Most of these children's parents grew up poor and struggled in school themselves, so being in a school is not really comfortable for them. Some children have an innate resourcefulness and others do not. Some seem to sail through childhood oblivious to their parents' economic struggles, but this is seldom the case. Obtaining timely and good-quality medical and dental care is often a problem. Some of these children go to bed hungry, particularly at the end of the month, when the money their parents have set aside for food is diverted to keep the electricity on.
Fear is a common emotion for many low-income children.
Some have great plans for their futures while others have no plans at all. As a school leader, I must do everything in my power to ensure that public policy increases the prospects for all of our children. The well-being of our nation depends greatly upon our schools ability to provide meaningful and challenging educational experiences for the more than 14 million American children who are growing up in poor families. Research and experience both show that poverty negatively impacts students' academic achievement. Students living in poverty are more likely to have low test scores, more learning disabilities, increased special education needs, and are at a greater risk of dropping out of school.