International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426 Volume 8 Issue 5, May 2019 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Academic Discriminants of Poverty Erlinda S. Pantallano 1 , Dionalyn S. Gumacial 2 , Marilou M. Abatayo 3 Abstract: This study aims to investigate how Poverty Incidence (PI) determines the students’ academic performance in the four core areas of NAT using Discriminant Analysis. The study utilized a multivariate secondary data of the Average Poverty Incidence from 2009 – 2015 of sixteen regions in the Philippines with the corresponding NAT results in the four core subjects, namely: Science, Mathematics, English, and Filipino.The data were then analyzed employing Discriminant Analysis. Findings show that to some extent, the “Not Poor” group has gained advantage over the “Poor” group in Filipino, Science, and English categories, while only in Mathematics had the “Poor” group gained an edge. Keywords: academic, poverty, discriminant, performance, analysis 1. Introduction Discriminant analysis as claimed by Klecka, W. R., & Klecka, W. R. (1980), provides a very strong technique for examining simultaneously the differences between two or more groups of data or observations relative to several variables. On the other hand, academic achievement of basic education students is measured through the National Achievement Test (NAT), a system-based assessment designed to evaluate learning outcomes in identified periods of basic education. It includes set of examinations taken nationwide by students in Years 6, 10, and 12. The test is administered to determine their academic levels, strength and weaknesses, as well as their knowledge learnt throughout the year divided into 5 categories; English, Filipino, Math, Science and Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies in English). The objectives of NAT are as follows: 1) provide empirical information on the achievement level of pupils/students in Grades Six, Ten, and Twelve to serve as guide for policy makers, administrators, curriculum planners, supervisors, principals and teachers in their respective courses of action; 2) identify and analyze variations on achievement levels across the years by region, division, school and other variables ; and 3) determine the rate of improvement in basic education with respect to individual schools within certain time frames. The said aims focus on one major component of student achievement which gives an empirical measures or information of the totality of his learning in a particular subject or area. Along with learning, Kurt Lewin’s Topological and Vector theory proposes that learning is affected by both the internal and external factors, the latter of which may include the socio-economic status of the family to whichPoverty Incidence (PI)is closely linked with. Poverty incidence can be described as the proportion of the population with per capitaincome less than the percapita poverty threshold. (https://psa.gov.ph › Environment and multi-domain statistics)or it is the proportion of people below the poverty line to the total population. Poverty Incidence is akin to Human Poverty index (HPI)which refers to the standard of living in a particular country or region. (https://planningtank.com/ development- planning/human-poverty-index).It is a measure of economic growth which proposes that human poverty should be gauged in terms of the three key deprivations of life. (survival, knowledge and economic provisions), Survival is determined based on life expectancy. As to knowledge, its main determinant isbasic education which is measured by the percentage of adultcitizens who are illiterate, putting emphasis on education deprivation for females. Economic provision is measured by the percentage ofthe population without access to health services as well as safe water,and lastly, the percentage of childrenbelow 5-year old who are under-weight. (http://www.economicsconcepts.com/human_poverty_index_ (hpi).htm). With the foregoing, this study then, aims to provehow the Poverty Incidence determines thestudents’ academic performance in the four core areas of NAT using Discriminant Analysis. 2. Conceptual Framework This study lies on the premise that, given a multi-variate data of two or more groups corresponding to several variables, their differences can be determined simultaneously through Discriminant Analysis. Klecka, W. R., & Klecka, W. R. (1980). Such analysis further suggests that an observation can be classified logically into two or more classes/groups relating to the qualitative variables. In this study, the poverty incidence represents the group and the NAT achievement results of the four core subjects are the qualitative variables. Figure 1 below shows the schematic diagram of the study. Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of the Study 3. Methodology The study utilized the secondary data of the Average Poverty Incidence from 2009 – 2015 of sixteen regions in the Philippines with the corresponding NAT results in the four mentioned core subjects. With reference to the Paper ID: ART20198163 10.21275/ART20198163 1707