The Impact of Economic Inequality on Children’s Development and Achievement

Abstract

Abstract:Child poverty leads to many challenges at both societal and individual levels, and the two levels are interrelated. It is critical to recognize the complex implications of poverty, including short-term and long-term effects for children and families. After reviewing both the societal (e.g., economic costs, segregation, and unequal opportunity) and individual (e.g., effects on children's health, development, learning, and academic achievement) implications of poverty, this paper will describe a framework for action that incorporates multiple existing approaches, and offer an example of one intervention that aims to address the challenges associated with economic inequality for children in the United States in a comprehensive, multifaceted manner.

Effects of Economic Inequality on Academic Achievement: The Black Boy Dilemma

“…Similarly, Reardon (2011) and Walsh and Theodorakakis (2017) both discovered that income inequality has caused a growth in educational inequality. Growing poverty rates have led to the widening of the achievement between students of color and their peers.…”

Introduction to the special section on school-related outcomes and success for youth with chronic medical conditions.

“…With half of the participants in the study by Knight and Perfect (2019) being Latinx, the researchers found that parental education and selfreported income were also significant contributors to academic performance. Given that these underrepresented populations experience significant health care disparities and educational inequities (Walsh & Theodorakakis, 2017), mindful inclusion of diverse samples representing students with all different cultural, racial/ ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds in future research is a mandate.…”

Catholic Social Teaching, Economic Inequality, and American Society

“…The children of poor households have less supportive networks and services available in their communities, witness higher rates of violent crime, have poorer nutrition, fewer recreational amenities, and a less healthy physical environment than children of affluence. Poor children have less access to quality childcare and early learning opportunities, all of which impact early brain development of children (Walsh and Theodorakakis , 49–50). During their primary education, the children of poor households are less ready for kindergarten, have lower proficiency in third grade reading, and attend schools with less spending per student that have higher chronic rates of absenteeism have a school culture with lower expectations of high school graduation and admission to college than their affluent peers.…”