Poverty in Education 2
Probl
m
There are children in the United States of America living in poverty and are not
succeeding in the public school system. While poverty is in fact a world-wide issue, more
children are in fact living in poverty while currently attending American schools that are
unable to meet their needs. Poverty simply means “the state or condition of having little or no
money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor.” (dictionary.com, 2021) Living
in a impoverished home can often the catalyst for additional problems such as food
scarcity ,lack of clothing, domestic violence, homelessness, and lack of parental guidance.
Children that are troubled with extreme poverty are typically looked at as needing
extra resources and attention in the school districts. They are fore more likely to get failing
grades and possibly need to be held back a grade than children not living in poverty.
According to the National Center for Children in Poverty “Among all children under 18 years
in the US, 38 percent live in low-income families and 17 percent approximately one in five
are poor. “(NCCP, 2021) These impoverished children are sent to school hungry, not dressed
properly and not equipped to learn. The despair of their home lives destroys their motivation
to learn or to shine in school.
The public school system should be better equipped to meet these at-risk students needs
so they are able to flourish, rather than just exist. We as trusted educators, should be
concerned about this at-risk population. Azzi- Lessing and Schorr state “These early years are
when consistent nurturing and stable relationships are most crucial.” (Azzi-Lessing & Schorr,
2017) It is essential that all educators learn to identify these danger signs of childhood poverty
in their classrooms and intervene immediately to support their learning and growth.
Poverty in Education 3
Practices, Policies or Procedures that Led to the Problem
Children believe when they exit school, they need to make money, rather than prevailing
in a career. This perpetual cycle continues generational, and these children grow up and raise
children themselves in poverty either by working minimum wage jobs or working under the
table odd jobs. Lower educated parents, unemployment, abuse and or neglect, and homelessness
are all effects of poverty. Poverty sometimes can result in a job loss, single-parent households, or
medical, health issues result in loss of income or exuberant health care bills. “Median rent has
increased by more than 70% since 1995. Meanwhile, only one in four families who qualify for
housing assistance receive it, and in the nation’s biggest cities the waiting list for public housing
is not counted in years but decades.” (Desmond, 2016) Minimum wage varies from state to state,
the cost of living and necessities is on the rise and minimum wage cannot sustain these costs.
Children are unable to focus and be productive in school with the amount of problems they face.
Importance of the Problem
Academic and behavioral issues lead to failure to thrive while in school. According to
The Borgen Project, “Decades worth of research has shown that children from low-income
families are at a higher risk of entering school with poor language skills compared to more
privileged students. On average, they score two years behind on standardized language
development tests. “(Borgen, 2020) Children in poverty have difficulty completing homework
due to a lack of resources, unstructured home lives, missing school, and are not motivated to
learn. There can also be the inability to focus and concentrate, disrupting the class and being
unruly. This can also lead to strong social problems. Azzi-Lessing and Schorr go pen that “Today
there are nearly six million children under the age of five living in poverty in the world's richest
country. Blanket statements are often tossed around in the political arena, public debate sphere,
and progressive rhetoric.” (Azzi-Lessing & Schorr, 2017)
Poverty in Education 4
Steps Taken to Address the Problem
“As teachers and educators, we have an extraordinary opportunity to influence the course
of our students’ lives and futures.” (Budge & Parrett, 2018) There is an opportunity within public
schools to take the necessary steps to learn, understand, and build a safe learning environment
for our at-risk students. We must be advocates for all our students. “Great teachers have positive
effects on children long after they leave the classroom. A recent study found that a student’s
kindergarten teacher had long-lasting influence on important lifetime outcomes, like future
earnings.” (Greenstone, Looney & Shevlin, 2021)
Schools across the United States have already developed free resources to their at-risk
children to provide food, clothes, access through various resources such as pantries and
donations. Free and reduced meals, electronic devices such as laptops that can be used to do
school assignments and provide free tutoring. High schools offer open enrollment to a technical
or community colleges to provide students with easier paths to a stable career after graduation.
Community outreach programs are also instrumental in providing resources to low-income
parents.
These organizations also support families with children who have learning and developmental
disabilities as well.
Poverty in Education 5
Biblical Worldview
The bible promotes multiple lessons that the church promotes to care for the poor. The
bible teaches us to be giving and provide for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Jesus’
ministry calls for us to be selfless and to give to the poor. In the gospel, we know Jesus tells us
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say
to your neighbor, "Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you" when you already have it with
you. (Proverbs 3:27-28) As Christians, it is our moral and spiritual duty to do all we can to
provide for those who need a blessing.
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References
Azzi-Lessing, L. & Schorr, L.B. (2017). Behind from the Start: America’s War on the Poor Is
Harming Our Most Vulnerable Children. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.
The Borgen Project. (2020, July 10). How poverty affects children's language skills.
Retrieved from: https://borgenproject.org/poverty-affects-childrens-language-skills/.
Budge, K. & Parrett, W. (2018). Disrupting Poverty: Five Powerful Classroom Practices.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development
Desmond, M. (2016). Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City: New York, NY:
Penguin Random House LLC.
Dictionary.com, (2021) Retrieved from: https://www.dictionary.com
Greenstone, M., Looney, A., & Shevlin, P. (2021, June 23). Improving student outcomes:
Restoring america's education potential. The Hamilton Project.
https://www.hamiltonproject.org/papers/improving_student_outcomes_restoring_americas_
education_potential.
National Center for Children in Poverty (2021). Child Poverty. Retrieved from:
https://www.nccp.org/publication/basic-facts-about-low-income-children-children-
under-18-years-2019/
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