Bridging the Gap between Poverty and Affluence

Toby Doyle
Alexander Johnson
Stephanie Robinson
Jennielee Szolomayer
Seattle U. /Counseling 509

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Introduction
Poverty impacts the potential for academic and social success for students in America in a
multitude of ways. This has created a dichotomy between lower socio-economic statuses and
education and has allowed students growing up in higher socioeconomic statuses to reap the
opportunities and advantages that are far less attainable for students who grow up in poverty. In
choosing this topic, we believe we are helping to advocate for students who are not being
allocated the proper amenities and resources due to financial challenges and obstacles, which is
proving to be detrimental to large populations of students throughout our country. Although we
are not directly making an impact on this topic at this time, we feel that by doing this project we
are becoming more aware of the problem and in doing so, will be more educated and helpful
towards coming up with resolutions in the future.
Research has proven that poverty hurts children and affects their efficacy in academic
institutions (Krashen, 2011). There are many reasons for this. The three areas of focus that we
have chosen to highlight are socio-emotional, literacy, and attendance, in relationship to poverty.
These three areas of focus are directly related to one another in the fact that without the proper
social and emotional development throughout childhood, academics and literacy become more of
an obstacle for students. When students do not develop properly and learn to read and write at
the appropriate levels, the potential for dropping attendance is more prevalent. When students
begin missing classes, they begin to fall behind in their studies, making them less likely to be
successful and more prone to eventually receiving poor grades or even worse, dropping out of
school altogether. Because of this cycle of events, we thought that these would be important
areas to focus on to better understand the process of how and why poverty affects so many on

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their path towards success or failure, and what might be some possible solutions to help alleviate
the academic achievement discrepancies between the affluent and less fortunate students.
Socio-emotional
Emotional and socialization factors of the children from low-income families may lead to
an added disadvantage concerning their academic success. A child's positive attachment to
family and teachers is an important part of human development. If this development is not in
place, it has the potential to cause significant difficulties for the child. A child within the
academic setting such as the classroom is expected to adapt to classroom norms. It is an
expectation and hope that teachers will provide a nurturing and safe place for children to learn,
allowing children to form positive attachments to teachers and classmates, and be positively
reinforced for positive behavior. This is said to aid the child to read and develop progressively.
When a child does not develop positive associations with their teachers, classmates, and
family, a disconnection may occur. This can also often lead to connections with peers who go
against the norms of the school and society. Research has shown children learn patterns of
behavior from primary social units, (Henry, 2008, p.302). Research has found that students
were more likely to use drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol if they were disengaged from their family
and school. Unfortunately as children in low-income schools have access to fewer resources,
this has a profound effect on their development often times leading to negative outcomes. Poor
family attachment may lead to socially unskilled and antisocial youths (Henry, 2008, p.302). A
child who is socially without skill, as well as behaving in an antisocial manner, may become in
time engulfed in negative experiences, perpetuating the cycle of children living in poverty and
their difficulties with development (Henry, 2008, p.302). A child who has insufficient
attachment with their family may also have an inadequate connection to school. In essence,

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there is a strong emphasis on children having healthy relationships with family members,
teachers, and classmates, and there are possible grim outcomes for children with low
school/family attachment that often results in lower test scores and impaired skills in comparison
to the rest of the population.
How teachers interact with children also influences the social and emotional development
and well-being of children from low-income families. Unfortunately children from low-income
families with social, emotional and behavioral problems tend to underachieve and have
difficulties with transitioning to school in addition to having a maladaptive personal adjustment
(Baker, 2008, p3.). The student teacher relationship is also hindered by children's problematic
behavior to the point that a lack of warmth from teachers and lack of additional time given to
students may further slow the childs educational progress.
Problematic behavior is an epidemic. For generations it has been a problem for children
from low-income families. It has been found that the dynamic of peer groups within the
classroom are a factor in a child's school readiness (Shearer et al, 2012). The reinforcement of
positive classroom behavior also aids a childs school readiness.
An element of hope that exists is the various programs that have been in place to assist
youth that suffer from less opportunity due to poverty. Along with various antipoverty
campaigns and resources, researchers have studied the positive influences of supportive
community programs; Activities offer many benefits, including the opportunity for the youth to
develop a range of skills, while reducing the likelihood of delinquent behavior, (Epps, Huston &
Bobbitt, 2012, p.1). Children from low -income families, due to financial restraints, may
participate less in certain activities. Clubs sports and recreational activities that help children
become less likely to engage in delinquent behavior may be unattainable to children living in

