Children from low-income families tend to fall behind their more affluent peers in every stage of life. They are less likely to be prepared to enter school at age 5, achieve academic and social competencies by the end of elementary schools graduate from high school with good grades, no crime involvement, or teen pregnancy, or achievement equivalent income in their twenties.[i] 

 

Look at all the cognitive elements in the reading comprehension framework and it becomes obvious why students who have minimal access to books and spoken language in the home fall behind. An exposure to language is how students learn to form sentences, understand new words and build vocabulary, and comprehend what is being spoken or read. Without a book or someone to share a book with, a child doesn’t get experience deciphering new words, understanding phonemes, and structuring language.

Though putting a book on a bookcase, understanding that a book is read from left to right, or chewing on a book are deceptively simple steps down the road to literacy when compared to the complexity of reading comprehension skills, literacy is rarely achieved in households that don’t have access to literature. In fact, reading aloud is known to be the most important activity that leads to literacy and determines a student’s reading success through the rest of their life.[ii]

Parent involvement is critical in early childhood development. Before the first school bell rings, 90 percent of brain development has occurred between birth and age 5.[iii] It’s no wonder why children in poverty, who hear as many as 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers before the age of 4, are kept at a perpetual academic disadvantage. [iv]

According to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, their research shows 37 percent of children entering kindergarten are not prepared with the skills they need to learn. Research also shows that an academic setback in kindergarten makes it very difficult for students to ever catch up.[v] The quality of a student’s early childhood education is strongly correlated with their high school success.

Email me at caroljcarter@lifebound.com if you are interested in learning more about how you can bring summer learning to your community.

In America, it doesn’t matter what socioeconomic standing you were born into, we believe everyone deserves an equal chance at an equally fulfilling life. In the land of opportunity, a general sense of optimism for our futures sets us apart from other countries. A 2009 Pew Poll found even after the beginning of the Great Recession, Americans remained optimistic that they would still get ahead.[i]

That being said, the numbers speak a different truth. However optimistic we are about opportunity in America, the U.S. ranks 27th out of 31 developed countries when measuring equal opportunities.[ii] Research shows American students start falling behind other developed nations by kindergarten.[iii]

A study by Center on Children & Families at Brookings found the chance of being successful, in this study defined as reaching the middle class, is very much influenced by race and gender, but even more so by the earnings of the subject’s parents.[iv] The following graph shows a student’s preparedness for each phase of life based on whether they were born to parents in the bottom fifth of family income or the top fifth.

Note only 48 percent of children born to the bottom fifth are ready for school, compared to 78 percent in the top fifth. As these students move through the different phases of their life and into adulthood, 75 percent of those born in the top fifth will hit middle class status, compared to only 40% of those born into the bottom fifth.[v]

As this report points out, even in an unabashedly meritocratic country, “success begets later success.”[vi] Early intervention is key to a student’s future success, financially, academically, socially, and emotionally. This is true for all countries, and the ones that are succeeding know it.
________________________________
[i]  http://www.pewstates.org/research/analysis/opinion-poll-on-economic-mobility-and-the-american-dream-85899378651
[ii] http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2012/9/20%20pathways%20middle%20class%20sawhill%20winship/0920%20pathways%20middle%20class%20sawhill%20winship.pdf, page 2
[iii] http://www.michronicleonline.com/index.php/achieve/9277-greatness-starts-before-grade-school

[iv] Ibid, page 6
[v] Ibid, page 6
[vi] Ibid, page 8

The achievement gap is not an invisible problem. It is one that we can see and one that can be eliminated if we take action. Every summer underprivileged students who don’t have the means for learning resources or experiences will get set behind their more affluent peers. They also are more likely to return to a home environment every day that is not conducive to learning. Low-income families may have illiterate parents, no or limited access to technology, and a lack of literature — all influences that keep the poverty cycle going and the achievement gap strong.

Second and third-grade teacher Justin Minkel teaches to a class of 25 students, 24 of which are at the poverty level and 20 are English language learners. He recently wrote an article for Education Week where he uses his student, Melinda, as an example of how books can change a student’s life. Melinda had one book at home, was abused as a very young child, lives in poverty, and has a mother who is illiterate in English and Spanish. Today, thanks to Minkel, she has a library of 40 books. Over the last two years, she’s also gone from a kindergarten reading level to a 4th grade reading level.

Minkel attacked illiteracy in his classroom with “The 1,000 Books Project.” Each of the 25 students in his 2nd and 3rd grade classes received 3 books a month, which by the end of their two years created a library of 40 books in each student’s home, or 1,000 books in total. Scholastic took care of half the books and Minkel, alongside individuals and organizations, purchased the other half.

He calls his project “simple.” Children had home libraries “ranging from a cardboard box decorated with stickers to a wooden bookcase.” Supplies also only cost $50 per child per year. The results, however, were extraordinary. Students’ language skills improved, their reading scores soared above state expectations, and members of their families became more literate by association.

