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The Flaw in “Free and Equal” Education

With my red pen in hand I began grading advanced level geography quizzes that my

students just completed. This vital test determined how many gold stickers each student got to

use in the gold sticker treasure chest full of goodies. Behind me was a white board displaying

the day’s math lesson and pocket charts with the vocabulary for the week; the walls covered by

alphabet wallpaper and motivational posters. I would spend hours a day laminating papers and

creating new worksheets and activities for my students. My class consisted of my younger sister

and best friends who’d come over every day just to play school. This was the most important

aspect of my life at the time and although my participation in pretend school has faded, my

passion for teaching hasn’t.

As the years went on, I wanted to be a teacher for more than just the school supplies. I

want to be an exemplar, mentor, and role model to students of the future. In middle school and

high school, my eyes were opened to the real classroom and school settings. I learned from the

best of teachers, and the worst. These experiences taught me exactly what type of teacher I want

to be and what type of teacher I do not want to be. Currently, I take ROP Teaching where I have

the opportunity to go to Walnut Acres Elementary and intern in a kindergarten class. While

reflecting on all the amazing support they receive from parent volunteers and supplies donated to

the school, the thought of schools without this support crossed my mind. As I leave high school

and begin my journey to become a teacher, I ask: ​How does a school’s and student’s

socioeconomic status affects a students academic performance?

Low socioeconomic status is a broad term most often measured with a combination of

factors such as educational achievement, poverty level, and health. Communities with

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concentrated amounts of low socioeconomic status families generally have students that attend

the same schools, therefore, qualifying the school as low socioeconomic. Many low

socioeconomic schools fall under Title 1 classification of the No Child Left Behind Act which

aims to: ​“close student achievement gaps by providing all children with a fair, equal, and

significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education” (Esea).​ Title 1 schools are those with

a large concentration of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. These schools receive

federally funded expenses that are used to provide the basic needs of students. Although “​[a]n

astounding 58% of all public schools in the US receive Title 1 funding” (Spivey), many schools

still do not have the necessary funding to provide and support academic success.

Teachers frequently are not supplied with enough materials to teach effectively. The

majority of teachers are forced to take money out of their personal accounts to pay for supplies

for the classroom. Autumn Ayllon, a teacher who taught kindergarten at Shore Acres Elementary

(located in Bay Point and part of the MDUSD school district), estimated an annual average of

“three to four thousand dollars” spent of her own money on basic materials for her classroom.

She expressed that “Title 1 money helped, but it just wasn’t enough. The money was being spent

on tissues and hand sanitizer which are all very important, but we just didn’t have enough money

for anything but the bare minimum.” Although teachers do their best with what they have, only

having access to a minimal amount of school resources affects academic performance.

Essentially, more resources means more opportunities and less resources means less opportunity.

For instance, well-equipped science labs, elaborate art projects, and updated textbooks are

luxuries that low socioeconomic students do not receive, limiting their exposure and opportunity.

A huge part of learning is hands on experience through trial and error and imagination. Ayllon

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stated, “my students didn’t get the chance to mess up, and if they did there was no do-over. We

had a maximum number of copies we could make in the copy room and it was just enough for

each student.” With not enough basic materials for trial and error, students do not get to learn

from their mistakes and try again. This is most detrimental during the early years of schooling

because that is the time when students learn the most from failure. By accidently drawing outside

the lines or cutting out the shape wrong students learn what not to do next time… except there is

no “next time” for students at a Title 1 school.

Not only do teachers have limited resources in the classroom, the materials they do have

are outdated and over used. According to PBS.org, “ripped binding, torn pages and outdated

information — such as listing the current president as George W. Bush, whose term ended in

2009 — ” (Hendry & Pasquantonio), is what low socioeconomic schools are forced to use. These

schools cannot afford to buy new, up-to-date textbooks for their students. The information they

are learning is often wrong and out-of-date as well as overused and torn up. Along with old

textbooks, low socioeconomic schools are behind the times in technology. Unlike high

socioeconomic schools, they often only have one computer room for the whole school. Class set

chromebooks and iPads are rare unless bought personally by the teacher. And research shows

that “ 70% of teacher participants assign homework that needs to be completed online,” however,

“1 in 3 households that make under $30,000 a year do not have internet,” (Rodriguez). Low

socioeconomic students do not have the means to complete online homework at home so they

often have to spend hours after school in the computer lab because they cannot do it at home.

