Other
Family Educational and Cultural Practices Amplify Rather than Buffer Socioeconomic Inequalities in Academic Achievement in France
Rémeau M, Borst G, Rakesh D ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view ·Key points
Limitations
Abstract
Socioeconomic inequalities in academic achievement emerge early and often widen across development, yet it remains unclear whether family educational practices mitigate or reinforce these disparities, particularly outside Anglo-Saxon contexts. Using data from a nationally representative longitudinal cohort of 12,904 French students followed from Grade 5 to Grade 9, this study examined whether family educational practices buffer or amplify socioeconomic differences in literacy and numeracy achievement trajectories. Socioeconomic status (SES) was indexed by parental education, household income, and parental occupational status. Four domains of family educational practices were examined as moderators: cultural participation, extracurricular activities, parental involvement in schooling, and shared parent–child activities. Academic trajectories were modeled using latent growth curve models. SES was a robust predictor of both initial academic achievement and subsequent changes in relative academic standing over time. Family educational practices also showed positive main effects across domains. However, interaction effects between SES and family practices were generally modest and inconsistent. When significant, family educational practices tended to be more beneficial for students from higher SES backgrounds, consistent with amplification rather than compensatory processes. Moreover, moderation effects were observed primarily for initial achievement levels rather than longitudinal changes in relative standing over time. Overall, the findings provide limited support for the hypothesis that family educational practices protect against socioeconomic disadvantage. Instead, they suggest that educational and cultural resources within families may contribute to reinforcing existing socioeconomic inequalities in academic achievement in France.