Implementing Educational Reforms that Benefit Children Living in Poverty

Ashley R. Robbins Department of Teacher Education, Arkansas State University

Implementing Educational Reforms that Benefit Children Living in Poverty Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8-9

All children should receive a fair, appropriate education Regardless of background or needs Recent educational policiesNo Child Left Behind Common Core State Standards Initiative Are they effective?Call for appropriate policies and curriculaMust meet the needs of diverse learners

Introduction

Presentation focusEducational policy and effects on children living in povertyFocus

Poverty is defined as the state of living in a family with income below the federally defined poverty line (Prince, Pepper, & Bracato, 2006).

2010: Approximately 46.2 million Americans living in poverty

1.3 million American children living in poverty

Effects of Poverty on ChildrenSicknessPoor NutritionFood insecurityWill there be enough food?Impoverished children affected:50.5 percent of Hispanic children 36.1 percent of Non-Hispanic white children34.8 percent of Non-Hispanic black children Lead PoisoningEffects of Poverty on Children

Increased exposure to second-hand smokeIncreased exposure to indoor allergensMiceMoldCockroachesDust mites Mental and emotional traumaGreater incidence of:Behavioral problems Learning disabilities

Effects of Poverty on Children

Effects of poverty extend into educationChildren living in poverty described as linguistically disadvantagedPoverty and reading achievement correlatedPossibly due to lack of enriching experiencesResults in lack of cultural/social capitalNeeded for higher test scoresEffects of Poverty on Education: Literacy

Low SES background and vocabulary developmentVerbal interactionsMay be fewFew age-appropriate books availablePoor vocabulary makes learning to read difficultSerious consequencesPoor literacy skills Makes breaking poverty cycle difficultCauses difficulties in other subject areasEffects of Poverty on Education: LiteracyOther variables affect low SES students learning and education, including home life, which has not been taken into account on a high-stakes test. (Baker & Johnston, 2010)Positive correlation between poverty and high-stakes test scores Poverty typically equates with low scoresTrue for literacy scores as wellDisadvantaged Test-TakersTend to have less multicultural and academic exposure Less at-home encouragement to pursue educationDecreased financial and academic supportLack in preparatory early childhood educational experiences Poverty and Literacy TestingNo Child Left Behind (NCLB)Improve achievement of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools Improve schoolsImprove learningPerformance standardsProvide educators and students with description of: Knowledge to be learnedSkills to be performedBoth specified for:Grade level (3rd-8th)Content areaCommon Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI)Created in response to continued problems in educationNCLB did not solve problemsStates encouraged to create common standards Promote:Academic rigor College and career readinessPerformance StandardsDesigned so that students expand on the standards over a period of time Generate deeper knowledge and understanding Educational PoliciesNo Child Left Behind (NCLB)Assessments Aligned to the performance standardsStudents scores designed to serve as measures of teacher and school accountabilityCommon Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI)Curriculum MapsInclude assessmentsPossibly authentic assessmentsPossibly better suited to diverse learnersEducational Policies, ContinuedNCLB not successful in meeting needs of impoverished childrenCCSSI has potentialAlso potential problemsMerit payCompetitive grantsRoom for growthStill need for policies reflective of impoverished childrens needsEducational Policies, Continued

Increased Funding for Expanding Preschool AvailabilitySpecific Training for Pre-service Teachers Assessments that Reflect the Educational Gains of Children Living in Poverty

Proposals for Beneficial Practices/Initiatives for Children Living in Poverty

High quality preschool programs beneficial for children from low SES backgrounds Contribute to improvements in math and literacyReactive v. proactive educationMost funding for education centers on K-12 educationSeven times more money per capita devoted to K-12 education than to preschool education Funding for programs neededResulting gains EducationalSocialEmotionalFiscalPreschool

Little, if any instruction is provided to pre-service teachers regarding working with low-income students (Bennett, 2008). Most pre-service teachers WhiteMiddle-classFemaleLittle or no exposure to low SES backgroundTraining should include:ExposureDiscussion/de-briefingCreating specific lessons and materialsTraining for Pre-Service Teachers

Should show gains made by all childrenAddresses issue of social/cultural capitalShould reflect the diverse populationCCSSI authentic assessments Teacher-created assessmentsDesigned for current studentsDaily, weekly, and yearly assessments Stronger focus on the daily and weekly assessmentsHelp detect incremental gains made Inform teachers of areas of student strength and weaknessStrong writing component/presenceAssessments

Poverty has pervasive effects on childrenIncluding effects on educationChanges in educational policy must be madeNeeds of diverse learners must be met3 Suggestions for Improvement Increased Funding for Expanding Preschool AvailabilitySpecific Training for Pre-service Teachers Assessments that Reflect the Educational Gains of Children Living in Poverty

Conclusion

Baker, M., & Johnston, P. (2010). The impact of socioeconomic status on high stakes testing reexamined. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 37(3), 193-199. Bassok, D. (2010). Do black and Hispanic children benefit more from preschool? Understanding differences in preschool effects across racial groups. Child Development, 81(6), 1828-1845. Bennett, M. (2008). Understanding the students we teach: Poverty in the classroom. The Clearing House, 81(6), 251-256.Common Core Curriculum Maps. (2011). English language arts, second edition. Retrieved 10/31/11 from http://commoncore.org/maps/. Conley, D. (2011). Building on the common core. What Students Need to Learn, 68(6), 16-20. Cuthrell, K., Stapleton, J., & Ledford, C. (2010). Examining the culture of poverty: Promising practices. Preventing School Failure, 54(2), 105-110. ReferencesDuncan, G., Ludwig, J., & Magnuson, K. (2007). Reducing poverty through preschool interventions. Future of Children,17(2), 143-160. Forte, E. (2010). Examining the assumptions underlying the NCLB federal accountability policy on school improvement. Educational Psychologist, 45(2), 76-88. National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983). A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. Retrieved November 27, 2011 from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html. Overturf, B. (October-November 2011). Kentucky leads the US in implementing common core standards. Reading Today, 29, 24-25.

ReferencesPrince, D., Pepper, K., & Brocato, K. (2006). The importance of making the well-being of children in poverty a priority. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(1), 21-28. Seith, D. & Kalof, C. ( July 2011). Who are Americas poor children? Examining health disparities by race and ethnicity. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from http://www.nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_1032.pdf. Sinatra, R. (2008). Creating a culture of vocabulary acquisition for children living in poverty. Journal of Children and Poverty, 14(2), 173-192. Pictures taken from:http://youthservicesslc.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/the-rising-child-poverty-rate-and-what-you-can-do-to-fight-it/ http://chenl9re.blogspot.com/2011/02/poverty-reduction.html

ReferencesUnited States Census Bureau (2011). Income, poverty, and health insurance in the United States: 2010-highlights. Retrieved October 29, 2011 from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2010/highlights.html. United States Department of Health and Human Services (2011). Annual update of the HHS poverty guidelines. Retrieved October 29, 2011 from http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/11fedreg.shtml. Wamba, N. (2010). Poverty and literacy: An introduction. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 26(2), 109-114. White House (2011). Fact sheet: The race to the top. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-race-top . References