At LifeBound, we believe providing students with learning resources is key to closing the achievement gap and are working with our partners this summer to bring books to those in need. At La Casa/Quigg Newton Family Center, families are getting our book Study Skills for High School Students to be read by middle school and high school students alongside their parents. Including parents in the learning experience opens up many more opportunities for each family’s future. LifeBound is also launching a summer reading program with the Omaha Public Library this summer to get books in the hands of  1,000 students who otherwise will approach a summer without learning resources that keep their brains engaged and ready to start the next school year strong.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
Sources

“The Home Library Effect: Transforming At-Risk Readers,” by Justin Minkel. 12 June 2012. Education Week. Accessed on 14 June 2012. http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/06/12/tln_minkel.html?tkn=RNCCFBZesMUu%2FHLFXuXie61FaxwpDAC5G9Cd&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

Summer learning losses are a real threat to all students entering the summer months. Providing kids with educational games, activities, materials, and experiences during their summer vacation is crucial in retaining information learned during the school year and preparing them for the transition into next year.

Education in the arts can do more than boost a student’s creativity. A new report by the National Endowment for the Arts shows high school students who had “arts-rich experiences” had a higher overall GPA than students who weren’t involved in the arts. The report also found disadvantaged high school students involved in the arts were more likely to enroll in competitive colleges than their peers who weren’t involved, according to the article “Arts Involvement Narrows Student Achievement Gap.“

Art education has shown to make a positive impact on student success, but it runs counter to the belief that testing and more rigorous programs aimed at raising math and reading scores is the answer to higher graduation rates and lower dropout rates. How does art  make students a better at solving math problems or reading a book? For one, students are engaged by these creative activities, making them more likely to attend and participate in class. A music, theater, dance, or visual arts class might be the only motivation a student has to come to school on any given day and increases the odds they will make it to their academic classes as well.

For some at-risk students, their involvement in the arts might be the first thing they’ve excelled at and been encouraged to pursue. When students find their niche, they might be more motivated to continue down the path of success and translate the hard work and payoff they’ve seen in action to their other studies. It’s not the mastery of brushstrokes or pirouettes that will help students become better readers and mathematicians; it’s the confidence they gain through experimentation and play that lets them know they can succeed.

However, schools are facing hard financial times and many are required to cut programs, and the first classes to go are often art classes. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education found that fewer public elementary schools are offering visual arts, dance, and drama classes than they were 10 years ago, which is believed to be due to an increase in programs aimed at improving math and reading scores. It’s not a surprise that student populations that qualify for free or reduced lunch — and benefit most from arts programs — are getting hit the hardest.

Student success starts early. The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has the mission to close the achievement gap by having all low-income students reading at grade-level by third grade. What would happen if more initiatives were focused on giving students the tools to succeed throughout their development, instead of focusing all their efforts on reversing damage already done? We can’t afford to wait until high school to expose at-risk students to the arts, sports, or community participation that exposes them to the real-world and that might give them the first taste of intrinsic motivation.

LifeBound offers books and curricula that follow a stairstep developmental path for students in fifth through twelfth grade that teach social, emotional, and academic skills for success in school, career, and life. We are also passionate about closing the achievement gap and believe a summer reading program can make a world of difference in the lives of at-risk and impoverished students. Ask us about our book donation program for summer reading in the comments or email us at contact@lifebound.com.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Sources:

“Arts Involvement Narrows Student Achievement Gap,” by Tom Jacobs. 29 March 2012. Miller-McClune. Accessed on 3 April 2012.  http://www.miller-mccune.com/education/arts-involvement-narrows-student-achievement-gap-40745/

“Report: Fewer Elementary Schools Offering Visual Arts, Drama, Dance; Poor Students Hurt Most,” by Christine Armario. 2 April 2012. Star Tribune. Accessed on 3 April 2012. http://www.startribune.com/nation/145804075.html

Spring break is coming to an end and that’s a sure sign summer vacation will be here before we know it. When students go on summer vacation it is important for them to be mentally challenged. Why?  Students who aren’t engaged in learning activities don’t  retain information learned during the school year and often start the following year behind their counterparts who do grow their brains in the summer.

“All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer,” according to the National Summer Learning Association. Low-income students who aren’t engaged in summer activities typically lose more than two months in reading achievement over the summer.

This summer, as an educator or parent, how can you influence students to adopt a reading culture at home? If you teach, consider sending home a reading list to all your students or lend books from your personal classroom library. As a parent, what can you do to ensure your child has access to books over the summer, or reading groups around popular topics, or writing workshops where they can reflect on what they’ve read? You can take weekly trips to the library where they can check out a bag of books, even those they aren’t sure about. You can also start a book exchange in your neighborhood.

Recently, the Common Core Standards for English/language arts has been adopted by all but four states and requires educators to teach how to read non-fiction literature, as well as fiction. Students might not consider picking up a book about castles, how to bake a pie, or build a watch, but reading informational texts can give them a more fully developed repertoire of reading. Learning how to read informational texts is important for students because it exercises different reading skills. Fiction usually has a beginning, middle, and end, a plot, characters, dialogue, and themes. Nonfiction doesn’t provide the same structure for readers as fiction does, and requires practice — just as everything else does — in order to master it. This summer, you can help younger kids hone these non-fiction reading skills by finding a science blog for kids online or subscribe older kids to magazines like Smithsonian or National Geographic.

