Fixing education, pt. 9: Poverty and education

Childhood poverty. The elephant in the schoolroom no one wants to admit is there. 17 percent of American children live below our very low poverty line. This number varies by state, from 8 percent in Utah to almost 28 percent in Mississippi. Only 3 percent of upper-income children drop out of school while 11.5 percent of lower-income students drop out. In adulthood, 25 percent of people without a high school diploma live in poverty, whereas only 4 percent of adults with a college degree live in poverty. Education matters. One of the best ways to avoid poverty in adulthood is obtaining a good education. From a comprehensive analysis of studies: Economic Security Programs Help Low Income Children Succeed Over Long Term. Many studies find. Arloc Sherman and Tazra Mitchell, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/17/2017: "Overall, the weight of the evidence indicates that economic security programs not only open doors of opportunity for participating low-income children but also lift their future health, productivity and ability to contribute to their communities and the economy in ways that benefit society as a whole." "The more programs raised parents' income, when children were aged 3-5 years, the more they tended to lift a child's later achievement in school." And another analysis of studies: Consequences of Child Poverty, National Library of Medicine: "Periodic increases in the generosity of the Earned Income Tax Credit Program have improved children's educational and health outcomes." "Welfare-to-work programs that increased family income also improved educational and behavioral outcomes for young children, but not for adolescents." "Children who were young when their families received housing benefits enabling them to move to low-poverty neighborhoods had improved educational attainment and better adult outcomes." "Many programs that alleviate poverty either directly, by providing income transfers, or indirectly, by providing food, housing or medical care, have been shown to improve child wellbeing."[1] "(Childhood poverty) costs the nation amount to 4.0 or 5.4 percent of GDP – roughly between $800 billion and $1.1 trillion annually in terms of the size of the U.S. economy in 20186 – it is likely that significant investment in reducing child poverty will be very cost-effective over time."[2] Will better teacher education, smaller classes, improved facilities and resources, joyful exploratory learning environments, free play, etc., help poor kids? Yes, certainly. But we won't get to true equity in educational opportunities unless we address childhood poverty. We simply cannot ignore it. I'm working on a book about public education reform and special education issues. If you are a parent, teacher or school professional, I'd like to tell your story. Everything will, of course, be confidential. You can reach Kathleen Cawley at 241kcawley@gmail.com. [1] Economic Security Programs Help Low Income Children Succeed Over Long Term. Many studies find. Arloc Sherman and Tazra Mitchell, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/17/2017.[2] Consequences of Child Poverty, National Library of Medicine.