Abstract
The negative impacts on children from low-income households and how they affect overall academic progress are the subject of the social analysis of this study. This study examines the literature to identify multiple factors that influence the academic progress of low-income children. These factors include a lack of family financial support and access to educational opportunities and resources. The study also explores the use of social capital theory and how it can be used to understand social issues more fully. According to this concept, the connections and networks created and maintained within a community can positively impact the academic performance of children from low-income families. The results of the study imply that poverty has a widespread and long-lasting effect on a student’s ability to succeed in school. This includes lower academic achievement, higher dropout rates, and greater difficulty in getting into college. The ramifications of this study and the possibility of further research on this topic are discussed in the paper’s conclusion. This research can help policymakers and educators better understand the challenges low-income children face and the need to take action to increase their chances of educational success.
Introduction
In the U.S., poverty and its effects on academic success have become increasingly important. An estimated 40 million people live in poverty, with about one-fifth living in extreme poverty in America (Miller et al., 2019). Academic achievement and access to top educational resources are just two ways poverty affects a student’s ability to succeed in school. Children from low-income families are more likely to experience various barriers to academic achievements, such as limited access to high-quality learning resources, such as books and computers, and medical care. Furthermore, these students are also less likely to participate in extracurricular activities such as sports teams and after-school programs, which can improve academic performance (Jacob & Ludwig 2018). In addition, students from low-income families are less likely to have access to mental health care, which can significantly impact their chances of school success (Shachtman et al., 2019).
The difference in educational outcomes between students from low-income households and students from more affluent households suggests that the degree of poverty influences students’ ability to do well in school. According to studies, students from low-income families are less likely to graduate from high school or college, have lower scores, and perform worse on standardized tests (McKenzie, 2019). In addition, children have higher truancy and dropout rates and are more likely to be suspended or expelled. These differences are much more severe for students of color and children with disabilities. We must continue to investigate and address the social issue of the adverse impact of poverty on educational achievement in the U.S. and the entire world. This paper will review the literature to identify various factors affecting the academic success of children from low-income households and will also discuss the application of social capital theory to understand social issues better.
Review of Literature
The social issue of the adverse impact on children from low-income households and how it impacts overall educational attainment will be considered in the literature review. The National Association of High School Principals is the primary source. This position statement highlights the negative effects of poverty on student achievement and provides policy recommendations on effectively supporting academic, social, and emotional success (Miller et al., 2019). For example, to help low-income students succeed in school, the statement calls for free or significantly reduced-price meals, wellness services, and emotional support.
Many of the challenges low-income families face can prevent them from receiving a great education. Financial instability, lack of access to quality healthcare, exposure to violence and other trauma are just a few of these problems (Miller et al., 2019). Inadequate resources and support and feelings of overload and anxiety can result from these factors. These can cause students to lose focus in class, perform worse, and struggle to keep up with their learning. These problems can have a lasting impact on educational attainment, as teenagers who do poorly in school are less likely to complete high school or enroll in college.
The second source, The Effects of Poverty on Academic Achievement, by Kendra McKenzie (2019), looks at the effect of poverty on student behavior and learning capacity in the classroom. Poverty has become one of the most prevalent indicators of academic achievement in our schools today. This article examines the strategies educators can implement to help close the gap in academic achievement between those raised in poverty and those raised in more affluent homes. An example of such a strategy is providing students with additional support in the classroom, such as tutoring and mentoring programs, to help them succeed.
Educators must understand the specific challenges faced by students living in poverty and how this may affect their ability to learn. For example, low-income students may not have much access to resources such as technology and the Internet, which are needed to complete assignments and conduct research (McKenzie, 2019). In addition, students from low-income families may face food insecurity, unstable housing, and limited access to health care, all of which can negatively affect their overall physical and mental health. Teachers should be aware of disadvantaged children’s specific challenges and be prepared to provide additional help and resources to support their success.
The third source is by Portia Miller, Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, and Rebekah Levine Coley, titled “Open Access Poverty and Academic Achievement Across Urban to Rural Contexts: Associations with community resources and stressors. “The study examines the interplay of urbanization and economic disadvantage to affect academic achievement. This article uses administrative and geographic data to examine the link between neighborhood resources, factors that cause stress, and academic achievement of low-income students in kindergarten through second grade (Miller et al., 2019). The authors employ illustration, research showing parental warmth and cognitive stimulation knowledge, and direct and indirect mediation, which have helped explain differences in children’s poor performance.
