship between children living in single mother

households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Conceptual Framework

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Biophilia Hypothesis

Nature & Well-being

Children & Nature

Hypotheses

Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic

achievement in Massachusetts?

As distance from open space decreases, academic achievement will

increase.

Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age

children based on socio-economic level?

As distance from open space decreases, socio-economic level increases.

Is there a relationship between children living in single mother

households and proximity to open space in Massachusetts?

As distance from open space decreases, the number of children living in

single mother households will decrease.

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

VariablesConcept Operationalized Variable

Proximity to Open Space Distance of school to a state designated

protected open space that is open to the public

and designated for recreational or conservational

use

Academic Achievement by School for 2010 %Graduates attending higher education

%Drop Out Rates

MCAS Scores

SAT Scores (out of 2400)

%Student Discipline Data

Socio-Economic Level % of population enrolled in K-12 under poverty

line by Census Tract (Census 2010)

Household Type % of students living in single mother households

by Census Tract (Census 2010)

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Open Space in Massachusetts

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Data Source Census.gov

Census Tract Layer year 2010

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Massachusetts Schools

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Massachusetts Schools

Data Source Census.gov

Census Tract Layer year 2010

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Open Space & Public High Schools in Massachusetts

Data Source Census.gov

Census Tract Layer year 2010

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic

achievement in Massachusetts?

Network Analyst

Network Analyst Results:

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic

achievement in Massachusetts?

Service Area Statistics for Schools Within a Specified Distance of a Public Open Space

# of Schools in Category

Average % Graduates Attending Higher Ed.

Average Dropout Rate

Average % Proficient or

Higher on MCAS English

Average % Proficient or

Higher on MCAS Math

Average SAT Scores (Combined)

Average % Students

Disciplined

.5mi 3 45.8% 6.6% 44.3% 39.6% 970 13.5%

1mi 118 64.2% 9.7% 66.6% 63.8% 1269 9.7%

1.5mi 193 64.5% 9.3% 65.4% 62.2% 1256 10%

2mi 256 63.7% 9.7% 65.7% 61.6% 1243 10.8%

Network Analyst Results Summary:

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Is there a relationship between proximity to open space and academic

achievement in Massachusetts?

Hypothesis: As distance from open space decreases, academic achievement

will increase.

5 out of 6 metrics support the hypothesis

Research Question #2: Does proximity to open

space vary for Massachusetts school age children

based on socio-economic level?

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children

based on socio-economic level?

Spatial Join

Spatial Join Results:

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children based on socio-

economic level?

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0-5% 5-10% 10-20% Above 20%

574

70

3 0.1

Average Amount of Public Open Space Relative to % of K-12

Students Under Poverty Line by Census Tract

Average Amount of Public Open Space (Acres)

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Research Question #3: Is there a relationship

between single mother households and proximity

to open space in Massachusetts?

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Spatial Join Results:

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Is there a relationship between single mother households and proximity to open

space in Massachusetts?

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

0-5% 5-10% 10-20% Above 20%

685

567

730.4

Average Amount of Public Open Space Relative to % of K-12 Students in Single Mother Households by Census Tract

Average Amount of Public Open Space (Acres)

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Spatial Join Results Summary:

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Does proximity to open space vary for Massachusetts school age children

based on socio-economic level?

Hypothesis: As distance from open space decreases, socio-economic level

increases.

As the % of students in poverty increased,

the amount of open space in the census

tract decreased. This observation supports

the hypothesis.

Spatial Join Results Summary:

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

RQ: Is there a relationship between single mother households and proximity to

open space in Massachusetts?

Hypothesis: As distance from open space decreases, the number of

students living in single mother households will increase.

As the % of students living in single mother

households increased, the amount of open

space in the census tract decreased. This

observation supports the hypothesis.

Summary of Findings

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

The results of this spatial analysis support the

hypothesis that there is a positive relationship

between proximity to open space and child academic

achievement/wellbeing in Massachusetts. As proximity

to open space increases, the metrics of academic

achievement and wellbeing increase.

Limitations

Size, type and quality of open spaces

Differences in school sizes and test results

Narrow scope of distances

Proximity does not determine use

Strength of relationship

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions

Questions?

Introduction • Conceptual Framework• Variables• Methods & Results• Conclusions