Our schools and communities are filled with students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.  Research continues to show that low SES (socioeconomic status) contributes to lower levels of education, increased risks of poverty, and sub-optimal health and wellbeing. 

 

In our classrooms, whether visible or not, the inequities exist in terms of wealth, resources, and quality of life for many students.

 

For Example:

 

• Research indicates that children from low-SES households and communities develop academic skills more slowly compared to children from higher SES groups (Morgan, Farkas, Hillemeier, & Maczuga, 2009).

• Initial academic skills are correlated with the home environment, where low literacy environments and chronic stress negatively affect a child’s preacademic skills. The school systems in low-SES communities are often underresourced, negatively affecting students’ academic progress (Aikens & Barbarin, 2008).

• Inadequate education and increased dropout rates affect children’s academic achievement, perpetuating the low-SES status of the community.

 

(Retrieved from 

http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-education.aspx)

 

Please continue by working through the following important topics in the subpages of this tab:

 

The Neuroscience

The Culture of Poverty

The Digital Divide