The other source, improving educational outcomes for poor children, by Brian A. Jacob and Jens Ludwig, examines how government policies can be created to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged children. This article examines how different government policies, such as school choice, reduced class sizes, and after-school services, affect school performance (Jacob & Ludwig, 2018). To illustrate, research shows that smaller class sizes improve poor children’s academic performance. Also, evidence suggests that children from low-income households can benefit from after-school services like tutoring. For instance, one study discovered that pupils who got tutoring and other after-school activities demonstrated greater academic achievement in mathematics (Jacob & Ludwig, 2018). These results imply that after-school policy support from the government can aid in enhancing educational achievements for underprivileged kids.
The fifth article, Chinese Journal of Sociology: How does family background affect a child’s academic success? Evidence from Contemporary China by Zhonglu Li and Zeqi Qiu examines how family background affects children’s academic performance in early childhood education. This study used data from the 2010 China Family Group Study to investigate two pathways through which family influences children’s academic performance (Li & Qiu, 2018). For example, research shows that the academic performance of urban students is more influenced by family socioeconomic status than rural students.
The other study, Effects of Socioeconomic Status, Parent–Child Relationship, and Learning Motivation on Reading Ability by Qishan Chen, Yurou Kong, Wenyang Gao, and Lei Mo, examines the relationship between family socioeconomic status and children’s reading ability. This study used data from over 2,000 middle school students to examine the role of the parent–child relationship in the relationship between family SES and reading ability and whether this was moderated by learning motivation (Chen et al., 2018). An example is that the study found that the parent–child relationship mediates the relationship between SES and reading ability, and students’ learning motivation moderates this relationship.
The final source, Low-Income Students and The Socioeconomic Composition of Public High Schools by Robert Crosnoe, explores the impact of the socioeconomic composition of public schools on the educational outcomes of low-income students. This survey examines the influence of school composition on the educational outcomes of low-income students using information from the National Longitudinal Education Survey (Crosnoe, 2009). To illustrate, research shows that children from schools with a high percentage of low-income students do worse on tests and score lower than students from schools with a lower percentage of low-income students.
In essence, all the studies discussed show that poverty significantly change children’s ability to succeed in school. It is a known fact that a person’s health is directly influenced by the quality of their diet, which is why it is important to eat a balanced diet and exercise frequently. Public measures can also help improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged children, such as reducing class sizes and extracurricular activities. Finally, the socioeconomic composition of public high schools may modify the academic performance of low-income children.
Theory Definition
Understanding the social issue of the adverse impact on children from low-income households and how it influences overall progress in education can be accomplished using social theory, which is the main idea. The networks, norms, and beliefs that promote cooperation within or between social units are called social capital (Thomas & Gupta, 2021). Social capital can provide access to resources and support to help children from low-income households succeed in school, making this idea important for solving social problems.
The social capital model is an essential concept for understanding the social issue of negative impact on children from low-income households and its impact on overall educational achievement. Social capital is the networks, norms, and beliefs facilitating cooperation within or between social units (Thomas & Gupta, 2021). This theory is crucial for understanding the social problem of poverty and its effect on academic achievement because social capital can provide access to resources and support that can help children from low-income households succeed in school.
The three main elements of social capital are networks, norms, and trust. Networks are links and connections between people, while norms are recognized behavior patterns within a given group or community (Thomas & Gupta, 2021). Last but not least, trust is people’s trust in each other, which allows for a higher level of collaboration and cooperation. Because they can provide access to resources and support capable of helping children from humble backgrounds succeed in school, these elements of social capital are important for understanding social issues on poverty and academic performance.
Low-income households often lack the resources and access to networks that can help support their children’s academic success. Without access to these resources, children in these households may have difficulty succeeding in school (Mishra, 2020). Social capital can help bridge this gap by providing access to resources and connections to help students from low-income households succeed. For example, access to social capital can help with access to tutoring, counseling, and other forms of support that can help children from low-income households succeed in school.
