Poverty and Sudent School Performance

Does poverty play a role in poorly educated children?

There always seems to be a great deal of finger pointing when it comes to the issue of minority children in poverty areas, inner cities,etc. falling behind their more affluent peers  in school performance. Popular educators and authors like Jonathan Kozol and E.D. Hirsch have often made reference to this schism.

The scenarios usually include parents who don’t have the time or resources to buy books and computers for their children or to expose them to institutions like museums and concerts.

However, there are those who believe that all fingers should not be pointed at socio-economic issues. The quality of teaching taking place is also at issue. In some districts, the newest (least experienced) are assigned to the schools with the worst problems- poor attendance, violence, and low test scores. A number of teachers have given up on true teaching and have resorted to “baby sitting” rather than dealing with unruly and unmotivated students.

In many states, starting with this coming school year, teachers will be assessed on their the   performance of the students on the state assessment tests. Pay raises, tenure, and even the job itself will depend on how the student progress during the year.

Throwing money at the problem has not proven to make a difference. Neither has encouraging teachers to earn advanced degrees and certificates had an impact on student success.

There is no one solution to the problem of an under-educated population. As you begin to prepare for the next school year,  we urge you to make a concerted effort to make a difference in the lives of your students. Reach out to those who need extra help. On the political front, try to keep education on the front burner of the upcoming Presidential election campaign. We cannot afford our children to fall further behind, not even for one day more!