Implementing Educational Reforms that Benefit Children Living in Poverty

1. Implementing Educational Reforms that Benefit Children Living in Poverty Ashley R. Robbins Department of Teacher Education, Arkansas State University

2. 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

3. Introduction • All children should receive a fair, appropriate education • Regardless of background or needs • Recent educational policies • No Child Left Behind • Common Core State Standards Initiative • Are they effective? • Call for appropriate policies and curricula • Must meet the needs of diverse learners

4. Focus Presentation focus Educational policy and effects on children living in poverty

5. Effects of Poverty on Children 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

6. Effects of Poverty on Children • Sickness • Poor Nutrition • Food insecurity • “Will there be enough food?” • Impoverished children affected: • 50.5 percent of Hispanic children • 36.1 percent of Non-Hispanic white children • 34.8 percent of Non-Hispanic black children • Lead Poisoning

7. Effects of Poverty on Children • Increased exposure to second-hand smoke • Increased exposure to indoor allergens • Mice • Mold • Cockroaches • Dust mites • Mental and emotional trauma • Greater incidence of: • Behavioral problems • Learning disabilities

8. Effects of Poverty on Education: Literacy • Effects of poverty extend into education • Children living in poverty described as “linguistically disadvantaged” • Poverty and reading achievement correlated • Possibly due to lack of enriching experiences • Results in lack of cultural/social capital • Needed for higher test scores

9. Effects of Poverty on Education: Literacy • Low SES background and vocabulary development • Verbal interactions • May be few • Few age-appropriate books available • Poor vocabulary makes learning to read difficult • Serious consequences • Poor literacy skills • Makes breaking poverty cycle difficult • Causes difficulties in other subject areas

10. Poverty and Literacy Testing • “Other 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 scores • True for literacy scores as well • Disadvantaged Test-Takers • Tend to have less multicultural and academic exposure • Less at-home encouragement to pursue education • Decreased financial and academic support • Lack in preparatory early childhood educational experiences

11. Educational Policies No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) Created in response to continued problems in education NCLB did not solve problems States encouraged to create common standards Promote: Academic rigor College and career readiness Performance Standards Designed so that students expand on the standards over a period of time Generate deeper knowledge and understanding • Improve achievement of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools • Improve schools • Improve learning • Performance standards • Provide educators and students with description of: • Knowledge to be learned • Skills to be performed • Both specified for: • Grade level (3rd-8th) • Content area

12. Educational Policies, Continued No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) Curriculum Maps Include assessments Possibly authentic assessments Possibly better suited to diverse learners • Assessments • Aligned to the performance standards • Students’ scores designed to serve as measures of teacher and school accountability

13. Educational Policies, Continued • NCLB not successful in meeting needs of impoverished children • CCSSI has potential • Also potential problems • Merit pay • Competitive grants • Room for growth • Still need for policies reflective of impoverished children’s needs

14. Proposals for Beneficial Practices/Initiatives for Children Living in Poverty • Increased Funding for Expanding Preschool Availability • Specific Training for Pre-service Teachers • Assessments that Reflect the Educational Gains of Children Living in Poverty

15. Preschool • High quality preschool programs beneficial for children from low SES backgrounds • Contribute to improvements in math and literacy • Reactive v. proactive education • Most funding for education centers on K-12 education • Seven times more money per capita devoted to K-12 education than to preschool education • Funding for programs needed • Resulting gains • Educational • Social • Emotional • Fiscal

16. Training for Pre-Service Teachers • “Little, if any instruction is provided to pre-service teachers regarding working with low-income students” (Bennett, 2008). • Most pre-service teachers • White • Middle-class • Female • Little or no exposure to low SES background • Training should include: • Exposure • Discussion/de-briefing • Creating specific lessons and materials

17. Assessments • Should show gains made by all children • Addresses issue of social/cultural capital • Should reflect the diverse population • CCSSI authentic assessments • Teacher-created assessments • Designed for current students • Daily, weekly, and yearly assessments • Stronger focus on the daily and weekly assessments • Help detect incremental gains made • Inform teachers of areas of student strength and weakness • Strong writing component/presence

18. Conclusion • Poverty has pervasive effects on children • Including effects on education • Changes in educational policy must be made • Needs of diverse learners must be met • 3 Suggestions for Improvement • Increased Funding for Expanding Preschool Availability • Specific Training for Pre-service Teachers • Assessments that Reflect the Educational Gains of Children Living in Poverty

19. References • 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.

20. References • Duncan, 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.

21. References • Prince, 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 America’s 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

22. References • United 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 .