How does low socioeconomic status influence academic achievement?

Question

In relation to education and reading achievement

Answer 1

There several things involved with socioeconomics and academic achievement.

First, usually the best schools are in the best neighborhoods. People with money make sure their kids attend the best schools, some public and some private. It neighborhoods where homes are expensive, the monies raised from taxes go to the schools there and they are usually full of the best equipment, teachers ,etc.

Second, the schools in poor neighborhoods are usually run down, have over worked, under paid teachers (many just out of college). The learning environment is pretty poor.

Recently, on Oprah, they showed the very sad physical state of schools in poor neighborhoods vs in wealthier neighborhoods. The difference was unbelieveable.

Parents in more disadvantaged neighborhoods are scraping by, have little education themselves and some are on drugs/alcohol or single parent homes. This environment is not the best to succeed for their children. Reading needs to begin early, there are studies showing that children need to be introduced to reading BEFORE school, or they will lag behind the other children. Some poor children don't get introduced to reading until the first time they attend school and at home they rarely get read to by parents/caregivers.

Unfortunately, in this world, the wealthier you are the better chance you have of higher achievement. But, that does not mean a person of a poor background can't achieve, many have, it takes a great deal of determination though.

Answer 2

The biggest factor in the relation between low ses and academic achievement is family education. While there is a large difference in lower income school districts vs. high income districts; the bottom line ends with family education. For example, in a low ses family, the family may feel very strong about education and push it on the child. But how much can a family who may not have graduated high school, or have a college degree, help with the child's homework? Or if the family is working long hours the focus is not on the child. Most likely, if the family lives in a higher income area, someone in the family is educated/able to help w/hwk, active in school and/or can afford tutoring services for the child (nanny possible too).
No matter what the school situation is like, if education is not continued at home then the child will not advance academically.

Answer 3

My Sociology Professor would say yes... In his opinion there is no such thing as free will and our every choice, including which college we attend and whether or not we achieve academically, is predetermined by our status in society. Example the only reason I go to a small state school is because that's all I could afford to go to considering my socioeconomic status. I feel his viewpoint is complete bullshit. I went to the school I went to because it was my choice to go there, it was also my choice in high school to blow off my assignments and not pay attention in class which lowered my GPA and made it so I couldn't get into a better school. One of my high school classmates in the same socioeconomic bracket as me studied his *** off in High School, applied for scholarships, and asked for help with college entrance essays.... he ended up getting a full scholarship to Yale. Personal Responsibility and hard work are the keys to academic success, not socioeconomic status.

Answer 4

The higher the status...
* the more likely that the parents are pretty bright - which brings us to the nature vs. nurture debate with regard to herreditary iq
* the more likely that the parents will take an active interest in all sorts of stuff, including their kids´ education
* the more likely that the kids will be sent to an expensive, decent school
* the more likely that the kids will socialize with other upper class kids, for whom the first 3 bullets also apply, making for a more intellectually stimulating peer group.

Answer 5

Low socioeconomic status usually develops from lack of education, or lack of a desire to be educated, in the belief that that's not important.

And if you have parents that aren't educated and don't care about it, there's no influence on children to become educated, either.

Answer 6

It's an attitude and not a disability - trust me. If a student really wants to get out of low status - they'll work for it, and schools will help out with that.

But yes, statistically, low income areas have a lower literacy rate - but it's all mental just like everything else in this world.


If you want something THAT bad, work for it THAT hard and you'll get it.

Answer 7

Very little it is not economics it is attitude and desire.