The ecology of achievement among students diverse in ethnicity and ability

This longitudinal study uses an ecological framework to examine school and individual influences on academic achievement among African American and Latino students with and without disabilities who had recently transferred to more inclusive schools. The authors' ecological framework includes four domains: organizational policies and practices, school environment, student–school connections, and psychological symptoms. The authors tested a comprehensive model with 111 students from 16 schools over 3 years, as well as an organizational model with a smaller sample. Organizational policies and practices of inclusion and student–school connections of belonging each predicted higher academic achievement, and psychological symptoms of aggressive behavior predicted lower academic achievement across time. Their findings are consistent with and extend existing research through support of a comprehensive ecological model across time. Findings also yield significant implications for ecological theory and research in community psychology, school planning, intervention, and implementation of inclusive best practices for students with and without disabilities. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.