Class: SED 322

Subject: Effects of Inequality and Poverty on Americas Youth

The bad thing about promoting college as the only way to achieve success is
that only 9% of low-income children will ever have a chance to go to one
o This may change due to recent bills passed which will give every
person with a HS diploma or GED to attend a community college for
2 years for free
o Still a really bad idea to say that it is the only way to be successful
There are plenty of people with degrees who are jobless or who
never really go anywhere
There are also people without any degrees who are
millionaires/billionaires
By 18, students have spent only 10% of their time in school and 90% out in
the world.
o Outside-of-school factors are three times more powerful in affecting
student achievement than are the inside-the-school factors (4)
o Even so, teachers are expected to be the main agents of change in the
students lives
The USA has the highest level of income equality than any other wealthy
nation in the world. (8)
o The worst part of it is that people can do back-breaking labor for 5
years and still earn less than Kim Kardashian makes in a week
o Even tests seem to be skewed in favor of students from middle and
high-income earning families
Grades and income almost go hand-in-hand
High income schools receive less money from districts than do
high poverty schools, so school funds and resources are likely
not the reason for the grade gap
Things affected by poverty:
o Child well-being
o School dropouts
o Mental health
o Social mobility
o Illegal drug use
o School achievement
o Infant and maternal
o Teenage birth rate
mortality
o Rates of imprisonment

 Social changes for improvement

o Raise poverty level for gaining social services
Currently, a family of 4 has to earn less than $22,050 to qualify
for social services even though 4 people trying to survive on
$23,000 a year is almost impossible
o Higher taxes (especially for rich people)
So that schools and other social programs can have the funds
they require to function properly
Wealthy corporations pay little/no taxes or, in some cases, even
get rebates from the government even though the corporations
are the ones who profit most from there being an educated work
force and paved roads to drive on
o Invest more in schools
Practices of several other countries have shown that investing in
education (especially in younger grades) improves the overall
wealth and well-being of the country
It also saves us more in the long run because less students
would need extra tutoring or remedial lessons