schools in low-income neighborhoods
One of the most significant factors that affect a school setting is the neighborhood. Research shows that low-income communities are a significant source of challenges for schools in the region. The interactions between a particular environment and student’s characteristics may result in specific adverse outcomes. Thus, children in such schools end up suffering due to the reduced quality of education alongside other factors. Due to the arising issues, it follows that the school and neighborhood setting affects the upbringing of kids as well as their future opportunities.
On the other hand, schools from wealthy neighborhoods are more effective in terms of learning experiences. As a result, kids from such affluent neighborhoods have better educational upbringing, which enhances their prospects. Therefore, it follows that academic challenges are regularly deep-seated in schools in low-income neighborhoods than wealthy localities. For this reason, there is a huge gap between children from schools in low income and prosperous regions. Issues such as neighborhood distractions, lack of academic resources, and little parental involvement affect schools in high poverty neighborhoods, which in turn influence the students’ academic achievement and future prospects.
Issues schools in low-income neighborhoods face
Neighborhood distractions
Neighborhoods offer students a certain level of support, which can boost of negatively affect the learning experience. For instance, the fear of violence, physical isolation, and the quality of social services may limit kids from attending schools. The unstable environment makes students feel unsafe in school; thus, the best option is staying at home.
For this reason, teachers should strive to make schools safe for kids who come from such areas (Mitchell, Kensler & Tschannen-Moran, 2018). The move will minimize the impact of the concrete poverty indicators that gives rise to the embedded culture of fear, distrust, and disconnection. According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (n.d.), neighborhoods with high poverty levels make it extremely difficult for children to succeed in school. Primarily, high poverty levels make such kids decide to miss school in such of jobs or food. As a result, their performance declines due to issues such as being exposed to violence, which affects their attendance (U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, n.d.).
Conversely, people living in high-income neighborhoods have a high quality of life with fewer problems associated with the community. The safe environment, comfort, and well-being in their areas improve their learning experience in school (Mitchell et al., 2018). For this reason, kids in schools in wealthy localities are less distracted in school, which improves their academic performance.
Lack of necessary academic resources
Schools require educational resources to boost learning in the classroom setting. Schools with adequate academic resources have a high chance of performing better than schools that lack such assets. According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (n.d.), schools in low-income localities have a high chance of not having the essential support structures students need. For instance, guidance counselors are often not available in such schools. Schools in wealthy neighborhoods, however, are well equipped with the necessary resources students require to learn. The wealth in a community determines how much money local schools receive in terms of funding (U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, n.d.). According to Watson (2016), schools in wealthy districts receive more funding compared to those in poor communities. The funding disparities arise because the funding relies on income and property taxes; hence, the more affluent neighborhoods end up collecting more funds.
Additionally, schools in more affluent localities have more supportive parental funding organizations that raise money the school needs through fundraising events in school. Unfortunately, schools in low-income neighborhoods struggle to obtain such parental funding support following parents’ nature of jobs, hardships, and other barriers (Kelly, 2016). As a result, schools in low-income localities receive inadequate academic resources, substandard education facilities, and the least-qualified instructors (Watson, 2016). It, therefore, follows that lack of essential academic resources in high poverty schools is a huge challenge that affects learning.
Access to less experienced teachers
Experienced teachers play a significant role in ensuring they perform their duties effectively. According to Kelly (2016), teachers should be sympathetic to the needs of their students to provide meaningful learning experiences. Unfortunately, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development explains that schools in high poverty neighborhoods struggle to attract high quality and experienced instructors. Additionally, they have a hard time retaining qualified teachers due to the high turnover, students’ indiscipline, attention problems, and school culture. Managing such classrooms in low-income localities becomes very difficult, which is why most experienced teachers prefer shifting to other schools (U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, n.d.).
On the other hand, Bakeman (2014) explains that teachers with high ratings prefer working in wealthy school districts. They prefer teaching children from affluent neighborhoods since they are less distracted and have higher attendance, unlike in low-income localities. As a result, the quality of education in schools located in low-income neighborhoods continues to decrease.
Low parent involvement
Parental involvement in their kids’ school affairs plays a significant role in their academic performance. Parental involvement is often in terms of attending general and academic meetings, conferences, school events, and volunteering in the school committee, among others (Coleman, 2018). It builds trust between parents, learners, and educators enhance students’ development, commitment, and achievements (U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, n.d.). Sadly, parents’ involvement in schools located in low-income localities is little compared to wealthy neighborhoods. According to Child Trends (2013), educated parents and high income earning have a high chance of getting involved in their kids’ schools. For instance, 87% of degree-holding parents attended their children’s school events equated to 57% of the parents whose education level is lower than the high school level (Child Trends, 2013). Low income earning parents have inflexible work schedules, transport challenges, and issues of the language barrier, which make it hard for them to take part in the kids’ school functions (Child Trends, 2013). For this reason, parents of children from low-income neighborhoods have low rates of involvement in school events and activities compared to those from wealthy households. Therefore, parental involvement is one of the most significant factors that result in students’ academic success.
Effects of a neighborhood on academic success
It is essential to note that the type of region a child is brought up profoundly influences their upbringing, growth and development, academics, and future opportunities. Children living in low-income households experience a range of risks that affect their ability to succeed in school. According to Kelly (2016), children residing in such localities experienced decreased academic achievement. These students have access to unstable learning environments, inexperienced teachers, and limited educational resources, which affect their performance in the classroom setting (Child Trends, 2013). Education allows students to build their future and accomplish their dreams. Unfortunately, the challenges and issues arising in schools located in high poverty neighborhoods make this goal unachievable. According to Ratcliffe (2015), poverty in childhood has a high chance of affecting an individual in adulthood. The main reason being students who persistently live in low-income neighborhoods are less likely to complete school and secure jobs. As a result, they end up lagging in terms of educational attainment, which affects their future career prospects (Ratcliffe, 2015). In the long run, they end up in poverty, just like their parents.
Consequently, kids with better educational upbringing are more likely to receive a high-quality education, finish school, and achieve their future goals. Additionally, their parents are more involved in their school activities, which boost their academic success and proficiency (Kelly, 2016). Thus, the neighborhood within which a child is brought up significantly influences their academic achievements and prospects.
It follows that schools in low-income neighborhoods face numerous challenges during operation. These include low parental involvement, lack of adequate resources, having less experienced as well as increased neighborhood distractions. For these reasons, students residing in these households show poor school achievements, which affect their future lives. On the other hand, children from wealthy neighborhoods enjoy a high-quality learning experience that enhances their performance in school. Their parents also play a significant role in supporting them to build their foundation and achieve future success. Therefore, there are substantial impacts of growing up in high poverty neighborhoods.