Participation in a garden-based learning intervention improved fourth graders’ standardized reading test scores While it is widely understood that school gardens support a multitude of benefits for students, research demonstrating that school-based garden programs can positively impact academic achievement as measured by standardized test scores is largely lacking from the literature. Given that schools prioritize interventions that are shown to produce academic gains, experimental studies that assess the impacts of school gardens are essential. Therefore, this study employed a randomized controlled trial research design to test whether a school garden intervention could improve academic performance as compared to a control group who did not participate in the intervention.
The study utilized data from previous research which examined the effects of a school gardening intervention, Texas Sprouts, on the diets and physical health outcomes of third- to fifth-grade students. The TX Sprouts study was a one-year study conducted with 16 elementary schools near Austin, Texas, U.S. Only schools serving high proportions (50% or greater) of Hispanic children and children receiving free or reduced lunch, and which did not have an existing garden, were selected to participate in the study. Eight schools were randomly assigned to participate in the TX Sprouts intervention. The other eight schools served as the control group and did not take part in the intervention; however, these schools participated in TX Sprouts after the conclusion of the study. A total of 3,114 students in fourth and fifth grade participated in this study, including 1,400 students in the intervention group and 1,714 students in the control group. Prior to the study, gardens were constructed at each intervention school that included two raised vegetable beds, two native plant and herb beds, a large storage shed, a whiteboard and seating for 25 students. Each class participated in 18 one-hour lessons focused on healthy eating over the course of the school year. The lessons were mainly held in the garden and were taught by nutrition and garden educators. To assess changes in academic achievement, the current study accessed each schools’ State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) grade-level reading and math scores from the Texas Education Agency website. Test scores from the prior academic year were used as a baseline assessment. Test scores from the year that the school received either the intervention or the control condition were used as a follow-up assessment. Student demographic data revealed that 70% of participants were Latino or Hispanic and 77% were eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Statistical analysis of baseline STAAR scores found that there were no differences between the intervention and control schools prior to the TX Sprouts program. After the program, analysis found that schools who participated in the TX Sprouts intervention experienced a statistically significant 6.5-percentage-point increase in their fourth grade reading STAAR scores compared to control schools. However, no significant differences were detected in the changes of fourth grade math scores. Additionally, no significant differences were identified in fifth grade reading or math scores between the intervention and control groups.
As the first randomized controlled trial to investigate how a school gardening program influenced the academic achievement scores of elementary schools, the study makes an important contribution to the literature. Overall, the “study provides evidence that school gardens may result in modest improvements in reading levels in schools, in addition to other analyses from the TX Sprouts program that showed enhanced health of children.” Findings may be helpful to schools seeking funding or support for garden programs. Research should continue to examine the effects of school gardening programs on academic achievement and may consider other content areas, such as writing and science.
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