Money Talks

Mr. Sirota is right to highlight a conclusion of the Stanford University study that, "a family's economic situation is a bigger determinative force in a child's academic performance than any other major demographic factor." I taught for ten years at a single school in a local school district where perhaps 2/3 of the students met or exceeded state standards. Then I was transferred to another school in the same district where it was guaranteed that nearly 100% of the students in my classroom and in the entire school would meet or exceed state standards. The difference? Family income was significantly higher in the latter school than in the former.


U.S. education: Money remains the deciding factor