how to help underprivileged students essay

Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

How to Help Low-Income Students Succeed

With all of the talk of education reform and what’s needed to revitalize public schools, it’s refreshing to read Paul Tough’s new book, Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why . In this slim volume, Tough pulls together decades of social science research on the impacts of poverty and trauma on kids’ brains and behavior, and makes a cogent, convincing argument for why this research should lie at the center of any discussions about reform.

Researchers have found that the chronic stress of living in chaotic, impoverished environments affects brain centers involved in executive functioning, which controls things like attention, working memory, planning, reasoning, and inhibition. Children who grow up in stressful environments tend to have more emotional and behavioral problems , making the transition to school problematic. Yet, as Tough points out, more than 50 percent of school-aged kids are now coming from low-income families, without the optimal cognitive or emotional development to succeed as students.

Disadvantaged kids with neuro-cognitive problems should not be blamed for having trouble learning to read and write early on, he writes. It’s understandable that, as academic material gets more difficult, they will likely fall behind further, emotionally and relationally. When these kids hit adolescence, though, they often are labeled as unmotivated or as having attitude problems, which just alienates them even more.

Though the picture looks dire, character strengths like perseverance, conscientiousness, self-control, and optimism can help kids succeed in spite of hardship, according to Tough. They are not easily taught, though, at least not directly. Instead, contextual influences in the environment are what nurture them.

“If we want to improve a child’s grit or resilience or self-control, it turns out that the place to begin is not with the child himself,” writes Tough. “What we need to change first, it seems, is his environment.”

The role of parents

What does Tough mean by environment? The adults in a child’s life, starting at the very beginning with parents.

Research has shown that all young children need certain types of supports from parents to develop in positive directions—starting with consistent, safe, and loving attention. When children come from homes where there is abuse, domestic violence, an incarcerated parent, or a parent with drug or mental health problems, they don’t get that kind of attention and suffer the consequences: higher risks of later-life depression, adolescent pregnancy, alcoholism, drug use, and poor academic performance.

Parents can also shape their children’s life trajectory by how they role-model emotional resilience. If stressed-out parents react to children’s emotions by yelling at or hitting them, or ignoring or neglecting them, they create an unsafe environment that ratchets up the children’s stress and distrust of others. Negative parenting can affect a child’s ability to regulate emotion, which creates problems in interpersonal interactions as well as learning.

“By contrast, parents who are able to help their children handle stressful moments and calm themselves down after a tantrum or scare often have a profoundly positive effect on the children’s long-term ability to manage stress,” writes Tough.

Rather than focusing on heartwarming stories, Tough chooses to spend time detailing the types of interventions that show promise. Programs like FIND , which trains parent coaches to work with low-income, stressed parents, focus less on pointing out what parents do wrong and more on what parents do right, in order to nudge parents toward behaviors that help their kids.

The role of schools

Tough also describes successful programs aimed at preschool-aged kids—like Educare , All Our Kin , and CSRP , all of which focus on improving the learning environment for young kids (rather than direct skills training). In a randomized trial of CSRP , children who spent a pre-K year in CSRP had better cognitive skills and better self-regulation—the ability to sit still, follow directions, and pay attention—than kids who hadn’t gone through CSRP. The improvements were all credited to the stable, nurturing, predictable learning environment, where good behavior was recognized more than bad behavior punished.

“Changing the environment in the classroom made it easier for [the kids] to learn,” writes Tough.

For older kids, Tough eschews our current tactic of offering students extrinsic rewards, and instead encourages teachers to nurture intrinsic motivation, fueled by the basic human need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness (or connection) . Tough suggests teachers assign tasks that are challenging, but not too challenging; minimize coercion and control; and show warmth and respect for students , so they feel part of the learning community.

“These motivational dynamics can play an even greater role in the school experience of low-income students, especially those whose development has been affected by early exposure to toxic stress,” he writes. Punitive policies targeting behavioral problems have been shown to backfire, he adds, putting kids even further behind their peers.

In other words, motivation to learn has little to do with grit and more to do with the learning environment. Tough recounts an experiment by David Yeager and colleagues in which teachers provided feedback to students on their essays and then added a Post-it that said either the comments were given as feedback or the comments reflected the teacher’s high expectations for the student. This relatively small difference had a profound effect, particularly on black students: 72 percent revised their paper if they were told the teacher had high expectations, while only 17 percent revised it otherwise.

“At the very moment when a student might be gearing up to react to the teacher’s comments as a threat, a sign of the teacher’s personal disapproval or bias, the Post-it gave the student an alternative frame through which to view those comments—not as an attack, in other words, but as a vote of confidence,” writes Tough.

It’s also important that teachers provide challenge to students, says Tough. He highlights some of the innovative programs that are working on creating a positive learning environment, both relationally and academically. EL Education is a research-based program that helps schools work with emotionally or behaviorally challenged students in therapeutic ways, then provides curriculum allowing students more autonomy and challenge. Independent evaluators have found that schools embracing EL Education programs significantly advance students’ reading and math abilities in comparison to other schools.

But of course these are only isolated programs, albeit ones that are growing in influence. Though science may inform positive reforms, the reforms may be difficult to scale up, even if they are effective. Education experts have a long history of imposing well-meaning but ineffective policy changes on schools, and the authority to reform schools often lies within each state or even within individual school districts. .

But Tough is hopeful. If we can change our policies and our practices in the classroom, and work with researchers devoted to finding ways to help our children, we can “make a tremendous difference, not only in the lives of individual children and their families, but in our communities and our nation as a whole.”

His book may just help get us there.

About the Author

Jill Suttie

Jill Suttie, Psy.D. , is Greater Good ’s former book review editor and now serves as a staff writer and contributing editor for the magazine. She received her doctorate of psychology from the University of San Francisco in 1998 and was a psychologist in private practice before coming to Greater Good .

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5 Concrete Ways to Help Students Living in Poverty

As educators, we come across a vast number of students from all walks of life. In Statistics On How Poverty  Affects Children in Schools ,  author Jana Sosnowski shared, “Approximately one in five children in the United States live in poverty, according to the American Psychological Association, a status that affects more than housing status and food supply.” This is something that has triggered lots of talk about educational reform.

Many circumstances students living in poverty encounter are beyond their control. They can face many challenges that affect their  brain development, emotional well-being, relationships with others, and school achievement . When serving in schools with students who are living in poverty, it is important to know how to do our best to help and empower our students.

Check out these 5 concrete ways to help students living in poverty.

1. Have high expectations.

When you have students who are living in poverty, compassion is important. But, it does students an injustice if you do not hold them to high expectations. As educators, we want our students to do their best and succeed in our class and life. Holding students to high expectations allows them to work toward reachable goals that can empower them with intrinsic motivation. This is important because once a student leaves your class, hopefully, you have instilled in them the power to work hard toward their goals and rise to the occasion.

Here are 4 ideas to try.

• Give students the opportunity to set goals . Then, coach them to achieve their goals.
• Hold students accountable for classroom expectations. Have conversations about why they are important to follow.
• Expect the best out of students when it comes to their work.
• Be a role model. Share your goals and high expectations for yourself with your students.

2. Expose students to places outside of the classroom.

Many times students’ experiences can be limited due to their means and their parents/caregivers experiences. It is integral to show students the world around them and open their eyes to what the world has to offer.

Here are 4 ideas to try.

• Teach students about different career options, arts-related or not.
• Bring in artists and other career professionals to speak to your class.
• Get students off school grounds and take a field trip to a local museum.
• Use the web to take a virtual field trip through museum websites or videos.

Finally, be sure to connect learning in the classroom to real life experiences. This will truly enhance your students’ perspective as they learn and move through life.

3. Build relationships with your students and their families.

Building relationships is a key aspect when it comes to a creating a positive learning environment. It also helps foster mutual respect and trust with your students and their families. One factor those living in poverty often face is high mobility due to unstable living situations. Be a source of consistency. Let your students and families know they can trust you and make them feel welcome.

If you’re interested, we have a PRO Learning Pack dedicated to building positive relationships . You can explore a variety of activities for building trust and engagement including how to use art processes to build positive social and emotional skills.

4. Teach them social-emotional learning strategies.

Students who live in poverty can have trouble focusing in school because of things troubling them in their personal lives. It’s important to teach positive social and emotional skills that can build trust, respect, community, and personal growth. These skills can also help students learn to regulate their feelings and transition to a mindset ready for learning. Let’s take a look at three ideas.

Breathing Techniques

A great way to teach students how to regulate their emotions is to take a step back and do some breathing techniques. If your school does not already teach breathing techniques, you can easily do this in your classroom.

3 Strategies to Try:

• Beach Ball Have students pretend they are holding an imaginary beach ball. When they inhale they pretend the ball is expanding. While they exhale they pretend the ball is squeezing inward.
• Square This breathing technique simply has students take their finger and trace a square in front of them in the air. As students make the first line for the top of the square, they inhale. As students make the second line of the square going down, they exhale and so on. You can repeat this as many times as you want.
• Bunny Breath This is a great breathing strategy, especially for your youngest students. Have your students pretend to be rabbits. They will need to take three quick sniffs in the nose, and one long exhale out the nose.

Calm Down Corner

A Calm Down Corner is a space in your classroom that allows students who are not regulated or in the proper mindset to begin learning to go and regulate themselves. You can have students use a stress ball, glitter bottles, or breathing techniques to begin to calm down. You may also want to have a self-reflection sheet available to help students process their feelings.

