Poverty: Its Impact on Kids & Schools
March, 2018
Some statistics about poverty…
20% of children in the United States are living in poverty.
Kids in the United States experience higher poverty rates than most developed nations.
Only Greece, Mexico, Israel and Turkey have higher child poverty rates than the United States.
One out of 50 (1.5 million) children will be homeless in the United States each year.
250 out of 5186 students were reported homeless in Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools in 2015-16.
The percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch in Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools has changed.
What wages are needed to pay for basic needs in South Wood County?
ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained,
Employed
What wages are needed to pay for basic needs in South Wood County?
(This includes rent, utilities, food, health care, child care, transportation, and personal care items.)
How many households are struggling?
What biases do we hold about people living in poverty? From this ALICE exercise, what is wrong with our biases?
How does poverty impact student behaviors and academic performance?
Emotional & Social Challenges:
●To grow up emotionally healthy kids need: Reliable caregiver, harmonious & reciprocal interaction, enrichment
●“Crisis of Poverty:” Long work hours, overwhelmed with meeting basic needs, depression & powerlessness
Emotional & Social Challenges:
●Kids do not know appropriate emotional responses
●Lack emotions of forgiveness, empathy, optimism, shame, gratitude
●Display anger, impulsivity, sadness, fear
How does poverty impact student behaviors and academic performance?
Acute & Chronic Stressors:
●Highly frequent & stressful life events
such as evictions, utility disconnections,
hunger, overcrowding, harsher
discipline, drugs
●State of chronic stress: fight/flight mode
Effects on School Behavior & Performance:
●Increased absenteeism
●Inability to concentrate
●Inability to remember, create
●Reduced motivation
●Increased anxiety & depression
●Learned helplessness
How does poverty impact student behaviors and academic performance?
Cognitive Lags:
●Less Cognitive Stimulation
●Language Acquisition (casual versus formal register)
●Words Heard per Hour
○Low SES: 616
○Middle SES: 1251
Effects:
●Poor School Performance (Achievement Gap)
Achievement Gap
(Forward Exam: 2016-17)
How does poverty impact student behaviors and academic performance?
Health & Safety Risks:
●Heavier Traffic Areas
●Exposure to radon and carbon monoxide
●Inadequately maintained housing
●Exposure to alcohol & drug abuse
●High rates of asthma & other health conditions
●Less access to healthcare
●ACEs
●Housing
Evicted, by Matthew Desmond (Milwaukee)
○Large percentage of income goes to housing
○16,000 people are evicted annually
○Landlord code violations
What strategies can we use to help kids from poverty be successful?
Disrupting Poverty:
How many children in Wisconsin are living in poverty?
A.1 out of 10
B.1 out of 7
C.1 out of 4
D.1 out of 2
Between the year 2000 and 2017, the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch in Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools:
A.Increased by 10 percent
B.Increased by 25 percent
C.Increased by 50 percent
D.Increased by 75 percent
How many children are homeless in the United States?
A.1 out of 200
B.1 out of 100
C.1 out of 50
D.1 out of 25
How many children were reported homeless in Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools in 2015-16?
A.10 out of 5186
B.50 out of 5186
C.100 out of 5186
D.250 out of 5186
What hourly wage is required to afford basic necessities for a family of two adults, one infant and one preschooler in Wood County?
A.$11.00
B.$16.00
C.$21.00
D.$26.00
Basic necessities include housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, taxes, and a budget of $407 for miscellaneous items.
What percentage of households in Wood County are considered “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employee (A.L.I.C.E.)”?
A.9%
B.16%
C.21%
D.29%
Children from poverty experience greater levels of acute and chronic stress in their lives, often referred to as “trauma” or “Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).” This impacts school behavior and performance because of:
A.Increased absenteeism
B.Poor concentration
C.Increased anxiety and depression
D.All of the above
Children from poverty experience more health and safety issues in their home and neighborhood. This includes:
A.Insufficient prenatal care and lower birth weight
B.Poor nutrition
C.Higher rates of tooth decay
D.All of the above
Children from poverty often have more significant cognitive lags than their peers. This is because of:
A.Less exposure to vocabulary and books
B.Less cognitive stimulation and opportunity
C.Greater stress
D.All of the above
Children from poverty often face eviction. Eviction results in:
A.Increased absenteeism
B.Decreased value placed on material possessions
C.Decreased value on school and learning
D.All of the above
If you work hard, you will move up the economic ladder in the American labor market.
A.True
B.False