This study analyzes the school effect on achievement growth and on decreasing
achievement gap between urban and rural middle school students using KELS:2005 data
which includes 6,908 students of 150 middle school during first grade in 2005 to third grade
in 2007.
As a result, the initial achievement gap between rural and urban school was due to
students' socio-economical background, especially the difference to access private education
and educational support from home. On the achievement growth, high academic climate,
stabled school climate, trust between students and teachers have effect. These school climates
effected more in rural school than in urban school. As these school climates appear better
and effect more in rural schools, they decrease the achievement gap between urban and rural
students. But although rural schools have their school effect on decreasing rural-urban
achievement gap, it still exists. Because of their low socio-economical status and insufficient
educational support form home, the initial achievement gap still somewhat exists.
These results mean that though rural schools have some disadvantages from their
socio-economical background of students, they have some strength to achievement
improvement and reducing the achievement gap between rural and urban students. So not
only filling up educational resources of rural schools, it need to support rural schools to
make its own strength and school climate which can overcome the educational gap between
urban schools.