Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Poverty and Poor Educational Outcomes – Is there a correlation?

The impact that homelessness has on children has been the subject of much debate and rhetoric over the last decade. According to the National Center on Family Homelessness’s most recent report, “America’s Youngest Outcasts,” on a scale from 1 (best) to 50 (worst), Texas ranks #38 when taking into account child homelessness, child well-being, rick of child homeless and state planning and policy

Most research suggests that poverty and homelessness is strongly correlated with poor educational outcomes. In fact, the report highlights the following staggering statistics:

  • Proficiency rates for homeless children in reading and math fall on average 16% lower than the scores for all students.
  • Less than one in four homeless children graduates from high school.

Hope through Learning: IHC’s Approach to Combatting Academic Statistics

Can you imagine how hard it is to learn without a home? Or taking it a step further, without a stable living environment and life’s basic necessities? This is Why We Do What We Do. 

We know that education is the key to breaking intergenerational cycle of poverty and homelessness. We not only provide a stable living situation, but we are the only transitional housing agency that has a comprehensive Children & Teen’s Program. This program provides academic assessments using an adaptive diagnostic assessment tool that determines student proficiency and achievement in reading and math. This tool also provides each child with a personalized learning prescription and a curriculum that targets areas of deficiency and fill-in any learning gaps. Likewise, we have a Tutoring Program that provides one-on-one reading and math tutoring to all children, regardless of their academic proficiencies.

The outcomes of our program have proven to be effective. Last year, 58% of the children improved by one grade level or more in reading and 73% in math!


Written by: Stephanie McNeil 

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