The Impact of FFA Involvement on Student Achievement at Dover-Eyota High School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of FFA involvement on student achievement at Dover-Eyota High School. High school graduation data was collected and a survey was distributed to former students asking them to identify their post- secondary educational achievements (both enrollment and program completion). Students who were FFA members for two or more years had a slightly higher high school graduation rate than their peers. The FFA members also had a lower post-secondary enrollment rate than their peers, at least partly caused by the pursuit of other career opportunities. Students who were FFA members for two or more years had the lowest rate of post-secondary drop out, though differences among all groups of students studied were note extreme. The development of self-efficacy and career exploration opportunities experienced through FFA may play a role in the high student achievement examined among FFA members. The achievement rates of all groups of students examined at Dover-Eyota High School were high. Follow-up with more students, and possibly at a high school with lower scores in the achievement measures examined may result in results with more variance that are more valuable in evaluating the effect of FFA on student achievement.