How can you personally help promote literacy this summer and fight summer learning losses? At LifeBound, we believe summer reading can change lives. If you work with disadvantaged or impoverished students, ask us about our book donation program for summer reading in the comments or email us at contact@lifebound.com.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Sources:

“Districts Gear Up for Shift to Informational Texts,” by Catherine Gewertz. 14 March 2012. Education Week. Accessed on 30 March 2012. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/03/14/24informational_ep.h31.html?tkn=VUCFGGxCVWko01hd60UOyi5jZLLaUFRJvVt6&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

The National Summer Learning Association - http://www.summerlearning.org/?page=know_the_facts

We have many dreams for today’s students. We want to ensure they get an education that prepares them for a successful career. We want them to have all the latest technology. We want them to use technology to become a new generation of innovators and creative thinkers. We want them to have the best teachers. We want a system that values learning, not memorization.

Many people have many different ideas for how education can be reformed, but they all have one thing in common: they they all require funding.

In Florida, eleven percent of households with students in K12 education do not have Internet access, according to the article “Many Low-Income Students Struggle with Lack of Internet at Home.” A lack of Internet, whether due to a lack of devices, access or both, is one element that continues to drive a wedge in the achievement gap. Low-income students aren’t given the same benefits of their more affluent peers when they are required to do online assignments, putting them at a disadvantage in their education and future career.

Like many school districts around the country, school districts in Florida are pushing to have digital textbooks for all students by 2015. In fact, the Obama administration recently announced they are pushing for every student in the U.S. to have an e-textbook by 2017. However, getting devices in the hands of all 21st century students is only part of the equation. “The digital divide is not because students lack devices,” said Ocoee Middle School Principal Sharyn Gabriel, in the article. “The digital divide stems from the lack of Wi-Fi.”

Whose responsibility is it to close the divide?  AT&T announced this week that they are pledging $250 million to programs that promote high school graduation and career readiness over the next five years. This funding will be distributed through school grants, community organizations, and other companies helping at-risk students graduate and prepare them for careers. What level of achievement could students reach if they were all given equal opportunities? What responsibility to corporations have to put student success on their radar?

LifeBound is working this summer to close the achievement gap through providing students with a summer of learning. Summer learning losses are one of the greatest setbacks to underprivileged children. Ask us more about our book donations and literacy initiative by sending your questions to contact@lifebound.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Summer vacation will be here before we know it, and while it is an exciting time for students to take a break from academia, it is also where students experience the largest learning losses. No student is safe from summer learning losses if their brains aren’t kept active throughout the summer months. However, students in lower-income families are generally at a much higher risk to suffer from learning losses which continues to increase the achievement gap between lower and higher income youth.

According to the National Summer Learning Association:

• More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college (Alexander et al, 2007).
• Parents consistently cite summer as the most difficult time to ensure that their children have productive things to do (Duffett et al, 2004).

This week, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading announced more than 100 communities across the country pledged to improve literacy among early learners. This national campaign hopes to close the reading achievement gap by addressing the top issues that keep underserved students from reaching their full potential. The four topics the campaign will focus on are:

• Chronic Absence
• School Readiness
• Summer Learning Loss
• Parent Engagement

Some schools choose to ban technology, saying it’s not that complicated and kids will learn it later. Other classrooms fully embrace technology to open windows to new worlds, including their own. But for many schools, financial restraints make the choice for them. Recently a group of inner-city students from Los Angeles who were fated with a technology depleted school decided instead of accepting their circumstances, they should set out to to start a revolution and change them, according to the Mind/Shift article “Students Demand the Right to Use Technology in Schools.”

Students from five inner-city schools in Los Angeles recently traveled to the Digital Media and Learning conference held in San Francisco with the money they raised on Kickstarter. They came holding their cell phones, tablets, and video cameras demanding the same opportunities afforded to their more affluent peers. One of their spokeswomen, Myquesha Moore, listed some of the following greivances:

• Students shouldn’t have to go off school grounds to find a working computer to do their homework on.
• A lack of technology in the classroom makes students part of a “permanent underclass.”
• “Give us the resources we need. Because there are children like me who give a damn about our future.”

The students researched the presence of technology, or lack thereof, at their schools using their personal smartphones, tablets, laptops, and cameras and presented their conclusions at the conference. At Crenshaw High, students found:

• 10 out of 14 computers worked, 2 are new, and three can print.
• 10 out of 30 laptops can access the Internet.
• 90% of computers operate on Windows 2001.

Students are not allowed to use their own technology in the classroom, but they also aren’t given acceptable pieces of technology to use in their place. These kids ask: “Doesn’t it make sense to use the tools that engage us the most? How are we supposed to use technology responsibly if we don’t use it at all? Why aren’t schools creating culturally relevant curriculum?”  Why do publishers still have largely text based technology?