Classroom Circles

One way to build community is through  classroom circles . This technique involves students getting in a circle and sharing based on a prompt given by the teacher.

Here is how it works:

• Students get in a circle with the teacher. Ground rules should be shared to promote trust, respect, and honesty.
• The teacher shares a prompt for students to answer.
• The only person talking must hold a “talking piece.” This practice allows each student to have a turn without interruption.
• When everyone who wants to speak has spoken, the teacher can close the circle and thank the students for sharing.

In general ed circles, sometimes this technique is practiced daily. However, if you are a teacher who doesn’t see your students every day, you could try implementing it once or twice a month.

5. Create a positive classroom culture

Making sure you have a classroom that exudes positivity and community is important. Be sure to teach your students to be compassionate and respectful toward one another. It can be helpful to have specific conversations about not judging others, especially on outward appearances. Team building exercises, modeling kindness, having mutual respect, and sharing the importance of accepting others are great ways to make this happen in your classroom.

Overall, students living in poverty are just like other children, but they can encounter limitations and barriers that make it harder to learn. We must do our best to make sure each child knows how special they are and that no matter what problems they may face, there is someone who loves and believes in them.

What tips do you have for teachers working with students living in poverty?

Do you use social-emotional strategies in the classroom?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Wynita Harmon

Wynita Harmon is AOEU’s Chair of Faculty Development and a former AOEU Writer and elementary school art educator.

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How to improve education for low-income students

Subscribe to the economic studies bulletin, stuart m. butler stuart m. butler senior fellow - economic studies.

January 5, 2016

Americans have long believed that the combination of a solid education and hard work is the key to achieving the American Dream. That’s true, but there are impediments to the smooth operation of the traditional formula for upward economic mobility that researchers on both the left and the right agree need to be addressed.

One is the changing structure of families, which can derail progress for some. Another is the challenge for many workers of making enough to support their families and move up the economic ladder. And yet another is that our education system is not delivering what is needed for millions of Americans to succeed.

Education was once thought of as the great equalizer by giving everyone a similar start in life. But too often it becomes a contributor to inequality by failing those who start out nearer the bottom – those who already face deficits in early learning and development. For example, although public high school graduation rates are now improving , there remain big gaps related to race and income. Moreover, a high school diploma typically is no longer enough in the modern economy, and so a college credential matters . But there again, there are large income and racial gaps in graduation. And although a college degree continues on average to produce a good income return on investment, even for students with loans , high drop-out rates and tuition and debt worries seem among the reasons there has been a startling drop in college enrollment among low-income students in recent years.

But behind the averages there are some creative bright lights that suggest the patterns can be reversed for low-income students. For instance, a recent analysis of New York’s public “small high schools of choice” found markedly higher graduation rates for disadvantaged students of color. A review of 6000 charter schools suggests they can boost graduation in college as well as high school and significantly raise future earnings. Studies indicate that some school partnerships with employers, such as Career Academies and apprenticeship programs , can also prepare young people more effectively for college and the workforce. And newly designed and low-cost colleges such as College for America, using more online courses, appear to be delivering good results at much less cost.

So how can we encourage more such innovation in education for low-income students? How do we discover what really works for these students who are being let down by the current education system? And how can we incorporate and replicate successful approaches?

It needs several steps. One is to improve the collection of data and conduct more rigorous evaluations of promising experiments. That’s harder than one might think. Many innovators don’t have the needed data infrastructure , and proper evaluations are much too rare. But investing in gold-standard evaluation is critical to enable schools and colleges to identify and incorporate proven reforms.

Parents and students also need useful and reliable quality data to drive change by being informed customers. That’s also often lacking, but it is slowly improving. Most states now have federal grants to develop data systems to help track students over time. The federal government has also been beefing up its college scorecard , and federal data on student borrowers is being analyzed to reveal more information on student outcomes. These developments will eventually make it much easier for students to shop for a school and major that will pay off.

As a second step, there needs to be more flexibility in budgets at all levels of government to allow educational innovations to be explored and services to be customized for students. One example of this is the growing opportunity for children in cities like Washington D.C. to attend a wide range of charter schools. Another is “ two-generation ” approaches that work with parents as well as children and provide “wraparound” services. These may yield improvements in educational results as well as household economic mobility, especially if the school functions as a community hub.

But for two-generation models to operate well, money from different agencies and program categories has to be braided together. Usually that requires overcoming bureaucratic and often legal hurdles. When these integrated approaches are tried, however, we also need careful evaluations to understand what does and doesn’t work before they are scaled up.

A third necessary step is to remove legislative and institutional obstacles to new ways of doing things in education. That can be very difficult in higher education, where the accreditation system imposes barriers to entry into the market for creative new business models – thus making it easier for established institutions to stymie competition.

Accreditation is also a requirement for federal student aid. Fortunately the power of the accreditors may be slowly declining as some established colleges are forming partnerships with providers of massive open online courses (MOOCs). Other low-cost innovators with industry backers who recognize course credentials are able to ignore accreditation as a measure of quality. Furthermore, the federal government is now taking welcome steps to open up the higher education market to greater competition.

Good education empowers Americans to move up the economic ladder. But today the education system fails millions of low-income students and is no longer the great opportunity equalizer.So it is time to take some sorely needed actions to shake things up.

Editor’s note: this piece first appeared in Real Clear Markets .

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Helping Others — Helping the Poor and Needy

Helping The Poor and Needy

• Categories: Community Service Helping Others

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How We Can Strengthen Schools Serving Low-Income Children

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Changes in the American economy pose enormous challenges for America’s public schools and the dream of socioeconomic mobility for low-income families.

By upgrading the skills required by hundreds of middle-class occupations, technology has increased what the nation asks of its schools. At the same time, growing income inequality has affected where families live and how much money they can spend to nurture their children’s abilities. These changes have placed great strains on America’s decentralized approach to public education, particularly in schools serving large numbers of children from low-income families.

An obvious advantage of a higher family income is that it enables parents to spend more money on books, computers, high-quality child care, summer camps, music lessons, private schooling, and other enrichment opportunities for their children.

Researchers have reported that, in the early 1970s, the richest 20 percent of families spent about $3,000 more per child per year (in 2012 dollars) on child enrichment than did the poorest 20 percent. By 2006, this gap had nearly tripled, to $8,000 per child per year. This adds up to a $100,000 spending gap over the course of a child’s primary and secondary school career—a huge amount.

Enrichment experiences matter because they help children acquire the vocabulary and background knowledge critical to achieving the high levels of literacy needed for many kinds of well-paying work.

Less obvious is that, as income inequality has increased, so has the residential isolation of low- and high-income families. Relative to 40 years ago, poor families are now more likely to be surrounded by other poor families, while high-income families are similarly isolated. Because most children still attend schools close to their homes, rising residential segregation has led to increasing concentrations of low- and high-income children attending separate schools. The resulting changes in the composition of student enrollments have shaped how schools function and contributed to the increasing gap between the achievement and completed schooling of children growing up in families at opposite ends of the income scale.

It will be extraordinarily difficult to reverse the growth in inequality in educational outcomes in the United States. Yet, there are educational initiatives, conducted at considerable scale, that have improved results for low-income children. Our recent book Restoring Opportunity features three such initiatives: the Boston pre-K program, the campuses of the University of Chicago charter school, and New York City’s small schools of choice. Rigorous evaluations show that these innovative and quite-durable programs, all of which change children’s daily school experiences, improve the life chances of children from poor families.

All of these initiatives operate in environments characterized by consistently strong school supports and sensible accountability. For example, all provide rich opportunities for teachers and school leaders to improve their skills. All require that teachers take advantage of these opportunities and demonstrate to their colleagues that they share the collective mission of educating every student well.

Consistent supports and sensible accountability are essential complements because, without supports for improved instruction, accountability can be counterproductive. And, supports alone typically are not enough to improve schooling because even hard-working, well-intentioned educators (like most adults) are slow to embrace change.

The initiatives we highlight are exceptions; relatively few low-income children experience such good education. Yet, recent changes in American education provide building blocks for increasing the number of effective schools serving high concentrations of low-income students. They include the widespread, if fragile, embrace of the Common Core State Standards, growing acceptance of accountability, and advances in research-based knowledge.

The common-core standards outline the skills in English/language arts and mathematics that American students are expected to master at each grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade. As of this writing, 43 states and the District of Columbia have adopted these standards, which set goals that are considerably higher than the accomplishments of most American students, especially those from low-income families.

There are educational initiatives, conducted at considerable scale, that have improved results for low-income children."

Carefully designed to reflect the latest research, the standards can offer teachers and school leaders a fundamental school support: clarity about the conceptual and procedural skills children should master in each grade. And the assessments that two consortia of states are developing to measure students’ mastery of the common-core standards can provide another critical school aid: detailed information for teachers about children’s mastery of essential skills and knowledge.

Over the last 20 years, it has come to be almost universally accepted that schools should be judged by their effectiveness in educating all students—an important step forward for disadvantaged children.

A well-designed accountability system promotes a willingness to use resources in new ways and offers incentives for school faculties to work together to develop the skills of every student. All of the schools described in our book face external accountability pressures—for example, schools participating in the Boston pre-K program were pressed to obtain certification from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The elementary and high schools that we highlight were required to demonstrate progress in preparing students to demonstrate proficiency on statewide English and math examinations.