Ayllon said that “many teachers try to not make any homework assignments that require the

internet and if they do, they make sure the computer lab stays open after school for the students.”

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The inadequate access to technology is limiting to students when it comes to this new era of

education. Technology plays a huge part in education and not having at home access is

detrimental to low socioeconomic students. These students cannot keep up in the advancements

of high socioeconomic schools because they are limited to learning how to type, access to

educational games online, research opportunities, and career paths in engineering. Liz Riggs

expresses in “Technology, But Not for All” that, “when I taught eighth and ninth graders, the

majority of my students could barely type, let alone open a Google doc or begin building

websites. And, when I worked in a Title I public high school, neither the school nor the parents

could afford to pay for additional technology or training.” This sheds light on the fact that low

socioeconomic students academic performance is being hindered by the lack of technology. In

this era, homework, lessons, tests, and research is mostly done via the internet.

In an upper-class, high income community it is likely that when walking into a classroom

there would be not only one teacher, but also classroom aids, parent volunteers, and a sensible

number of students. This is not the case in low socioeconomic communities. Their schools are

packed with large class sizes and a small amount of support staff. Legally they have to provide

the basic staff members such as a nurse, speech pathologist and janitor, but extra help on campus

is scarce. Alana Semuels, writer for “​The Atlantic”​ , observed that districts with low

socioeconomic schools:​ “tend to have more students in need of extra help, and yet they have

fewer guidance counselors, tutors, and psychologists, lower-paid teachers, more dilapidated

facilities and bigger class sizes than wealthier districts.” The effect of restricted educational

support is detrimental to the academic performance of students. For example, at Shore Acres

Elementary, Ayllon disclosed that many of her students witnessed a murder on campus after

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school one day, the campus went on lock down and all of the students were horrified. Following

the trauma, the school would not offer psychological counseling for those students and

witnesses. They claimed it was too expensive and not a priority in the district. Of those students,

they had the highest amount of suspensions and over 50% dropped out later in high school.

Shore Acres also noticed a huge change in learning when they received the SIG (School

Improvement Grant). This grant was three million dollars that was used to provide an

instructional assistant for every classroom that could pull kids for one on one instructional

support. Ayllon said that they “discovered it was really hard for the students to tune out the

teacher when they are one on one with them. All of a sudden the kids started learning. They

made such huge growth that when they took their standardized testing we made the biggest

growth in all of California. The scores significantly jumped, almost 70 points, which was huge.”

Unfortunately, the grant ended after three years and the scores dropped to what they were before.

This grant emphasizes the notion that smaller class sizes and classroom aids are essential for

positive academic performance. Without access to classroom aids, supplies, textbooks, and

technology, low socioeconomic students’ academic performance is being impeded.

Nature versus nurture has been a huge debate for centuries. Some say that environmental

factors are not impactful on ones’ developmental growth, however, when it comes to academics,

environmental factors are extremely impactful. Many low socioeconomic students come from

families who are struggling financially, immigrated illegally, or endured abusive or neglectful

situations. These environmental circumstances have substantial effects on how their children

perform in school. Ayllon states that “students from this background often start school

underexposed” meaning they haven’t been exposed to academic subject matter. In many cases,

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they do not speak English at home so their English is underdeveloped, as well as their reading.

These parents generally do not read to their children or teach them how to write their names.

These children are behind in grammar, reading, and spelling before school even begins. Another

factor of low academic performance is being a victim of abuse. According to a study done by

Vincent Iannelli, a doctor who writes for Verywell Mind, “children in low socioeconomic

families have more than three times the rate of child abuse and seven times the rate of neglect

than other children.” Statistically, abused children​ in the range of: “7-12 year-old girls showed:

39% displayed academic difficulties, 24% repeated a grade, 15% were enrolled in a remedial

class, 48% reported below average grades, and over 37% displayed cognitive ability below 25%”

