nature & child well-being in massachusetts (presentation)
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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