About This Occasional Series

To recognize the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty , Commentary will run an occasional series of Perspectives on the federal initiative and its impact on schools and children today. See all Commentaries in this series.

As the mounting evidence of the weak effects of the No Child Left Behind Act illustrates, it is extraordinarily difficult to design accountability systems that take into account the intense challenges of educating high concentrations of poor children and at the same time provide incentives for educators to work together to serve all students well. There will be much to learn from states as they incorporate student results on new common-core-based assessments into accountability systems. One litmus test of whether an accountability system is sensible is whether it enables high-poverty schools to attract and retain skilled, experienced teachers.

We caution against letting high-stakes accountability get ahead of the difficult work of providing educators in high-poverty schools with the knowledge and extensive school supports they will need to help their students master the common core. Only if consistent strong supports are in place can accountability improve the education of low-income children.

Accountability efforts in high-poverty schools must encourage and not undercut the shared work that allowed the Boston pre-K program and the Chicago and New York City schools we studied to serve low-income students much more effectively than most high-poverty schools do.

In recent decades, research has increased understanding in many areas relevant to improving schooling, including children’s and adolescents’ developmental needs, the design of effective professional development, and strategies for using formative-assessment results to improve instruction. Insights from research informed the design of the school supports present in the schools we highlight, and they have the potential to benefit other high-poverty schools as well.

While strong school supports are no guarantee that high-poverty schools will develop the social conditions required to attract and retain strong teachers, they are a necessary condition. Organizationwide efforts can enable schools to become places where talented, committed educators want to work, where learning from one another is a daily part of the job, where the adults have the tools to serve children well, and where there are a variety of opportunities to share leadership tasks. Three six-minute videos available on our book’s website illustrate that teaching in a school that is part of the interventions we highlight is very different from the lonely profession described in books by Dan Lortie, Tracy Kidder, and many other authors.

Can the nation’s public schools improve the life chances of low-income children in the 21st century? The answer depends on the nation’s commitment to supporting a broad and comprehensive definition of schooling, its recognition of the immense challenges high-poverty schools face, and its willingness to find ways to provide the consistently strong school supports and sensible accountability necessary for lasting success.

A version of this article appeared in the August 06, 2014 edition of Education Week as Levers of Change for Low-Income Students and Schools

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Five Easy Ways Students Can Help Reduce Poverty

• by Academia Mag
• October 17, 2018
• 6 years ago

Almost 24.3 percent of people in Pakistan live below the international poverty line of $1.90 a day, and the situation doesn’t appear to be getting better with each passing day. Although there are a number reasons that are said to be the basis of abject poverty, a lack of education of generations after generations is one of the key reasons. Now, the question is, how we, as students, can help to reduce poverty?

Education has a direct impact on the fortunes of an individual. It provides greater knowledge and learning to students to afford better paying jobs that help them and their households escape the clutches of poverty. On the contrary, a mason’s son that isn’t offered any education would continue to be a mason, never really amassing the means to turn his fortunes around.

Sadly, those living in conditions of extreme poverty sometimes cannot even afford the most meagre costs associated with the most inexpensive of educations; like those offered at public schools. It is, therefore, the collective responsibility of the community at large to step up efforts to help people living in such conditions gather the means to earn better livelihoods. And helping impoverished households afford education for their children is a great first step.

Considering that students are a vital force of bringing about changes in a society, we list five easy ways students can help reduce poverty and change the fate of millions who are less fortunate than us. On International Day For Eradication of Poverty 2018, it’s time to think beyond our immediate selves.

Volunteer To Teach

One of the simplest ways in which youngsters that have the gift of knowledge can give back to the community is by volunteering to teach at various charity-based schools. Entities like SOS Schools, Door of Awareness etc are doing a great job to impart education to the less privileged and students who already have knowledge under their belts can join hands with them to help the less fortunate. Various other NGOs such as Ocean Welfare Organization and Azad Foundation are working for the education of street children in Pakistan. Students can step in as volunteers and provide street children some of the knowledge that they have amassed during their academic journeys.

Pitch In Money To Buy School Supplies For Poor 

More often than not, poor people lack the resources and financial means for educating their children and are often hard pressed to afford stuff like uniforms and stationery items. For them, education really is an unaffordable luxury. But a little effort from students can help someone afford that luxury. Friends at universities or colleges can get together and create a pool with their pocket monies dedicated to helping such households afford education and related expenses for their children. It is a common issue that poor people just cannot continue the education of their children for want of expensive books and other stationery items and helping them in this respect can ensure that children do not drop of schools over such issues.

Help Fund Someone’s Vocational Training

A university or college education is certainly a costly affair and possibly outside the budget of even the most financially gifted students. However, vocational courses cost much less and friends can pool in to help someone attain skills’ training at such an institution. The training (electrician, cook, mechanic, tailor) received by a sponsored student can up his chances of making a decent livelihood that is both well-paying and sustainable, compare to something like day labouring.

Come Together To Teach Unprivileged Children At Home

If you are still thinking about your budgetary constraints, you can always find a way to help the poor with education from within the comfort of your house. You and your friends can schedule some time to teach poor children from the neighbourhood who otherwise cannot afford education. You can also teach and educate people working at your house, like maids, servants, domestic help etc. If all else seems undoable, you can surely help the children of your helpers to understand the coursework they are taught at their individual schools.  

Gather Friends To Sponsor A Child’s Education 

Even greater would be if a group of friends collectively sponsors a child’s education. Say a fee of Rs 2,000 for a child divided among 10 friends would hardly dent the budget of those students. However, it could be the difference between a lifetime of poverty and a shot at a better life for someone in need.

Numerous NGO’s such as the Citizen’s Foundation organize donation drives for underprivileged children on a monthly basis. They sponsor their education and make them a responsible member of the society. You can either register yourself for such projects or can initiate individual efforts. You can collect money on a monthly basis from your friends and family and can support a child’s education at a local school or college.

Have more ideas about how students and young people can contribute to reduce poverty and making Pakistan a better place through education? Share your thoughts with us.

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How to Nurture a Sense of Belonging for Students With Disabilities

Prioritizing the inclusion of students with disabilities into all aspects of the school community ensures a welcoming learning environment.

School is a place where everyone should feel that they belong. However, for students with disabilities, this has not always been the case—the education system has a long history of exclusion and segregation when it comes to these students. It wasn’t that long ago that there was no expectation that children with disabilities should or could attend public schools, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act changed that by mandating that children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education alongside their peers with and without disabilities in the general education setting or least restrictive environment to the greatest extent possible. This is often easier said than done.

Moving From Exclusion Toward Inclusion

Children with disabilities have been brought into the public school setting amid their same-age peers without disabilities. However, the lives of students with and without disabilities still rarely intersect. In the absence of shared activities, strong social connections are unlikely to form. Integration falls short of fostering true belonging for students with disabilities within their school communities.

While situations have greatly improved, it has been a long journey from exclusion to segregation to integration to inclusion. The journey won’t be complete until we all embrace the next step, a sense of belonging. Belonging comes when each person in the school community feels valued and accepted by their peers and teachers. It is when everyone strives to create connections among students that reciprocal relationships can form and all parties can feel like true members of their school.

Simple Ways to Promote a Sense of Belonging

So how can this be accomplished? As Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Michael McSheehan, and Rae M. Sonnenmeir have written, school community members must go beyond simply allowing students with disabilities to be present in all school activities . They need to take an active role in promoting an atmosphere of belonging. Some can easily be integrated into daily classroom routines. 

Consider the following six options to support a sense of belonging:

• During class discussions, regularly ask students with and without disabilities to share stories of when they felt welcomed by others. Students can learn from each other’s experiences.
• Engineer occasions for students with and without disabilities to collaborate on projects and assignments that offer both independent and group accountability so that students can learn to value every group member.
• Consider how peers can provide natural support to one another. Often adults are assigned to help and support children with disabilities. This can be marginalizing and exclusive. Encourage peers to support their classmates as friends and colleagues, not as helpers.
• Combine “ universal supports ” (those that benefit everyone) and “individualized supports” (those that an individual student might need) to make it more viable to meet the educational needs of all the students, such as visual schedules, timers, and flexible seating options.
• Integrate student choice, goal setting, and preferences into lessons and other class activities every day, such as offering flexible seating during independent work or options for self-assessment like rubrics and checklists for class and homework assignments.
• Make sure that students with disabilities are considered for schoolwide recognition, awards, and accolades available to any student.

When students with and without disabilities have plenty of well-supported opportunities to spend time together within and beyond the classroom, many preconceived notions or misconceptions about people with disabilities can be turned around simply through the experience of sharing space. Sometimes, though, it may take a bit more planning and collaboration. 

Know Your Students and Build Community 

Researcher Eric W. Carter advocates for expanding dimensions of belonging for students with disabilities . One way this can be done is by having teachers work together to create student profiles for all learners that emphasize student strengths. This ensures that everyone knows the positive qualities of students with (and without) disabilities. Ask parents, other teachers, and other students about students’ interests, preferences, desires, likes, dislikes, abilities, and talents. 

Teachers can then use this information to group students for projects, assignments, or other social activities. For instance, rather than randomly grouping students, assign them to groups by a common like or dislike, favorite food, or least favorite school subject. This allows students to connect socially before taking on the assigned task. People tend to collaborate more effectively when they share a connection.