(​McAlpin​). The effects of abuse at home cleary carries on into the classroom. Not only is it

physically and emotionally traumatic, it takes a toll on their learning. These children are often

too distracted or scared to successfully learn in a classroom. Ayllon stated that she reported at

least 5 CPS (Child Protective Services) reports a year a Shore Acres Elementary. Although there

are high rates of abuse and neglect among low socioeconomic families, many have the best

intentions. If raised in a negative environment, a parent is likely to be unaware of positive

parenting skills. Jennifer Herting, a teacher at El Monte Elementary, disclosed: “I had one parent

observe in my classroom who said she learned to stop yelling at her children because she saw

that I was quiet and calm and it calmed the kids.” This illustrates how many low socioeconomic

parents may lack the knowledge of good parenting skills.

At low socioeconomic schools, many factors impede learning such as hunger and

exhaustion. “Children need nutrients so they can grow, develop and focus on learning instead of

thinking about the food they need,” stated Allison Webber in an article about students facing

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hunger. Being hungry is a huge distraction whether it’s your stomach growling and hurting or not

knowing where your next meal will come from. In the short term, hunger hinders the ability to

focus and learn, but in the long term, it stunts cognitive, social and emotional development.

Additionally, being tired obstructs academic performance and low socioeconomic students

typically get lack of sleep due to (but not limited to) parents working late jobs, loud

neighborhoods, and lack of reasonable bedtimes. This results in interruptions of school activities.

Ayllon recalls that “students would fall asleep in class and at recess. It got to the point where we

would supply mats for the students to take naps during recess or at daycare.” These students are

so tired that if they are not already falling asleep during class, they are sleeping during the time

when they should be going outside and playing with friends. Psychologically, hunger and lack of

sleep impairs a students ability to focus and remember which leads to poor academic

performance (Goyette).

In this modern world of standardized tests and the race toward college, low

socioeconomic students are automatically at a disadvantage. Schools of this status frequently

struggle to provide the necessary courses for college. An article in the “​Washington Post​”

expresses that “high schools with concentrated poverty are less likely to offer coursework that

students need to get into four-year colleges and succeed” (​Strauss). ​How can low socioeconomic

students be expected to further their education when they are not even being provided with the

minimum amount of classes to get there? Many colleges require high school graduates to have

taken a sequence of math, science, and language classes. While schools in low socioeconomic

areas may offer one or two courses, they do not offer the full track. This makes it next to

impossible to compete for college acceptance. In addition, many low socioeconomic students do

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not take AP (Advanced Placement) courses, thus: “​one in 10 students from low-income families

will take an AP course, compared to one in four students from middle- or high-income homes”

(Thomas). This makes it extremely hard to compete with the rest of students for college

acceptance. Not only do a small number of low socioeconomic students take AP courses, many

of the students cannot afford to take the AP tests in order to get credit for the course.

Another big factor standing in the way of successful academic performance of low

socioeconomic students is standardized testing. Standardized tests are a benchmark test to

compare students intelligence. Although considered fair because everyone is scored on the same

standard, it is unreasonable for low socioeconomic students. There is a huge gap in scores

between high income students and low income students. According to a study done by the

College Board regarding college entrance exam (SAT), “students with family incomes more than

$200,000 a year on average scored above 1,700 while students with family incomes less than

$20,000 a year on average scored below 1,300,” as well as an “overall 400-point gap between the

wealthiest and poorest families” (Olson). A key reason why there is such a big gap is the

affordability of tutoring. Standardized testing tutors are typically hundreds if not thousands of

dollars, which is entirely unreasonable for low socioeconomic families. As claimed by Francisco

Valero-Cuevas, a writer for the ​Sacramento Bee​, “students from families who cannot afford prep

courses or are unaware of the importance of the tests tend to get lower scores, which reduce their

chances at admission and aid.” Standardized testing prep and tutoring appears to be the only way

to get high enough scores to be able to compete for college admission. Often times high income

families are able to take the tests multiple times in hopes of increasing the scores but each test

costs about sixty dollars and low income families generally cannot afford multiple tests. In

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addition, merit scholarships are based off of these standardized test scores so low socioeconomic

students often, even though admitted, cannot afford to go to most colleges.

