What Is Poverty In America Essay

Poverty in America exits and unfortunately, poverty affects many students in our educational systems. Some facts about poverty and education are as follows the 2011 census revealed that a family of four with two children under the age of 18 earns $23,021 in many cases. In 2011, nearly 46.2 million Americans were living in poverty. Students who live in poverty have many difficulties with punctuality absenteeism or they leave school completely because they are responsible for working or caring for family members. Students who come from low-income families are more likely to drop out of school between the ages of 16-24 years old than students from higher income families (11 Facts About Education and Poverty in America). 31%

By the end of 4th grade, African American and Hispanic children and low income students are two years behind grade level (11 Facts About Education and Poverty in America). By the time that they are in grade 12, they are four years behind. This number should be looked at closer because it could be interpreted to mean that African American and Hispanic students receive an inferior education and that education is based on socioeconomic status (11 Facts About Education and Poverty in America). Research shows that children from poor families do worse in school than children from families that are not poor. Poor children are twice as likely to have repeated a grade, been expelled or suspended from school than children who are not poor (Poverty and Education- Overview, Children and Adolescents Overview, 2013). Poor students are 1.4 times more likely to be classified as learning disabled than the student who is not poor (Poverty and Education- Overview, Children and Adolescents Overview, 2013). It is important to attend school on a regular basis in order to perform well