Academic performance differences between Spanish and indigenous speakers in Ecuador

ABSTRACT The Ecuadorian government has reported remarkable learning gains regarding the academic progress of students in the educational system. However, the academic gains for indigenous students have not been clearly demonstrated. This quantitative study aimed at understanding the progress of educational reforms in Ecuador for indigenous students. These students tend to learn an indigenous language first. We focus here on the 2015–2016 student public sample datasets produced by INEVAL for fourth graders in Basic General Education (Educación General Básica; EGB). The results of the analyses indicate that urban students who spoke Spanish first outperformed rural students who learned an indigenous language first. The findings of this study also point to the importance of integrating diverse students’ assets and prior experiences as part of the curriculum to support the academic success of diverse groups of students.