In the United States, it is claimed that the public education system is free and equal,

however, it is evident that although free, it is not equal. Low socioeconomic status affects

academic performance because of all the factors impeding the student’s educational journey.

Limited class materials and resources, home circumstances and standardized testing all have a

major effect on these students. Many organizations have taken action in order to support low

socioeconomic status students in the classroom. Programs like No Child Left Behind are actively

making a difference in these students lives however, the academic gap between high and low

socioeconomic students needs to be brought to awareness and action needs to be taken.

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Works Cited

Ayllon, Autumn. Credentialed Teacher at Walnut Acres Elementary interview. 6 March 2019.

Esea. “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.” ​Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction,​ 1 Jan.

2011, www.k12.wa.us/esea/NCLB.aspx. Accessed 11 March 2019.

Goyette, Kimberly A. ​Education in America.​ University of California Press, 2017. Accessed 11

March 2019.

Herting, Jennifer. Credentialed Teacher at El Monte Elementary interview. 25 February 2019.

Hendry, Erica R., and Victoria Pasquantonio. “Oklahoma Teachers Are Posting Their Crumbling

Textbooks Online.” ​PBS,​ Public Broadcasting Service, 2 Apr. 2018,

www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/oklahoma-teachers-are-posting-their-crumbling-textbooks

-online. Accessed 11 March 2019.

Iannelli, Vincent. “How Common Is Child Abuse?” ​Verywell Mind​, Dotdash,

www.verywellmind.com/child-abuse-statistics-2633350. Accessed 11 March 2019.

Olson, Madeleine. “Expensive SAT Prep Courses Give Wealthier Students An Edge.”

Courant.com​, Hartford Courant, 12 Dec. 2018,

www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-fresh-talk-olson-sat-prep-course-advantage-0909

-20150908-story.html. Accessed 11 March 2019.

McAlpin, Ann “How Child Abuse Affects Academic Achievement.” ​CASA Child Advocates of

Montgomery County,​ 28 Oct. 2016,

casaspeaks4kids.com/child-abuse-affects-academic-achievement/. Accessed 11 March

2019.

Riggs, Liz. “Technology, But Not for All.” ​Education Post,​ 6 July 2015,

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educationpost.org/technology-but-not-for-all/. Accessed 11 March 2019.

Rodriguez, Leah. “Tech-Based Education Holds Back Low-Income Students: Report.” ​Global

Citizen​, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/low-income-students-technology-education/.

Accessed 11 March 2019.

Semuels, Alana. “Good School, Rich School; Bad School, Poor School.” ​The Atlantic,​ Atlantic

Media Company, 25 Aug. 2016,

www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/08/property-taxes-and-unequal-schools/497/.

Accessed 11 March 2019.

Spivey, Becky L. “What Is Title 1?” ​Handy Handout #441: The Importance of Play-Based

Therapy​,

www.handyhandouts.com/viewHandout.aspx?hh_number=386&nfp_title=What%2Bis%

2BTitle%2B1%3F. Accessed 11 March 2019.

Strauss, Valerie. “How Poverty and Race Affect Who Goes to College - in 5 Charts.” ​The

Washington Post​, WP Company, 8 Nov. 2018,

www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/11/08/how-poverty-race-affect-who-goes-coll

ege-charts/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ad6ce6a43837. Accessed 11 March 2019.

Thomas, Jacqueline. “Access to AP Courses Often Elusive for Low-Income Students.” ​The CT

Mirror​, The CT Mirror, 15 Dec. 2018,

ctmirror.org/2018/05/14/advanced-placement-debate-open-closed-gate/. Accessed 11

March 2019.

Valero-Cuevas, Francisco, et al. “Standardized Tests Unfairly Favor Wealthier Students in

College Admissions.” ​Sacbee,​ The Sacramento Bee, 14 Jan. 2019,

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www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article224538095.html. Accessed 11 March

2019.

Webber, Allison. “How Hunger Affects Learning.” ​Feeding America​,

www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-blog/help-kids-facing-hunger-this. Accessed 11 March

2019.

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Works Consulted

Howard, Tish, et al. ​Poverty Is Not a Learning Disability Equalizing Opportunities for Low SES

Students.​ Skyhorse Publishing, 2015. Accessed 11 March 2019.

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