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poverty due to the financial cost. However, research has shown that programs such as New
Hope, a structured activity program for low-income children, did improve children's selfsufficiency and confidence and could be a viable option towards helping with social and
emotional development of children living in poverty in the future (Epps, Huston, & Bobbitt,
2012).
Literacy
Children from low-income households are part of a population within our country that are
at risk for illiteracy; the national reading level for high school seniors has decreased from 80% in
1992, to 73% in 2005 (Rutenberg, 2009). Nationally, half of all incoming ninth graders in urban
areas where there are high poverty rates read three years below the grade level that they should
be reading at (2011, Alliance for Excellent Education). This is a reflection of the growing
concern that society should have for students that are growing up in demographics heavily
impacted by poverty and the effects that this poverty has on their academic potential and
achievement. At the national level, only 18% of eighth graders who are eligible for free or
reduced price lunches reached proficient levels in reading compared to 44% of their peers who
do not need the service (2011, Alliance for Excellent Education). These are just a few of the
many discrepancies between students who are suffering from poverty, and students that are not,
and how this affects their literacy. As a society, and especially as school counselors, this is
something we need to be vigilant about and continue to take actions towards to help reduce the
academic gaps between the poverty riddled students, and the rest of the school population
throughout our country.
With all this information available, it is important for school counselors to know what
they can do to help teachers achieve a higher literacy rate in the classroom. Many schools should

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have a reading specialist as a staff member but if they do not, the school counselor,
administrators, and teachers can work together to come up with solutions to help low income
students reach their potential (Heller, 2011). The team should keep in mind the family may not
be able to devote the time to read at home with their children. For instance, many low income
families are one parent families and they may not have the time to read to their children for the
hour a day that the schools suggest. Also the task team needs to keep in mind that a lot of low
income students are English language Learners (ELL) and their parents may not be able to help
with language acquisition or reading, and that parents of low income students may not be able to
read or write. These are just a few of the many barriers that school faculties and administrations
need to take into account when providing resolutions and plans for how to increase the literacy
rates in schools throughout areas of high poverty.
Once the task force considers what their students family barriers are they can then start
to determine needs assessments, programs, and programs evaluations for their school. The needs
assessment should determine which students need help with reading, and a way to evaluate those
students progress (Heller, 2011). The needs assessment should be given to every student at the
beginning of the year to determine their reading needs and then tested each quarter/ semester to
ensure students are improving their reading ability (Heller,2011). This type of proactive care for
the students can help to ensure that the students, who need the help, are the ones that are
receiving the interventions and are improving at a sufficient rate.
Drop-out Risk
Research data regarding school drop-out rates and college attendance tells us a
disheartening story about students living in poverty. Nearly 7,000 students drop out of school

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per day, and a large portion of those students are either illiterate or having difficulties reading
and writing (2011 Alliance for Excellent Education). Children from low-income families,
overall, do not do as well in school as children from middle or high income families. They are
about twice as likely to have to repeat a grade level, and they are more likely to eventually drop
out of school (Orthner, Cook, Rose, & Randolph, 2002; Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2004).
Children on free and reduced lunch have lower proficiency scores on high-stakes tests (Orthner
et al., 2002). Though children in families receiving welfare manage better than students from
poor families without aid, there is still a significant gap between these children and their more
affluent peers (Orthner et al., 2002). Poor and minority students comprise a significantly large
percentage of the 1.2 million students who drop out (2011, Alliance for Excellent Education).
Another disheartening statistic is the graduation rate for minorities such as Hispanics, African
Americans, and Native Americans, which are all around 55% compared to a 75% graduation rate
for Caucasian and Asian students (2011, Alliance for Excellent Education). This is not a
necessarily a direct cause of poverty, as there are undoubtedly other variables involved, however
these minority groups in particular represent a large proportion of areas that are riddled with
poverty showing a strong correlation between poverty and academic achievement. Because of
many obstacles and challenges, children growing up in poverty are less likely to eventually go to
college, and, if they do, they are more likely to leave before completing a degree (Diemer &
Cheng-Hsien, 2012). With over 20% of American children living in poverty today (United States
Census Bureau, 2010), it is clear that educators are urgently seeking a new ending to this tale.
Fortunately, research has identified some strategies that appear to change this bleak
trajectory for low-income students. Early intervention, involvement in extra-curricular activities
and after-school programs, and parent involvement have all been shown to increase academic