Design the School Environment to Meet Students’ Needs

According to research, creating a true culture of belonging needs to extend beyond the classroom and permeate the entire school environment . Schoolwide efforts might include conducting a walk-through of your school buildings and surrounding areas to identify any physical or environmental barriers that could prevent students with disabilities from accessing the location and the people within it.

Pay attention to how people at your school talk about students with disabilities. Do they emphasize the disability labels over the students? (For example, do they use phrases like “IEP [individualized education program] students” or “special ed students”?) Do they equate disability with deficit? Do their words and actions communicate acceptance and belonging, or do they tend more toward exclusion, discomfort, or intolerance?

Gently and respectfully interrupt these connotations each time you encounter them. Educate people voicing them, rather than scolding. When you hear “IEP students,” respond with “students with disabilities.” If you hear someone describing what a student cannot do, remind them of all the things the student can do.

It’s also helpful to plan schoolwide events and activities aligned with national awareness days and months: Developmental Disabilities (March), Down Syndrome (March 21 and October), Cerebral Palsy (March), Autism (April), Disability Pride Month (July), the UN International Day of Persons With Disabilities (December 3), and Inclusive Schools (December). 

With our long history of exclusion and segregation of students with disabilities in education, shifting to a sense of belonging may feel like a big leap. We have come a long way, but we have a bit further to go.

Underprivileged Children: What Can We Do For Them?

Helping the Poor

Published July 26, 2021

For most people in the US, the term “underprivileged children” often evokes an image of emaciated children from far-off continents. You may feel pity for them but you don’t really give them much thought. Poverty, after all, is an inevitable part of society and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Yes, poverty is inevitable and even the wealthiest countries have underprivileged children. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to ease their plight. Remember that even the smallest drop of water can cause ripples in the ocean.

But before we talk about what we can do for these children, let’s first delve deep into what being underprivileged really means.

What Makes Someone “Underprivileged”?

From the term itself, “underprivileged” children are those who do not enjoy the same advantages or rights as most kids their age. Most of the time, we equate it to being poor.

But being underprivileged is more than just coming from a low-income background. Underprivileged children also often don’t have access to quality education, shelter, healthy food, and medical care. This makes them vulnerable to malnutrition, diseases, and exploitation.

In essence, they are robbed of a normal and happy childhood – something that we can all agree every child deserves.

According to Unicef , there are about 1 billion children around the world that can be categorically called “underprivileged”. In the US alone, nearly 1 in 7 children live in poverty. A majority of them don’t even have access to enough food. While many others are living in shelters, cars, and public places.

While all of their troubles seem to be rooted in poverty, we cannot discount the fact that deep-seated social problems also play a role.

Most underprivileged children came from single-parent families. These parents also didn’t have proper education which leads to limited employment opportunities. They also tend to be more prone to domestic violence from their partners. This, in turn, can leave a huge trauma to their children. And thus, the cycle never ends.

Why Should We Care About Underprivileged Children?

We should care about these children because they are the future. These children will inherit this world. If we let them grow up like this, there’s only a very slim chance they’ll become productive members of society. On the contrary, they’ll most likely become delinquents and a nuisance to the community. Communities that your children and grandchildren will live in.

Remember that these children didn’t have a normal childhood. Poverty can have a complicated but profound effect on a child. As a result, they often struggle with various mental health issues as adults.

Most of them are not capable of developing healthy relationships or even coping with social norms. This makes them less able to hold a steady job and are likely to turn to a life of crime. It’s no wonder then that many of these children end up in the criminal justice system. If we don’t help them now, there’s a good chance that the generations after them will suffer the same too.

So if you want a better world for your children and grandchildren, you should definitely care about these unfortunate kids.

How Can We Help Them?

Growing up poor deprives a child of a lot of things. This is why if we want to help them, the most important things we can do are to:

Educate Them

As mentioned, underprivileged children often have no access to quality education. I mean, how can they prioritize school if they don’t even know where to get their next meal? Most of them also run away from home or are forced to work at a young age. It’s no wonder then that an estimated 2.1 million students drop out of high school in the US every year.

With no high school diploma, job opportunities will be limited. They usually end up working in low-paying jobs that won’t even pay for rent.

This is why education is the most important thing we can give these kids. If we help them go to school (and stay in school), they have a much better chance at a brighter future.

So how can we go about educating them?

There are a lot of non-profit organizations that work on educating less privileged children. You can support them through donations or volunteer your time.

You can also organize fundraising or a book donation drive. If your time allows, you can even tutor them yourself. Ask your local school boards if they have after-school programs you can participate in. Or if you want to help more children, you can also volunteer for NGOs abroad.

Make Them Feel That Someone Still Cares

As mentioned, most underprivileged kids came from dysfunctional families. This often leaves them with various traumas and mental health issues which molds them into dysfunctional adults.

That’s why for children from underprivileged backgrounds, compassion is essential. If we can help them feel that someone still cares, it will not only ease their suffering. We’ll also be helping them become better and responsible adults who can contribute positively to society.

There are a lot of ways to go about this. You can sponsor a child, either from your local community or through a non-profit organization. Participating in a big-brother, small brother program would be a good idea too. It helps provide unfortunate kids the emotional support most of them badly need. Even just treating them with kindness can go a long way.

Fulfill Their Basic Needs

All of us need food, clothing, and shelter. Unfortunately, not all of us have access to them. This is especially true for kids who came from poor backgrounds.

Food banks, soup kitchens, and other charity organizations around the world have programs especially for kids. You can help them by donating cash, food, and clothing items.

If you want a more localized approach, you can also organize food drives or a fundraising event in your church or community. Donate the proceeds to orphanages, homeless shelters, and struggling families. You can also start a feeding program for kids from public schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

These are just some of the things we can do for disadvantaged children. We still have a long way to go to give every child the normal and comfortable childhood they deserve. But if we can give even just one child the chance of a better future, then it’s a step in the right direction.

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The New York Times

Magazine | i was a low-income college student. classes weren’t the hard part., i was a low-income college student. classes weren’t the hard part..

By ANTHONY ABRAHAM JACK SEPT. 10, 2019

Schools must learn that when you come from poverty, you need more than financial aid to succeed.

The Disappearing Schools of Puerto Rico

The koch foundation is trying to reshape foreign policy. with liberal allies., what college admissions offices really want.

N ight came early in the chill of March. It was my freshman year at Amherst College, a small school of some 1,600 undergraduates in the hills of western Massachusetts, and I was a kid on scholarship from Miami. I had just survived my first winter, but spring seemed just as frigid. Amherst felt a little colder — or perhaps just lonelier — without the money to return home for spring break like so many of my peers.

At that moment, however, I thought less of home and more about the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. I walked past Valentine Hall, the cafeteria, its large windows ghostly in the moonlight. Only the emergency exit signs blazed red in the darkness. There was just enough light to see the chairs stacked on top of the tables and the trays out of reach through the gates that barred me from entry. Amherst provided no meals during holidays and breaks, but not all of us could afford to leave campus. After my first year, I knew when these disruptions were coming and planned for hungry days, charting them on my calendar.

Back home in Miami, we knew what to do when money was tight and the family needed to be fed. At the time, in the late ’90s, McDonald’s ran a special: 29-cent hamburgers on Wednesdays and 39-cent cheeseburgers on Sundays. Without that special, I am not sure what we would have done when the week outlasted our reserves before payday. But up at Amherst, there was no McDonald’s special, no quick fix.

I worked extra shifts as a gym monitor to help cover the unavoidable costs of staying on campus during breaks. At the gym, the vending machines were stocked with Cheetos and Yoo-hoos, welcome complements to the ham-and-cheese and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches I got from CVS; there are no corner stores or bodegas in Amherst. Not so welcome was the air conditioning on full force in the gym, despite lingering mounds of snow outside. I would check in 20 or so people during my 10-hour shifts, mostly faculty and staff who lived in the area. I recognized them, but they didn’t pay me much mind. Friends would not return until the Friday and Saturday before classes began again. Many came back tan. But what I noticed more was how so many of them returned rested — how different our holidays had been.

We like to think that landing a coveted college spot is a golden ticket for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. We think less critically about what happens next. I lived this gap as a first-generation college student. And I returned to it as a first-generation graduate student, spending two years observing campus life and interviewing more than 100 undergraduates at an elite university. Many students from low-income families described having to learn and decode a whole new set of cues and terms like professors’ “office hours” (many didn’t know what they were or how to use them), and foreign rituals like being invited to get coffee with an instructor (and not knowing whether they were expected to pay) — all those moments between convocation and commencement where college life is actually lived.

Now, as a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, I teach a course I’ve titled C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) — borrowing the title of that still-relevant Wu-Tang Clan track — in which we examine how poverty shapes the ways in which many students make it to and through college. Admission alone, as it turns out, is not the great equalizer. Just walking through the campus gates unavoidably heightens these students’ awareness and experience of the deep inequalities around them.

I’ve spent half my life in Miami and the other half in Massachusetts. One 20-minute phone call with an Amherst football coach when I was a high school senior, and a college brochure that arrived two days later, brought this dual citizenship into existence. I can still hear my brother asking, “What is an Amherst?” We didn’t have internet at home, so we had to wait to get to the school computer lab before we could look up the unfamiliar name. We learned that the “H” was as silent as my brother was when he found out a United States president — Calvin Coolidge — was an alumnus, and so was the eminent black physician Dr. Charles Drew. Now maybe his baby brother could be one, too.

