DOES A RISING TIDE LIFT ALL BOATS? INTERNATIONAL RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE SES AND ACHIEVEMENT

Both individual student wealth and the wealth of a country have been shown to be related to academic achievement. This study used multilevel linear modeling to consider the relationship of achievement to the socio-economic status (SES) of students relative to their country and their absolute SES in the world. Greater country wealth was related to more achievement for wealthier students than others. Smaller differences in lower SES students’ achievement become more pronounced with wealth, and increased country wealth was related to expanding those differences. The rich were academically richer in wealthier countries. Examples and exceptions are presented.