Research Paper

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Research Paper In a child’s life there are many things that can effect school achievement. One of the most common talked about things is parental involvement. However, something that might be just as important is the income of a child’s family. There are several reasons why income is important. Higher income families usually live in better neighborhoods which means better schools. An higher income can also mean more educational programs available to a child, and the ability to choice a school. These are some factors on why family income is important in school achievement. A family that has a high-income will usually live in a better neighborhood then a family with a low-income. A lot of times the better the neighborhood the better the school. High-income neighborhoods are usually more successful in school then low-income neighborhoods. This usually occurs because there are usually more resources available to the wealthier students, and better teachers tend to teach at wealthier schools. Studies have shown that a family’s economic does play a role in school achievement. The more money a family has, the more sources open to a child, which enhances achievement. Reynolds and Temple (1998) looked at low-income, inner city, African American children from Chicago. These are some of the most disadvantaged children in the Chicago school system. The study looked at the programs that were available to the students in this area. By doing so they were able to see how effective public service programs were, and whether or not they actually produce better performance in school. The emphasis of the program was placed on parent invovlment and having smaller classes that lead too more personalized teaching. These two ideas... ... middle of paper ... ... Entwisle, D., & Alexander, K. (1995). A Parent’s Economic Shadow: Family Structure Versus Family Resources as Influenced on Early School Achievement. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 399-409. Pong, Suet-Ling; Ju, Dong-Beom. (2000). The Effects of Change in Family Structure and Income on Dropping Out of Middle and High School. Journal of Family Issues, 21, 147. Reynolds, A., & Temple, J. (1998). Extended Early Childhood Intervention and School Acheivement: Age Thirteen Findings from the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Child Development, 69, 231 246. Shumow, L., Kang K. & Vandell, D. (1996). School Choice, Family Characteristics, and Home-School Relations: Contributers to school Achievement? Journal of Educationl Psychology, 88, 451-460.

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