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performance and decrease drop-out rates for students in poverty (Orthner et al., 2002). Early
intervention may take the form of participation in a preschool program. When low-income
students participate in preschool for 2 years, their academic performance in elementary school
improves, and they become less likely to drop out of school in the future (Duncan, Ludwig,
&Magnuson, 2007). Furthermore, greater academic success in elementary school predicts future
success and likelihood of finishing school (Orthner et al., 2002).
While involvement in extra-curricular activities and parents involvement in their
child/rens school life both offer similar benefits, poor students may face unique challenges in
accessing these resources. Extra-curricular activities like playing a musical instrument or joining
a sports team are often expensive, and after-school clubs may require the student to arrange
transportation, maintain a specific GPA, or pay a participation fee. Though low-income students
are just as interested in pursuing these activities as their peers, they may not be able to meet such
requirements (Flores-Gonzlez, 2000). Parents of students in poverty may not be active in their
childrens academics for a number of reasons, including working multiple jobs, being unable to
take time off for conferences, feeling disempowered to advocate for their student to school
administration, and lacking knowledge of how to prepare children for further education (Henry,
Cavanagh, & Oetting, 2011).
School counselors and other educators can use this knowledge to make positive
differences in the lives of low-income students. If they are informed about the benefits of
participating in an extra-curricular, and aware of the obstacles poor students face, they can look
for ways to improve access. Specifically, schools can offer homework groups that are free of
charge, open the gym for students to use after school, arrange bus transportation home from
activities, and offer scholarships, apply for grants, or arrange fundraising to purchase equipment

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for sports, uniforms, or musical instruments. Counselors can advocate for these resources on
students behalf, and may work with community members to provide some of these services.
Additionally, there are clear implications for counselors regarding parental involvement. First,
counselors should be aware of the reasons parents may be unable to become more involved, and
educate their fellow educators about them. The school climate should ideally be welcoming
toward families in poverty, and not engage in shaming parents for failing to assist their children
more frequently (Henry, Cavanagh, & Oetting, 2011). To facilitate parental involvement, schools
might offer conferences at flexible times and provide meals at the school during evening
activities. Counselors can arrange college information nights for parents, including information
about applying for financial aid, with concurrent activities for younger students so that child care
is not a barrier.
Counselors can also provide indirect aid to students living in poverty. Though they may
not become personally involved in preschool programs, they can advocate for their
implementation and improvement within the school district, and work with community members
to make sure families know what options are available to them. Within their own schools, they
can closely monitor achievement data to ensure that the needs of low-income students are being
met. For example, a school in Texas that implemented a high-stakes accountability program
appeared to be improving students test scores and narrowing achievement gaps across diverse
ethnicities. However, closer examination and disaggregation of the data revealed that the high
stakes climate had actually increased the drop-out rate among poor and minority students
(McNeil, Coppola, Radigan, & Heilig, 2008). School counselors should be aware of the pressure
to document improvement and be vigilant about monitoring their own school climate, so that

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systems designed to improve schools do not end up hurting the very students who most need
assistance.
Conclusion
There is still much work to be done to ensure all students have the opportunities and
proper resources to succeed. With awareness of problems come solutions. Our job as future
school counselors is to continue to advocate for the less fortunate and to strive to provide a
school environment that is applicable and resilient to the needs of all students. We feel that by
focusing on the three areas we discussed throughout the paper, we are becoming vigilant towards
the problems that are occurring amongst our school campuses all across the country. In
understanding these issues better, hopefully we can help to make a difference in the future to
help decrease the academic gap between the poor and the affluent students providing a chance
for academic success for everyone, and instilling hope and confidence in children that are in dire
need of both.

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