Understanding the disparity in academic attainment between children from low-income households and those from more affluent households depends on the theory of social capital. Children from low-income households frequently lack resources and access to networks, which is typically blamed for this disparity (Mishra, 2020). Social capital can assist in closing this gap by giving low-income students the tools, contacts, and support they need to succeed in school. This model is also important for understanding the role of family and community in educational success. Families and communities can profoundly impact children’s academic success, and social capital can provide access to networks and resources that can support children to succeed in school (Thomas & Gupta, 2021). For example, access to social capital can provide access to counseling and other forms of support to help children from low-income households succeed in school.
To sum up, the concept of social capital is an important idea that can be used to understand the social issue of adverse effects on children from low-income households and how this affects their education. The three main elements of social capital are networks, norms, and trust (Thomas & Gupta, 2021). Because they can provide access to resources and support capable of helping children from humble backgrounds succeed in school, these elements of social capital are important for understanding social issues on poverty and academic performance. Understanding social capital is key to understanding differences in educational attainment between children from low-income and better-off households and the importance of family and community to their well-being and success in education.
Theory Application
Social capital theory can be used to understand better the social issue of the negative impact on children from low-income households and how it affects overall educational achievement. As discussed in the literature review, access to resources and support networks can benefit children from low-income households by ensuring their academic success. They. Social capital can provide access to these resources and support networks, helping to ensure that children from low-income households have the same opportunities as their peers (Mishra, 2020). In addition, social capital can provide access to mentors and other supports, which can help ensure that children from low-income households have the necessary resources and support to be successful in school.
Furthermore, the social problem of the detrimental effects on children from low-income households and how it affects overall educational attainment can be addressed using the social capital model’s assumptions. According to research, low-income households frequently have a number of detrimental effects on their children, including limited access to educational resources and a dearth of social support systems (Sarkozy, 2022). As a result, these kids perform less well academically than their counterparts who come from better-off families. Access to social capital can help to lessen these harmful impacts.
Social capital can provide access to resources and support networks, which can benefit children from low-income households in ensuring they succeed in school. Research has shown that access to mentors can be beneficial in providing guidance, advice, and motivation to students in their educational pursuits (Chen et al., 2018). Access to mentors through social capital can be beneficial in providing access to these types of resources and support networks to children from low-income households.
In essence, the social issue of adverse effects on children from low-income households and how it affects overall educational attainment can best be understood using social capital theory. To ensure that children from low-income households have the same opportunities as their peers, access to social capital can help them access resources, support networks, and mentoring (Li and Qiu, 2018). Social capital can be used to reduce adverse impacts on children from low-income families and contribute to their academic achievement by allowing them to access these resources.
Conclusion
This research paper has studied the literature to determine the numerous elements that affect low-income children’s academic progress. The social capital theory has also been applied in the research to comprehend the social issue better. The study’s findings imply that poverty has broad-reaching and lasting effects on students’ ability to succeed in school. The results also imply that children from low-income households can benefit from access to resources and support networks, such as those offered by social capital, to guarantee their school success. The paper’s conclusion discusses the ramifications of this research and the possibilities for additional research on the subject.
The research reviewed in this study has shown that children from low-income families face significant barriers to academic success. To give these kids a better foundation for academic success, this research has also highlighted the need for expanded access to resources and social capital. Moreover, research has demonstrated that the consequences of poverty and restricted resource availability can have long-term effects on academic attainment. The results of this study point to the necessity for additional study in this field to fully comprehend the effects of poverty and resource scarcity on academic success.
To comprehend the underlying causes of poverty and their impact on educational achievement is critical to finding a solution to the problem of low-income children’s educational achievement. In addition, there is a need to create policies and initiatives that address poverty and give people the tools they need to succeed in school. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that these resources are distributed fairly and openly to all children, regardless of socioeconomic status.
The findings covered in this paper have drawn attention to the necessity for more study of the social problem of the detrimental effects on low-income children and how it affects their overall educational progress. To guarantee that all children have the chance to succeed academically, it is crucial to comprehend the effects of poverty on educational achievement and to implement policies and programs that give access to resources. The results of this study indicate that tackling the problem of poverty and its consequences on academic success is crucial for the success of society as a whole.
References
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McKenzie, K. (2018). The effects of poverty on academic achievement. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education. Web.
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Mishra, S. (2020). Social networks, social capital, social support and academic success in Higher Education: A systematic review with a special focus on ‘underrepresented’ students. Educational Research Review, 29, 100307. Web.
Sarkozy, N. (2022). Academic and social effects of poverty on elementary school students. Digital Commons @ CSUMB. Web.
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