The path from Miami to Massachusetts was not one that everyone around me could see. I attended George Washington Carver Middle School, which had an International Baccalaureate program, in my neighborhood, Coconut Grove. But the summer before I started at Carver, I took some summer school electives at Ponce de Leon Middle School, our zoned school, where my mom worked as a security guard and which she helped to desegregate in the ’60s. Before the starting bell one day, an assistant principal from Carver saw me goofing around with some friends from around the way. She strode over and said to me, “You don’t have the potential to be a Carverite.”

That assistant principal saw black, boisterous boys and deemed us, and me, less than . She didn’t see my drive to succeed. My family didn’t have much, but since my days in Head Start, I was always a top performer in every subject. During one rough patch, I stayed home from school for a few days when we couldn’t afford all the supplies needed to carry out my science-fair experiment on bulb voltage and battery life. I developed my hypotheses and outlined my proposed methods without the materials and had everything ready to go when we were able to afford the supplies. I missed the ribbon but got the A. So on that summer morning when the assistant principal admonished me, anger welled up inside me, but I couldn’t let it show. That would have just played into her preconceived notion of who — or rather, what — I was. I had to prove her wrong. I had to prove myself right.

But even as I write these words, I’m aware that this is exactly the kind of story that poor, black and Latinx students are conditioned to write for college application essays. In everyday life, as the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote, we “wear the mask that grins and lies” that “hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,” but when we write these all-important essays we are pushed — by teachers, counselors and anyone who gives advice — to tug the heartstrings of upper-middle-class white admissions officers. “Make them cry,” we hear. And so we pimp out our trauma for a shot at a future we want but can’t fully imagine.

At Coral Gables Senior High, I was the safe friend in the eyes of my friends’ mothers. The nerdy, chubby kid who geeked out to novels and cartoons did not pose as much of a threat as his less bookish football teammates. But being the safe friend couldn’t protect me any more than anyone else from the dangers all around us.

I’m still haunted by the memory of one night when a group of us decided to go to the CocoWalk AMC theater for a movie. We ran into some folks from school near the corner of Frow and Elizabeth and stopped to joke and roast one another. Then, up ahead at the corner, we heard raised voices. We could make out three men starting to fight. As we watched, frozen, one picked up a cinder block and heaved it down on the head of another man on the ground. An angry voice rang out in our direction: “Who dat is down there?!” Terrified, we sprinted away behind the nearby houses. After seconds that felt like forever, doors slammed and a car sped off. We came out only after the roar of dual exhaust pipes faded away and raced home in the opposite direction, knowing better than to stay and invite questions.

Once I was at Amherst, the phone would ring with news of similar nights. I would be reading a novel for class or reviewing my chemistry notes for a test when my mother’s ring tone, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” by the Tokens, would break the silence. Something in her “Hey, Tony, you busy?” let me know I was about to share in the emotional burden that bad news brings. My family didn’t understand how disruptive those calls could be. Neither did I, really. No one had ever left. We normally went through these events together. But I was no longer able to help figure out when the coast was clear, to investigate the flashing police lights. I always wondered, unnerved, just how close my family was to whatever prompted such a call. I was away. They were still there.

Neighborhoods are more than a collection of homes and shops, more than uneven sidewalks or winding roads. Some communities protect us from hurt, harm and danger. Others provide no respite at all. This process is not random but the consequence of historical patterns of exclusion and racism. Life in privileged communities means that children traverse safer streets, have access to good schools and interact with neighbors who can supply more than the proverbial cup of sugar. Life in distressed communities can mean learning to distinguish between firecrackers and gunshots.

These starkly different environments have a profound impact on children’s cognitive functioning, social development and physical health. Research on concentrated disadvantage makes it abundantly clear that inequality depresses the mobility prospects of even the brightest kids, with poor black youth disproportionately exposed to neighborhood violence. In his 2010 study of Chicago youth from adolescence to young adulthood, the sociologist Patrick Sharkey, then at New York University and now at Princeton, shows how such violence disrupts learning in ways equivalent to missing two years of schooling. And yet we equate performance on tests with potential, as if learning happens in a vacuum. It doesn’t.

Even if they make it to dorms on leafy-green campuses, disadvantaged students still live in poverty’s long shadow. They worry about those back home just as much as those back home worry about them. At Amherst, I would get messages, in the few moments I had between lunch and lab, announcing that someone needed something: $75 for diabetes medicine or $100 to turn the lights back on. One day a call announced that a $675 mortgage payment needed to be paid. It wasn’t the first time. I was annoyed. I was mad that I was annoyed. Was I not the future they had invested in all these years? Did I have enough to spare? Were they expecting the whole thing? How much time did I have? This was before apps like Venmo that allow you to send money to anyone instantly, so it would take almost three hours, start to finish, to get to the nearest Walmart, on Route 9, to send a bit of spare cash home by MoneyGram. That ride on the B43 bus was as lonely as it was long.

By my junior year, I had secured four jobs in addition to monitoring and cleaning the gym. My financial-aid officer didn’t understand why I worked so many jobs or why I picked up even more hours at times. That fall, right after Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, I was called in to the financial-aid office. They wanted to discuss my work schedule and to tell me that they would be reaching out to my bosses to let them know I needed to cut back hours. I was working too much; that’s what the work-study rules said.

I pleaded with them not to. I needed the money. More truthfully, my family and I did. One responsibility of being the one who leaves is sending remittances back, a reality that many of us who are the first to venture away from home know all too well. I assured the officials I was handling all my work. In truth, I was really just pushing through; I became a robot, hyperscheduled and mechanical in my interactions. My grades were good, and so I thought I was good. I worried that if I worked less, I would not be able to help my family recover from the storms, let alone get through all their everyday emergencies. But if I was their safety net, I had none.

[ What college admissions offices really want .]

I was surprised this spring when I learned about the College Board’s new Environmental Context Dashboard, renamed Landscape , a set of measures for colleges to use in admissions that takes into consideration students’ neighborhood and high school environments, the constellation of influences — individual and institutional — that shape students’ chances at upward mobility. Critics saw this “adversity index,” as it came to be known, as just another attempt by the College Board to maintain its dominance over college admissions or elide the harm that the SAT has inflicted upon generations of youth from disadvantaged communities. (After pressure, the College Board announced it would not combine the neighborhood and school scores into one individual score.)

I hated the SAT. It stole Saturdays from me, especially when I transferred to the private high school where I spent my senior year on a scholarship. And not because I went to tutoring sessions or met with private coaches but because my more privileged peers did, while I passed the hours at home by myself. (I wasn’t doing practice tests either. I couldn’t afford the book.) Those lonely afternoons served as reminders of my poverty and also my precarious future. But now, as a sociologist of education who spent two years interning in the Amherst admissions office, I see the College Board’s new index as a step — and just one step — in the right direction to demonstrate the impact of instability that contributes to differences in performance and social well-being to admissions committees, those gatekeepers of higher education. And at a time when affirmative action is under renewed attack, the index permits an alternative to explicit considerations of race in college admissions by taking into account the ecological factors that are intimately tied to race. The supplemental scores Landscape provides can’t level the playing field, but they offer some context for just how unequal it is.

Colleges have made racial and class diversity into virtues with which they welcome students during orientation and entice alumni to make donations. But students of color and those from lower-income backgrounds often bear the brunt of the tension that exists between proclamation and practice of this social experiment. Schools cannot simply showcase smiling black and brown faces in their glossy brochures and students wearing shirts blaring “First Gen and Proud” in curated videos and then abdicate responsibility for the problems from home that a more diverse class may bring with them to campus. Does this entail going beyond providing tuition, room and board? Yes. It requires colleges and universities to question what they take for granted, about their students and about the institutions themselves. And to do this, they’ll need more than an algorithm. What’s needed is a deeply human touch.

This means ensuring that campus services meet the needs of all students. College can be a difficult time for everyone. Divorces of parents and deaths of grandparents are not uncommon. Counselors and advisers are more or less prepared for these universal types of challenges. But whom do students turn to when they get those 2 a.m. calls bringing news of street violence, eviction or arrests? Hiring more diverse staff and administrators, as well as those who are familiar with these issues, is important in this effort — but this work can’t just be consigned to the diversity dean, who is often the only person of color in the office.

[ Sign up for Race/Related, a weekly newsletter focused on race, identity and culture . ]

College administrations must make a sustained effort to understand the stress and isolation that can define everyday college life for these more vulnerable students. This necessitates more than forming ad hoc committees to produce reports that all too often sit on a dean’s desk collecting dust. Climate or exit surveys can take the pulse of the community and reveal blind spots among administrators, faculty and staff. Officials can hold training sessions to help them face their own racial and class biases. They should also form sustained partnerships with student groups and keep those lines of communication open throughout the school year and across incoming and outgoing classes.

When I was learning to chart the hungry days on my calendar, I was one of the nearly 40 percent of undergraduates who struggle with food insecurity. Before all else, colleges must meet students’ basic needs — it is hard to focus and function when you’re hungry. There are practical and immediate steps that can be tailored to the campus and student body, whether by expanding meal plans, as Connecticut College and Smith College did around recesses in the academic calendar; allowing meal-share programs on campus, like Swipe Out Hunger, which permits students to donate unused dining credits for other students to use; or opening food pantries and food banks, as at Bunker Hill Community College, Appalachian State University and Columbia University.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that in 2016, of the nearly 3.3 million students who were eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), less than half applied. Students in need must navigate not only the bureaucratic red tape to apply but also the double bind of the 20-hour workweek requirement — the minimum to receive SNAP benefits, but also the federal work-study maximum — all while staying in good academic standing.

