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Linked is a map/study done by the Southern Education Foundation measuring how many American public school students live in low-income households. For the first time, it's over half nationwide, at 51%. The worst states are in the South and West, with Mississippi having the highest rate of children who come from low-income families, at 71%. The Northeast and parts of the Upper Midwest fared best, with New Hampshire having the lowest rate, at 27%.
From the article:
Quote:
"For the first time, more than half of U.S. public school students live in low-income households, according to a new analysis from the Southern Education Foundation.
Overall, 51 percent of U.S. schoolchildren came from low-income households in 2013, according to the foundation, which analyzed data from National Center for Education Statistics on students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Eligibility for free or subsidized lunch for students from low-income households serves as a proxy for gauging poverty, says the foundation, which advocates education equity for students in the South.
Are you surprised by the results?
The article makes this point, which I think is a great one:
Quote:
No longer can we consider the problems and needs of low income students simply a matter of fairness," the report says. "... Their success or failure in the public schools will determine the entire body of human capital and educational potential that the nation will possess in the future.
There are too many red states on that map. I'm not an education (or economics) expert but I found this both interesting and a bit alarming. The overall 51% nationwide isn't TOO bad, though it's at its worst yet, it's some individual state levels that I find alarming.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 01-19-2015 at 09:15 AM..
Reason: Please quote no more than 3 sentences from a copyrighed article
More Than Half Of American Schoolchildren Now Live In Poverty
There are too many red states on that map. I'm not an education (or economics) expert but I found this both interesting and a bit alarming. The overall 51% nationwide isn't TOO bad, though it's at its worst yet, it's some individual state levels that I find alarming.
Sorry, but the 51% national rate is actually abysmal, considering that the overall US poverty rate is about 15%. This is extremely alarming, considering that children who are raised in poverty are much less likely to graduate, obtain good careers, and generally lead more financially-stable lives.
No state should be celebrating, but if I was a public administrator in the South or Southwest, I would be seriously concerned. Generally, though, if this is not reversed substantially, I honestly do not see a particularly bright future for the well-being of this country.
Sorry, but the 51% national rate is actually abysmal, considering that the overall US poverty rate is about 15%. This is extremely alarming, considering that children who are raised in poverty are much less likely to graduate, obtain good careers, and generally lead more financially-stable lives.
No state should be celebrating, but if I was a public administrator in the South or Southwest, I would be seriously concerned. Generally, though, if this is not reversed substantially, I honestly do not see a particularly bright future for the well-being of this country.
^This and these are the states that many people are moving to. So, I agree that there should be some emphasis on attacking this issue in particular locations.
Sorry, but the 51% national rate is actually abysmal, considering that the overall US poverty rate is about 15%. This is extremely alarming, considering that children who are raised in poverty are much less likely to graduate, obtain good careers, and generally lead more financially-stable lives.
No state should be celebrating, but if I was a public administrator in the South or Southwest, I would be seriously concerned. Generally, though, if this is not reversed substantially, I honestly do not see a particularly bright future for the well-being of this country.
51% is bad, but like I said, some state levels are even more alarming (*cough* Mississippi). IMHO, people who cannot afford to have kids should not have kids but of course that's not something you can really control without averting to illegal and cruel means.
Yeah, even the lowest state, NH, is still over 1 in 4. These high rates stress taxpayers, whose money goes toward free school meals for poor students. The welfare system stresses taxpayers. Again - it all goes back to if you can't afford it, don't have a kid. Harsh but true.
The future does not look too bright, does it? I was very concerned when I saw this article. The discrepancies between some states is mind blowing. The whole South is red... not good at all.
I'd be curious about southern states and how much of this statistic is influenced by private schools, charter academy and home schools. Since this is how the south circumvented desegregation, I'm sure it influence these numbers to at least some degree.
I'd be curious about southern states and how much of this statistic is influenced by private schools, charter academy and home schools. Since this is how the south circumvented desegregation, I'm sure it influence these numbers to at least some degree.
I don't understand what you mean. Does the South have a high private school attendance rate? Are you saying that most kids who can afford it go to private school while kids who cannot go to public school, which drives up the poverty rate at a disproportional, unfair level? I'm genuinely asking, as I don't know much about private school prevalence anywhere other than NJ.
Here, it is pretty prevalent. We have both an all girls' Catholic high school and an all boys Catholic high school in my county that many kids from my town/area attend. We also have some co-ed Catholic schools and prep schools. In NJ, though, public schools are generally excellent (in the areas where people can afford private school especially), so it's common for wealthier people to send their kids to public school anyway. Perhaps it's different in the South?
I don't understand what you mean. Does the South have a high private school attendance rate? Are you saying that most kids who can afford it go to private school while kids who cannot go to public school, which drives up the poverty rate at a disproportional, unfair level? I'm genuinely asking, as I don't know much about private school prevalence anywhere other than NJ.
Here, it is pretty prevalent. We have both an all girls' Catholic high school and an all boys Catholic high school in my county that many kids from my town/area attend. We also have some co-ed Catholic schools and prep schools. In NJ, though, public schools are generally excellent (in the areas where people can afford private school especially), so it's common for wealthier people to send their kids to public school anyway. Perhaps it's different in the South?
Where I live about half of the white kids go to private school, while nearly all of the black kids go to public school.
Ah yes, it's beat on the south time again. it must be conservatives. It must be racism. Yea, that's it, it's the racist conservatives. Of course good old California is right in there as well. I don't think it follows the stereotypical southern belief system does it?
Any look at the deeper demographics of the problem? Until we can move the discussion past racism and liberal vs conservative anger, we cannot really look at the deeper issues that create this problem. Ya know what folks, racism isn't the problem. Teachers aren't the problem. More money for schools isn't the problem.
Absent fathers. Unwed mothers turning out children they can't raise. People who'd rather buy product made by basically slave labor overseas instead of paying for American made products. Parents who really don't give a rat's butt about education. Those are problems.
A hundred years ago, parents pushed for their children to get an education and no one blamed everything on poverty since so many lived in it. Rather they worked to learn and get out of it. Heck, I grew up in small town south where by today's standards, probably 90% of the town lived in "poverty" working in the mill for min wage (which contrary to today's argument, was for a lot more than kids flipping burgers) but our parents made dang sure we went to school, obeyed the teachers, and did our homework.
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