Effects of Divorce on Children's Education

Abstract

Children of divorced parents are also more likely to be held back a grade and have lower grade point averages (GPAs). High school students in intact families have GPAs 11 percent higher than those from divorced families, and children in intact married families have the highest combined English and math GPAs. One study (controlling for parental education, parental occupation, family size, etc.), found that children whose parents divorce get about seven-tenths of a year less education than children from intact families. Kindergarteners with divorced parents have an average math and reading score about three points lower than kindergarteners with no divorced parents.