I knew how to ask for help in college. I understood that it was how you got what you needed. I eventually lobbied Tony Marx, then the president of Amherst, to provide support during spring break, which he agreed to in my junior year. Amherst provided funds for lower-income students to eat in Schwemm’s, the campus coffee shop, and expanded support during other breaks in subsequent years.

But the full weight of my responsibilities, even the most quotidian ones, was often as invisible to me as it was to my adviser and financial-aid officer. And sometimes students like me continue to carry the weight of home long after we graduate and in ways we still aren’t aware of. I got a text from home days before my 32nd birthday — after I’d gone to college, earned my doctorate and secured my position as a professor — asking me to “call DirectTV and take your name off the bill.” I had to ask: “My name on the bill? Since when?” The response: “Since we been living here.”

It had been almost two decades.

Anthony Abraham Jack is an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the author of “The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students.”

More Education

By JONATHAN M. KATZ and DIANA ZEYNEB ALHINDAWI

By BEVERLY GAGE

By PAUL TOUGH

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5 Ways to Support Lower-Income Remote Learners

Suchi Rudra is a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, BBC, and Vice, among other publications.

The futures of lower-income college students are at stake as the pandemic further expands the digital divide. A fall 2020  report  from UCLA’s Center for Neighborhood Knowledge found that lower-income households across the country did not have access to the technologies children need for remote learning, with more than 2 in 5 households lacking access to computers or the internet.

This pandemic-induced achievement gap will likely have major social and economic consequences in the long run. “The digital inequality threatens to widen the racial and income gap as children become adults, thus contributing to an intergenerational reproduction of inequality,” the center’s director, Paul Ong, writes in the report. “To avoid this tragedy, we must act immediately and decisively to close the digital divide.”

As higher education institutions receive another round of federal funding that could potentially be allocated to technology investments, IT departments have a crucial role to play in ensuring digital equity. “If digital inequity is addressed holistically, it paves a path for technology teams to do what they do best: procure, configure, secure, and deploy the equipment and solutions needed,” says Tina Pappas, associate director for innovation and technology at  Rutgers University.

Here’s a look at what that holistic approach could look like.

1. Prioritize Internet Access for Students, on Campus and Off

A New America survey found that 57  percent of college students said it was a challenge to access reliable, high-speed internet in 2020.

While there are many  discounted or free internet packages  available for lower-income college students, keep in mind that  discounted plans are not always the best option, as they may not offer an internet  speed sufficient for streaming lectures or uploading large assignment files.

To serve students who live close by,  a growing number of universities and colleges  are making parking lots into Wi-Fi hotspots.  Washington State University, for example, converted its parking lots  into 600 high-speed Wi-Fi hubs.

For students who live farther away, especially in rural areas where network infrastructure is limited, universities can help bridge the gap by providing their own internet service packages.  Southern State Community College  in Ohio, for example, has a one-to-one  program  that allows students to borrow  Kajeet wireless hotspot devices  and laptops for remote learning. The application process to join is quick and simple, which is important when it comes to ensuring those who lack access to internet can complete the application.

MORE ON EDTECH: Here's 6 ways to close the broadband gap between rural and urban students.

2. Be Intentional When Selecting Devices and Software

Without access to campus computer labs, many underserved students are  painstakingly typing essays from mobile device s and livestreaming lectures to tiny screens. To address the dire need for laptops, nonprofit universities can potentially partner with organizations like  PCs for People , which helps universities purchase low-cost devices in bulk.

Keep in mind that technology solutions should be flexible. “We don’t live in a one-size-fits-all world,” Pappas says. “Some students might benefit from a laptop preloaded with course software to work from home. Others might need an environment conducive to getting work done, like a library or computer lab.”

MORE ON EDTECH: These are the questions to ask before you start a one-to-one program.

Higher education IT teams can play a strategic role by taking the time to understand what lower-income students need before creating solutions to help them. Pappas describes this as “intentionally issued equipment.”

“The most critical factors to consider need to come from listening to your students. No strategy will succeed without direct input from the people you’re trying to assist,” she says. “Issuing iPads over laptops, or vice versa, can either be tremendously impactful or a poor investment. What we’re delivering should align with what will be most useful for the student.”

Many classes also require specific equipment and software. To ensure that devices in one-to-one programs meet the minimum specs required for all courses and majors, universities may want to consult an education strategist from a business analyst service. “That depth of visibility enables us to make decisions in ways that would be impossible for any single institution to replicate,” Pete Koczera, a former senior manager of education strategy and transformation at  CDW•G , writes in  a blog . “That’s proved to be valuable as colleges have sought to roll out new devices to support remote work and learning.”

3. Offer Accessible Technical and Personal Support

Without the familiar in-classroom structure and in-person support from instructors and advisers, underserved students can feel especially isolated and unmotivated. This leads to less engagement, lower grades and a higher risk of dropping out. A May 2020 survey by  The Education Trust  reported that only 43 percent of lower-income students could attend virtual office hours during the times the services were offered. For these students, after-hours tech support may mean the difference between passing and failing.

To ensure successful adoption of remote learning technologies, IT teams should remember that lower-income students have varying levels of tech literacy. “What does usability look like for the communities we are serving? We have to think about digital and physical accessibility,” Pappas says. “The goal here is to do more than provide technology. We need to think through how we can help them use the technology most effectively.”

She suggests offering training sessions on how to effectively use digital tools, as well as ongoing support with extended hours to field questions and technical issues. For short-staffed IT teams,  a managed service provider can help fill after-hours support gaps.

Chatbots  can also step in to provide additional help.

MORE ON EDTECH: Universities use AI chatbots to improve student services.

4. Connect with Students Effectively by Streamlining Communications

When offering support, universities must first know let those in need of assistance know that support exists. Pappas recommends that schools integrate various channels of communication into a single reliable stream, like an app or a student portal. Rutgers, for example, implemented  Salesforce  to streamline support management. This allows students to use social media, chatbots and text messaging to request help with accounting, advising, transcripts, financial aid and more. All requests are funneled into a single queue and attended to by staff on standby.

“Having a single, consistent hub for information is ideal. It allows you to create multiple ways to engage and drive students to a single source of information,” Pappas says. “It’s no small effort to develop this kind of communications system, but it’s an important and impactful strategy.”

Tina Pappas associate director for innovation and technology, Rutgers University

5. Make It Easier for Underserved Prospective Students to Apply

When designing and deploying outreach solutions and support methods, keep lower-income applicants in mind. A  National Student Clearinghouse report  found that two-year public institutions — which largely serve lower-income students — saw a 21 percent decline in first-year enrollment during fall 2020. Pell Grant applications from students whose families have incomes of $25,000 or less  also declined by more than 7 percent.

“There are a number of changes that need to be made to improve the process to even apply to college,” Pappas says. “There are confusing digital application forms, complicated payment systems, onerous financial aid processes. These are process problems — facilitated by sometimes antiquated technology –– and are more negatively impactful for underprivileged populations.

“Digital inequity has been a critical problem since the dawn of the digital age. It’s an extension of systemic inequity,” Pappas says. “The pandemic just gave the issue the visibility it’s deserved for a long time.”

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6 College Application Essay Tips for First-Gen Students

by j9robinson | Oct 17, 2015

 Advice for Students Who Are Underrepresented for Whatever Reason: Tell Your Personal Story

In my previous post , I shared my experience working with teachers and students from the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, where I’m giving a series of workshops on how to write college application essays.

It was my first time working with a large number of students who were mainly from underrepresented backgrounds. Most of the students were Hispanic and would be the first to attend college in their families.

I wanted to share some insights, tips and advice on what I learned, in case this helps other similar students struggling with their essays.

Here are 6 Essay Writing Tips for Students from Underprivileged or Underrepresented Backgrounds

ONE: Students who come from underprivileged backgrounds can be more reluctant to open up and reveal their tribulations, pain and vulnerability. Many believe they need to show only their strengths and victories. They are rightfully proud and don’t want to appear weak, deficient or complaining.

However, colleges are eager to hear about the obstacles students have faced, and their real-life stories of hardship, and these essays are the perfect place to share them. The best college application essays are almost always highly personal. (more…)

Creating a College-Bound Culture along the Texan Border

by j9robinson | Oct 16, 2015

 First-Gen Students Learn to Write College Application Essays

Last month, I had the privilege to work with a group of teachers and students on their writing and college application essays from the Rio Grande Valley in the southernmost tip of Texas.

Almost all of the 50-some English teachers and 165 students were Hispanic, and most of the kids will be the first in their families to attend college.

The College Essay Writing Workshop, which is a four-part series of workshops for the most promising students from 30 high schools in the Valley, was sponsored by the  Texas Graduate Center , which is an initiative of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation (a non-profit community organization), and the  Region One GEAR UP Program , whose mission is to help create a college-bound culture in this part of the U.S.

Earlier in the year, their students toured top colleges and universities around the country, including Harvard, Princeton and other ivies.

During these visits, the admissions officers from the various schools told the sponsors one thing over and over: The college application essay played a huge part in who they accepted, and urged them to help their students write better ones.

So they got in touch with me.

This is me working with a student.

