What can be done within the SCHOOLS?

More counselors within school systems:

  • Students who are in lower socio economic areas go through more trauma than their suburban counterparts. This trauma includes:
    • Unstable housing
    • Interactions with child protective services
    • Family separations
    • Neglect/ Abuse
  • If there is no outlet for students to deal with these problems, how can they be expected to focus on their education? Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs demonstrates 4 tiers students must meet first before they can focus on their learning (Mcleod, 2018). Experiencing traumatic events can have an impact both immediately and overtime ("How Trauma", 2019). This is especially important to address with children because their brains are still developing. If they do not receive proper care this can have a life long impact on their ability to learn.

This video illustrates how students from low socioeconomic houses are falling behind their more affluent peers. It does a great job of explaining that the schools themselves are not creating this achievement gap, but how external factors in their home life contribute to this gap.