What students want
Supporting 

In a recent study, low-income students described
what they believe [teachers] could do to promote
academic achievement in low-income students
(Joseph, Steen, Albert, Dely, Jacobs, Nagel, Irick,
2018). They cited three main ways to support them:
program helps young people to better understand
• Work to build meaningful relationships where
you show you care about them, don’t let bias
of poverty influence your relationship, and you
are visible and accessible.
• Support them as they strive for their goals.
This can be done by promoting their ability to
keep high hopes and their goals despite the
barriers they face, and connecting them with
resources.
programs which serve 62 schools and 502 students.
• Provide opportunities for them to engage in
discussions about personal concerns. Given
the personal stress that low-income students
often experience at home, providing students
with the opportunity to discuss personal
concerns may help them perform better
academically. Further, you should refer the
student and their families to resources when
appropriate, and when you can, teach them life
skills (e.g, help-seeking, stress management,
etc) to use in and outside of school.
TRIO Support Services in Maine
The following information is provided by the Maine
Low-Income
Educational Opportunity Association, and the Maine
Educational Opportunity Center: Students
• Talent Search programs serve young people in
grades six through twelve. In addition to counseling,
participants receive information about college
admissions requirements, scholarships and various
student financial aid programs. This early intervention
their educational opportunities and options. Maine
has two Talent Search programs, at the University of
Maine, and at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
• Upward Bound helps young people and adults
prepare for higher education. Participants receive
instruction in literature, composition, mathematics,
and science on college campuses after school, on
Saturdays and during the summer. Maine has 4 UB
These programs are located at Bowdoin College,
USM, UMF, UMPI.
• Upward Bound Math Science helps students from
A Guide for
low-income families, where neither parent graduated
from college, strengthen math and science skills. In
addition, students learn computer technology as well
Secondary
as English, foreign language and study skills. There
are currently 162 programs serving 10,034 students
in the United States. The University of Maine hosts
the sole Upward Bound Math Science program, Educators
serving 67 students.

Know the Facts:
• As defined by the Office of Postsecondary
Education, the term "low-income individual"
means an individual whose family's taxable income
for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent
of the poverty level amount.
“Students need to feel comfortable and safe enough to learn. Students will not be able to focus unless they feel
• In the average four-person household, the income
amount that defines low-income households is
$38,625 or less.
will lead to a more
• The state of Maine matches the national average of
poverty at 19%, as cited by the National Center for
Educational Statistics.
power to live up to the teacher’s expectations.” (Lynch, 2017). By creating an environment of trust and respect,
• “In 2016, the poverty rate was highest among Black
and American Indian/Alaska Native children (34
percent each), followed by Hispanic (28 percent)
and Pacific Islander children (23 percent).
Additionally, the rate for children of Two or more
races (19 percent) was higher than the rates for
White and Asian children (11 percent
each).” (NCES, 2018).
• Data from the Center for American Progress shows
that in 2017, 12.4% of Maine children are living in
poverty.
• Data from the Center for American Progress shows
that, in Maine, poverty rate was highest amongst
Native Americans (37.2%), followed by African
Americans, (36.2%) and Latinos (20.3%).
Strategies for Supporting Low-Income Students
• Ensure that your students physiological considerations are being met:

“According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, students need to have physiological needs met before they are able
to learn. If a child is hungry, he or she will focus on that fact and not on the schoolwork.” (Lynch, 2017). Given
that federal law allows schools to provide breakfast and lunch for students whose families meet federal poverty
guidelines, teachers can work to ensure that their students are well-feed, which will help them focus in school.
• Make sure that your students feel safe:

safe in both the home and the school.” When teachers become certified to teach, they become mandated
reporters of child abuse. Meaning, a teacher who suspects abuse in the home of a student is compelled by law
to report this information, using protocols established by the school and/or the district.” (Lynch, 2017). By
working to eliminate safety concerns of students, teachers can build further trust and comfort of students, which
• Strong teacher-student relationships:

A key to student academic success begins with comfort in the classroom, which starts with teacher-student
relationships. Building mutual trust and respect is foundational to strong teacher and student relationships,
because “Once students understand that their teacher trusts and respects them, they will do everything in their
teachers are able to set reasonable academic expectations that students will want to meet, which will lead to
stronger academic skills and a sense of social belonging for the low-income student.
• Promote TRIO Programs.

Given how prominent TRIO programs are in the State of Maine, students should be aware of what resources
they have available. Additionally, since Upward Bound students are four times as likely to graduate from college
than those students who do not participate in this program, as cited by the MEOC, providing students with
information of what resources they have at their fingertips shows them that you care about them, and that you
are invested in their success.
RES OU RCES
Center for American Progress (2019). Maine 2018 Poverty Report [Data file]. Retrieved from https://talkpoverty.org/state-year-report/maine-2018-
report/
Joseph, W., Sam, S., Albert, T., Dely, B., Jacobs, B., Nagel, C., & Irick, A. (2018). Academically Resilient, Low-Income Students’

Perspectives of how School Counselors Can Meet their Academic Needs. Professional School Counseling. Retrieved from 

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/ASCAU/ClosingAchievementGapSpecialist/Williams.pdf
Lynch, M. (2017). How to Help Low-Income Students Succeed. The Edvocate. 

Retrieved from https://www.theedadvocate.org/how-to-help-low-income-students-succeed/
Maine Educational Opportunity Association. (2018). [Maine State TRIO Program Contact Information]. 

Retrieved from http://www.meeoa.org/programs.php
Maine Education Opportunity Center (2018). About TRIO [Information page]. Retrieved from https://meoc.maine.edu/about-meoc/about-trio/
National Center for Education Statistics. (2018). Characteristics of Children’s Families [Data 

File]. Retrieved from (https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cce.asp
Office of Postsecondary Education. (2019). Federal TRIO Programs Current-Year Low-Income 

Levels [Data file]. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html