Education and Poverty in America - Research Paper Example

Education and Poverty in America Introduction It is no secret that by the time children enter school, those from deprived backgrounds are already at a disadvantage as compared to their counterparts from wealthier homes. Employees, teachers and other child-care providers from poorer areas also have lower qualifications than those from richer areas. In short, from the very onset of their education, children from poorer backgrounds attain lower quality education and this is nothing new neither is it a myth. Therefore, education and poverty are closely linked. However, the current education system seems to predetermine life prospects from birth. Something should be done! Background The link between poverty and education is inextricable where education is a medium that enables those people born into poverty to be able to rise and scale in society. To illustrate this, studies have shown that 46% of those Americans who were brought up in low income households but failed to earn college degrees did not make it past the low income quartile. This can be compared to 16% for those who managed to earn a college degree. (Arora, 2012) It is possible to see the link between poverty and education at all educational levels. Poorer Americans begin their pre-primary education at a disadvantaged state. For children whose parents earn under $15,000 annually, their pre-primary enrollment rates are about 20% lower than those whose parents earn over $50,000 a year. (Friedman, 2012) This has a much deeper impact since children who went to pre-school are 31% less likely to repeat a grade and also 32% less likely to even drop out of school. This pre-primary education is believed to reduce crime rates because studies show that children who attended pre-school are one-fifth less likely to become chronic criminal offenders. (Friedman, 2012) Even in cross-country exams, the educational disadvantage of poorer students is evident. In the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examination, higher-income schools have a higher score than the lower-income schools. It was also apparent that the PISA scores by students from America were much more influenced by the backgrounds of their parents than in any other country. Students from richer homes perform significantly better than those from deprived backgrounds due to the quality of education they receive. Students from deprived backgrounds have fewer facilities, less qualified teachers and above all receive the least care. These among other factors come into play when the scores of various students are evaluated. It therefore does not come as a surprise that disadvantaged students performed relatively worse, it is not that they are any less intelligent. Far from it, it is due to the quality of education, attention they receive from their parents and teachers and also their deprived backgrounds that are to blame for their performances. The disparities between the rich and the poor in education continue at the college level where issues of affordability have become much more severe in recent years. The tuition and fees for in-state public universities from 1993 to 2007 rose by 79%. The cost of attending a public college in 2008 stood at $14,000 annually. (Friedman, 2012) This high cost of higher education in America prevents close to half of high school graduates who qualified from attending college. The U.S census of 2011 revealed that the rate of poverty stands at 15.9%, the same as that of 2010. (Graham, 2012) This census report further points out the statistics of numbers for children, families with the lowest income levels and those that are unemployed. It is also saddening to note that one out of every five children in the country live in poverty. Poverty levels in the country are partially based on the demographic variables and also geographic differences. This is illustrated by the staggering numbers of Latino and African-American families who live in poverty in various states in the U.S. It is also quite appalling that there are huge minority achievement group gaps in education which is highlighted in inner-city schools where there are multiple cases of segregation. The Department of Education recently released interesting information that showed that 43% of Latino and 38% of students of African-American heritage attended schools which had less than 10% of all students being white. (Graham, 2012) High unemployment rate is the cause of the high poverty levels being experienced and this is as a result of inadequate education in most cases. A vicious cycle is ultimately formed; poverty makes it harder for one to get an education and the lack of education increases the likelihood of one being poor. Different levels of education have substantially different income levels, with high incomes being a prerogative of those who are better educated. (Ladd and Edward, 2011) It has also been noted that poverty reduces the outcomes of education and that lower education levels will lead to poverty later in life. The differences in intelligence between students from poor background and those from richer backgrounds have also been evidenced. It is not that poor children are less intelligent, it is the circumstances that they live in that affect their education. Solution First and foremost, investment in early childhood has its own immense benefits. Therefore, if people invest in education from their children’s early age up to college, then they stand a high chance of eradicating poverty. There is a wage advantage for college graduates over those who only have a high-school diploma and another wage advantage for those with high school diplomas over dropouts. (Bernstein, 2007) Ultimately, a better educated workforce generally enjoys higher earnings. However, education alone cannot successfully raise employment and earnings prospects. Education has to be coupled with job training for an effective strategy to be a success. This combination of education with job training and quality job searches ensures that the returns double and earnings are significantly more thus improving the welfare of individuals and consequently decreasing the rates of poverty. (Bernstein, 2007) Training has to be specific to both individuals and the market for labor so that when combined with education it is fruitful. The skill set that individuals acquire through education has to be complemented by effective training based on the demands of the market as well as the particulars and specifics of the person according to their willing or liking. It is also of great importance to note that even though education improves on the quality of workers, it has no much effect on the quantity of jobs. This is the danger of education; that skilled workers with the ability to offer quality work, have nowhere to go due to scarcity of adequate jobs. Therefore, the solution might be to revert to entrepreneurship. People who have attained quality education have the ability to start their own businesses based on their skill set. (Hillyer, 2012) This will create more jobs in the economy and individuals will be better placed to put their education into good use. Through this, the poverty levels will reduce and the over-reliance on finding jobs in the corporate world will also decline. Consequently, innovation and invention will boom in the country as people find ways of making a living through entrepreneurship. The states should provide assistance to alleviate the effects of living in poverty and deprivation. Families should also be challenged to look past the experiences they have garnered. It is also fundamental in the search for success for poorer students that they believe in themselves and know that they are capable of doing it. Therefore, it is the responsibility of teachers and parents to instill a very crucial message in young people: aspire to change. Conclusion The Federal government has to ensure that it creates opportunities for all its children. Therefore, given the proximity between poverty and education, it should be the focus of the government to ascertain that everyone has access to quality education regardless of the level. If these opportunities exist where children can access high quality schools, tutored by qualified teachers with appropriate facilities at their disposal, then the country will continue to prosper. Just because someone was not born with a silver spoon in their mouth does not mean that he/she shall not be a success; hence America cannot afford to disregard its young people. Equal opportunities should be made available so that children with the most talent and diligence are able to rise to the top rather than being judged on one’s socioeconomic background for the rest of your life. Works Cited Arora, L., (2012). Education and Poverty: Lessons For America From the UK Bernstein, J. (2007). Is Education the Cure for Poverty? The American Prospect Friedman, H. S. (2012). The Measure of a Nation: How to Regain Americas Competitive Edge and Boost Our Global Standing. Huffington Post Friedman, H. S. (2012). Americas Poverty-Education Link. Huffington Post Graham, K. (2012). Poverty, unemployment and education in America Hillyer, Q. (2012). In Midst of Poverty, an Educational Oasis. The American Spectator Ladd, F. and Edward B., (2011) Class Matters. Why Won’t We Admit It? National Center for Education Statistics. 11 Facts about Education and Poverty in America Wordpress, 2012. Statistics on Poverty and Education Read More