I’d never spent time in that part of Texas, where the Rio Grande river winds up along the border between the U.S. and Mexico. It’s been in the news lately, mainly as ground zero in the U.S. for the flood of illegal immigrants, many children, fleeing unrest in Central America, and violence in Mexico due to drug-related activity. (more…)

Should You Write About Your Job?

by j9robinson | May 21, 2015

Colleges Encourage Students to Write About $ and Work in College Application Essays

The New York Times today published the seven college application essays it liked the best for its contest about writing on the topic of money.

Most of the winners wrote about their experiences facing various types of financial hardship and challenges.

They are worth reading simply as sample essays , which could give you ideas for topics of your own. (more…)

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How does education affect poverty?

For starters, it can help end it.

Aug 10, 2023

Access to high-quality primary education and supporting child well-being is a globally-recognized solution to the cycle of poverty. This is, in part, because it also addresses many of the other issues that keep communities vulnerable.

Education is often referred to as the great equalizer: It can open the door to jobs, resources, and skills that help a person not only survive, but thrive. In fact, according to UNESCO, if all students in low-income countries had just basic reading skills (nothing else), an estimated 171 million people could escape extreme poverty. If all adults completed secondary education, we could cut the global poverty rate by more than half. 

At its core, a quality education supports a child’s developing social, emotional, cognitive, and communication skills. Children who attend school also gain knowledge and skills, often at a higher level than those who aren’t in the classroom. They can then use these skills to earn higher incomes and build successful lives.

Here’s more on seven of the key ways that education affects poverty.

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1. Education is linked to economic growth

Education is the best way out of poverty in part because it is strongly linked to economic growth. A 2021 study co-published by Stanford University and Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University shows us that, between 1960 and 2000, 75% of the growth in gross domestic product around the world was linked to increased math and science skills. 

“The relationship between…the knowledge capital of a nation, and the long-run [economic] rowth rate is extraordinarily strong,” the study’s authors conclude. This is just one of the most recent studies linking education and economic growth that have been published since 1990.

“The relationship between…the knowledge capital of a nation, and the long-run [economic] growth rate is extraordinarily strong.” — Education and Economic Growth (2021 study by Stanford University and the University of Munich)

2. Universal education can fight inequality

A 2019 Oxfam report says it best: “Good-quality education can be liberating for individuals, and it can act as a leveler and equalizer within society.” 

Poverty thrives in part on inequality. All types of systemic barriers (including physical ability, religion, race, and caste) serve as compound interest against a marginalization that already accrues most for those living in extreme poverty. Education is a basic human right for all, and — when tailored to the unique needs of marginalized communities — can be used as a lever against some of the systemic barriers that keep certain groups of people furthest behind. 

For example, one of the biggest inequalities that fuels the cycle of poverty is gender. When gender inequality in the classroom is addressed, this has a ripple effect on the way women are treated in their communities. We saw this at work in Afghanistan , where Concern developed a Community-Based Education program that allowed students in rural areas to attend classes closer to home, which is especially helpful for girls.

Four ways that girls’ education can change the world

Gender discrimination is one of the many barriers to education around the world. That’s a situation we need to change.

3. Education is linked to lower maternal and infant mortality rates

Speaking of women, education also means healthier mothers and children. Examining 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, researchers from the World Bank and International Center for Research on Women found that educated women tend to have fewer children and have them later in life. This generally leads to better outcomes for both the mother and her kids, with safer pregnancies and healthier newborns. 

A 2017 report shows that the country’s maternal mortality rate had declined by more than 70% in the last 25 years, approximately the same amount of time that an amendment to compulsory schooling laws took place in 1993. Ensuring that girls had more education reduced the likelihood of maternal health complications, in some cases by as much as 29%. 

4. Education also lowers stunting rates

Children also benefit from more educated mothers. Several reports have linked education to lowered stunting , one of the side effects of malnutrition. Preventing stunting in childhood can limit the risks of many developmental issues for children whose height — and potential — are cut short by not having enough nutrients in their first few years.

In Bangladesh , one study showed a 50.7% prevalence for stunting among families. However, greater maternal education rates led to a 4.6% decrease in the odds of stunting; greater paternal education reduced those rates by 2.9%-5.4%.  A similar study in Nairobi, Kenya confirmed this relationship: Children born to mothers with some secondary education are 29% less likely to be stunted.

What is stunting?

Stunting is a form of impaired growth and development due to malnutrition that threatens almost 25% of children around the world.

5. Education reduces vulnerability to HIV and AIDS…

In 2008, researchers from Harvard University, Imperial College London, and the World Bank wrote : “There is a growing body of evidence that keeping girls in school reduces their risk of contracting HIV. The relationship between educational attainment and HIV has changed over time, with educational attainment now more likely to be associated with a lower risk of HIV infection than earlier in the epidemic.” 

Since then, that correlation has only grown stronger. The right programs in schools not only reduce the likelihood of young people contracting HIV or AIDS, but also reduce the stigmas held against people living with HIV and AIDS.

6. …and vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change

As the number of extreme weather events increases due to climate change, education plays a critical role in reducing vulnerability and risk to these events. A 2014 issue of the journal Ecology and Society states: “It is found that highly educated individuals are better aware of the earthquake risk … and are more likely to undertake disaster preparedness.… High risk awareness associated with education thus could contribute to vulnerability reduction behaviors.”

The authors of the article went on to add that educated people living through a natural disaster often have more of a financial safety net to offset losses, access to more sources of information to prepare for a disaster, and have a wider social network for mutual support.

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to education — and growing

Last August, UNICEF reported that half of the world’s 2.2 billion children are at “extremely high risk” for climate change, including its impact on education. Here’s why.

7. Education reduces violence at home and in communities

The same World Bank and ICRW report that showed the connection between education and maternal health also reveals that each additional year of secondary education reduced the chances of child marriage — defined as being married before the age of 18. Because educated women tend to marry later and have fewer children later in life, they’re also less likely to suffer gender-based violence , especially from their intimate partner. 

Girls who receive a full education are also more likely to understand the harmful aspects of traditional practices like FGM , as well as their rights and how to stand up for them, at home and within their community.

Fighting FGM in Kenya: A daughter's bravery and a mother's love

Marsabit is one of those areas of northern Kenya where FGM has been the rule rather than the exception. But 12-year-old student Boti Ali had other plans.

Education for all: Concern’s approach

Concern’s work is grounded in the belief that all children have a right to a quality education. Last year, our work to promote education for all reached over 676,000 children. Over half of those students were female. 

We integrate our education programs into both our development and emergency work to give children living in extreme poverty more opportunities in life and supporting their overall well-being. Concern has brought quality education to villages that are off the grid, engaged local community leaders to find solutions to keep girls in school, and provided mentorship and training for teachers.

More on how education affects poverty

6 Benefits of literacy in the fight against poverty

Child marriage and education: The blackboard wins over the bridal altar

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10 Ways to Start Helping the Poor

Last Updated: August 14, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Direct Relief and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman . Direct Relief is an award-winning humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries. They focus on helping people affected by emergencies and natural disasters. Direct Relief has been highly rated by Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at University of Pennsylvania, for their effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 500,826 times.

There’s no denying that poverty is a serious concern all over the world, including your own community. How can we as individuals hope to make a difference when facing such a widespread issue, though? Don’t worry—by offering your voice and using your time and resources wisely, there are plenty of ways for you to make a positive impact on the world around you.

Things You Should Know

• Support businesses with a track record of giving back to impoverished communities, like Kroger, The Home Depot, and Johnson & Johnson.
• Donate to charities dedicated to helping those in poverty. Resources like Charity Navigator can help you find high-quality organizations to donate to.
• Support local food banks in your area by donating groceries.

Support businesses that donate to charity.

• The Home Depot
• Johnson & Johnson

Give money to reputable charities.

• Evidence Action Inc
• Haitian Health Foundation
• Amref Health Africa
• Equalize Health
• Tip: Try to make thoughtful purchases when you go out shopping. Before making an impulse buy, ask yourself if you really need the item. Could that money be better used as a charitable donation?

Donate groceries to local food banks.

• Not sure where your local food bank is? If you live in the United States, click here .
• Does your community not have a local food bank? Think about starting one yourself .

Volunteer your time.

• Make meals with groups like Orphan Grain Train or No Kid Hungry
• Build homes with groups like Habitat for Humanity
• Help out at a local soup kitchen
• Volunteer at a homeless shelter [2] X Research source

Distribute meal kits to the local homeless community.

• Pads and tampons
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Start a fundraiser.

• Hosting a collection drive
• Hosting a dance-a-thon
• Organizing a charity BBQ
• Organizing a charity quiz night

Call your government officials.

• Not sure who your local representative is or how to contact them? Check out this website for more information.

Advocate on social media.

• “I’ve been thinking a lot about some of the low-income families in our community. Did you know that United Way offers healthcare support to families in need?”
• “As a new mother myself, it breaks my heart to know that some mothers are struggling to provide for their little ones. I’m grateful and relieved to know that charities like Life of a Single Mom and Bridge of Hope are offering support to this vulnerable community.”

Talk about poverty-related issues with others.

• “Did you know that about 1 in every 6 kids in America is currently experiencing poverty?”
• “Did you know that over 15 million Americans are currently making 50% below the poverty level of income?”
• “I learned recently that over 10% of American families/households don’t have food security.” [5] X Research source

Live empathetically and help others to the best of your ability "We have a responsibility to be aware of others. We need to make justice the norm, not the exception."

Research and learn more about poverty.

