There is a new majority in American Society and I’m willing to bet it is not what you think. It has nothing to do with race, color or religion.
But, wait? How can we talk about majorities and minorities if we don’t have the label of race to distinguish them?
SIMPLE!
Because we are talking about Low Income Students in our Nation’s Public Schools
Students from low income households makeup 51% of public school children in America.
This new majority become official in 2013, according to data collected from the states by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
The trend has remained in full force.
Of the 50 U.S. States:
- 40 of them have atleast 40% of their student body comprised of low income students.
In U.S. 21 states:
- Students who qualify for free or reduced price lunches are the MAJORITY
Please digest (no pun intended) that last little factoid.
The appropriate quote here is – “Houston….We have a problem!”
Speaking of Houston...take a look at Texas in the infographic - 60% of their students are low income. Looks as if the south on a whole is in worse shape than the rest of the Country.
Mississippi leads the way with 71% of their school's students being from low income households.
This is an Issue
- Basically half of our nations children are growing up in Poverty
As someone who was a child of poverty and wondered on some days if their would be lunch I just can't believe that MORE children are dealing with this in today's day and age.
Granted, not everyone can "have it good" growing up. But half of the nations children having to even remotely worry if they are going to eat or how they will get to school, not to mention if they will get a good education is mind boggling.
I suppose this is why America's rankings in education have continually declined.
- As of 2015 the global rank of the U.S. education is 14th.
America - we can do better.
Regards,
Mitchell J
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I'd be interested in seeing some other statistics such as population density, median income, and cost of living.
One of the first things I notice is that some of the less densely populated states have a lower percentage. Were they less densely populated and less rural with easier access to social services I think the numbers would be fairly even.
I was on free or reduced meals until after I entered high school as well. I won't disagree that income plays a part but I don't think that it is a major factor in the overall decline where I'm living.
My son went to the same school's I did. I cannot believe the difference in curriculum. It will be even more interesting when my granddaughter starts at the same school. As a matter of fact, my father, aunts, uncles, & cousins went to the same schools.
They start using calculators in elementary school as soon as they learn to count and recognize numbers. As soon as a student can read "well enough" they start learning to take and pass the state tests. There's less actual time spent learning and exploring subjects as opposed to learning by rote.
I'm not saying poverty isn't a problem, but there are other issues that have hampered education. And in turn, perpetuate and worsen the economic situation of the future generation.
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Very much agree with the school curriculum. I already see the difference between when I was in school and my friends' children that are in elementary school.
As for further statistics. Sadly, it is more of the same in that the "minority areas" have much higher percentage make up in their schools.
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