• Poverty USA (poverty in America)
• UNICEF (child poverty)
• World Bank (learning poverty)
• World Vision (global poverty)

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://www.giveforms.com/blog/25-companies-that-donate-to-nonprofits
• ↑ https://students.1fbusa.com/pay-it-forward/25-ways-to-volunteer-in-your-community
• ↑ https://portlandrescuemission.org/news/about-homelessness/how-to-pack-a-care-kit-to-help-someone-homeless/
• ↑ https://www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/charity-fundraising/do-your-own-fundraising/a-z-fundraising-ideas/
• ↑ https://www.povertyusa.org/facts

About This Article

You can help the poor by donating food, clothing, or toiletries to a local shelter or giving your old books to a books for prisoners program. You can also donate your time by volunteering in an community center or soup kitchen. To have a greater impact in your community, try joining an organization or starting a petition to help low-income kids in your community. To learn more ways to help the poor through activism, keep reading. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Poverty Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on poverty essay.

“Poverty is the worst form of violence”. – Mahatma Gandhi.

How Poverty is Measured?

For measuring poverty United nations have devised two measures of poverty – Absolute & relative poverty.  Absolute poverty is used to measure poverty in developing countries like India. Relative poverty is used to measure poverty in developed countries like the USA. In absolute poverty, a line based on the minimum level of income has been created & is called a poverty line.  If per day income of a family is below this level, then it is poor or below the poverty line. If per day income of a family is above this level, then it is non-poor or above the poverty line. In India, the new poverty line is  Rs 32 in rural areas and Rs 47 in urban areas.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Causes of Poverty

According to the Noble prize winner South African leader, Nelson Mandela – “Poverty is not natural, it is manmade”. The above statement is true as the causes of poverty are generally man-made. There are various causes of poverty but the most important is population. Rising population is putting the burden on the resources & budget of countries. Governments are finding difficult to provide food, shelter & employment to the rising population.

The other causes are- lack of education, war, natural disaster, lack of employment, lack of infrastructure, political instability, etc. For instance- lack of employment opportunities makes a person jobless & he is not able to earn enough to fulfill the basic necessities of his family & becomes poor. Lack of education compels a person for less paying jobs & it makes him poorer. Lack of infrastructure means there are no industries, banks, etc. in a country resulting in lack of employment opportunities. Natural disasters like flood, earthquake also contribute to poverty.

In some countries, especially African countries like Somalia, a long period of civil war has made poverty widespread. This is because all the resources & money is being spent in war instead of public welfare. Countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. are prone to natural disasters like cyclone, etc. These disasters occur every year causing poverty to rise.

Ill Effects of Poverty

Poverty affects the life of a poor family. A poor person is not able to take proper food & nutrition &his capacity to work reduces. Reduced capacity to work further reduces his income, making him poorer. Children from poor family never get proper schooling & proper nutrition. They have to work to support their family & this destroys their childhood. Some of them may also involve in crimes like theft, murder, robbery, etc. A poor person remains uneducated & is forced to live under unhygienic conditions in slums. There are no proper sanitation & drinking water facility in slums & he falls ill often &  his health deteriorates. A poor person generally dies an early death. So, all social evils are related to poverty.

Government Schemes to Remove Poverty

The government of India also took several measures to eradicate poverty from India. Some of them are – creating employment opportunities , controlling population, etc. In India, about 60% of the population is still dependent on agriculture for its livelihood. Government has taken certain measures to promote agriculture in India. The government constructed certain dams & canals in our country to provide easy availability of water for irrigation. Government has also taken steps for the cheap availability of seeds & farming equipment to promote agriculture. Government is also promoting farming of cash crops like cotton, instead of food crops. In cities, the government is promoting industrialization to create more jobs. Government has also opened  ‘Ration shops’. Other measures include providing free & compulsory education for children up to 14 years of age, scholarship to deserving students from a poor background, providing subsidized houses to poor people, etc.

Poverty is a social evil, we can also contribute to control it. For example- we can simply donate old clothes to poor people, we can also sponsor the education of a poor child or we can utilize our free time by teaching poor students. Remember before wasting food, somebody is still sleeping hungry.

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Making College Affordable: Providing Low-Income Students with the Knowledge and Resources Needed to Pay for College

College affordability is a complicated and multi-faceted challenge. The price students and families are asked to pay has steadily increased over the past several decades, despite the existence of federal, state, and institutional grant programs, which are often not sufficient to fill the gap in need. Just as troubling, most students and families aren’t given clear and useful information about what they should expect to pay or how to navigate the system.

This is a challenge I worked on as a policy adviser in the Obama administration, and I’ve continued to work on it during my time at Lumina Foundation. At Lumina, we’ve suggested that the conversation around affordability be reframed around a concept we’ve called the Affordability Benchmark. We need to make college affordable by focusing on the student first—not on what tuition is, not on what aid is available—but on the student experience. Affordability should be defined by what is reasonable to expect students and their families to contribute toward their education, and this information should be shared with them in clear and predictable ways.

We need action on the part of states, institutions, and policymakers at all levels to make this a reality. The steps laid out here by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation are clear, cogent, and compelling action items that every institutional leader should take seriously. Well-resourced institutions, in particular, should move forward quickly to implement these action items as evidence of their commitment to truly reshaping their practices in a way that benefit low-income students.

Ultimately, we need a better system of financing postsecondary education that frames affordability in a way that is clear and predictable, built around a defined benefit, and based on a reasonable contribution of resources available to students and families. The burgeoning path to a better reality for students has been made clear by this well-researched work—if institutions take these recommendations seriously, more students would likely enroll in college and be financially successful while there.

Dr. Zakiya Smith Strategy Director, Lumina Foundation Former Senior Adviser for Education in the Obama White House

Introduction

College can seem out of reach for many low-income students. Too often they believe college is unaffordable and unattainable. It is no surprise then that students from the bottom socioeconomic quartile are eight times less likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than students from the top socioeconomic quartile (7.4% versus 60%).¹

Even our nation’s brightest low-income students, who have done very well in high school and score highly on standardized tests, are less likely to obtain a college degree than their higher-income peers, a discrepancy known as the “excellence gap.”²

Several factors hinder students’ access and success. Low-income students may lack understanding of how financial aid works, or perceive they are unable to meet the full costs of higher education. Low-income students are more likely to suffer from “sticker shock” on seeing the ostensible price of a college education, to attend colleges closer to home to save money, and to pursue choices that allow them to work while in school. While state and federal funding can help to offset college costs, low-income students often are unaware that institutional aid can significantly lower costs and in some cases make college absolutely free. They do not understand the value of institutional aid, work/study policies, and loan forgiveness policies. They may not know how to apply for institutional aid required at some institutions, such as the completion of the College Board’s College Scholarship Service PROFILE and the Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC). Institutional aid could potentially play a much more important role in increasing access and persistence among low-income students, if these gaps in knowledge were removed. Colleges and universities have a role to play in educating low-income students about how to pay for college.

This brief offers 11 best practices to institutions to help students pay for college and stay in school. These strategies are organized into three categories: clarifying financial information, easing the financial burden, and filling in financial aid gaps. Specifically, we discuss how schools can provide students with better information to help them make more informed choices, to make going to college more affordable, and to understand how financial aid programs work so that they can maximize the aid they receive.

Clarifying Financial Information

The federal government has recognized that students have the right to data that can help them make the best decision regarding their education.³ Colleges thus make a range of information available to students, such as the price of attendance, graduation rates, and student body diversity. However, this information is disseminated in various ways that are not always the most user-friendly for the individual student. Some facts are distributed to all enrolled and prospective students or are available online to everyone, while others are available only upon request, or sent out in publications and mailings. Sadly, the information provided is often a confusing mess, and low-income students — often sorting through the data without a seasoned counselor at their side — must navigate these puzzles on their own.

Information that is only available upon request or through selected mailings puts low-income students at a disadvantage. Students may not be aware that the data even exist, much less that they should be seeking these figures. Lack of understandable information puts low-income students at a disadvantage, and they may incorrectly conclude that a college education is simply unattainable or may enter college without a full understanding of how to navigate the many financial aid programs, and ultimately drop out.

Schools should transparently provide all students with the relevant knowledge needed to make the best decisions about their education and paying for it. Schools can proactively support low-income students by providing clear, comprehensive information to all students, regardless of whether it is requested. This includes providing students with the most accurate figures available related to costs, financial aid, and student success, as outlined in our first five strategies below.

Strategy 1: Clarify financial aid letters

Accompanying many offers of admission is a financial aid award letter. These letters often use acronyms and abbreviations, and they may lump together scholarships and loans in ways that are difficult for students and families to understand.⁴ Variation in financial aid letters from school to school can make it difficult for students and families to compare offers.⁵

To address these issues and help families make more informed decisions about college, the U.S. Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau developed the “Financial Aid Shopping Sheet” in 2012. This form was designed to simplify information regarding cost and financial aid and allow students to easily compare institutions. Elements of this form include:

• Separation of loans from grants and scholarships.
• A concise statement that grants and scholarships are gifts that do not need to be paid back.
• The sources of grants and scholarships.
• The net (“actual”) cost of one year’s tuition.
• Clear language (e.g., no abbreviations or acronyms).

In an open letter to college and university presidents, the Department of Education asked institutions to adopt this form for the 2013–14 school year. As of January 2017, 3,278 institutions — including 60 selective institutions — have obliged.⁶ A copy of the form and a list of participating schools can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website . More schools are using this form every year. Schools should at the very least use it as a template to clarify the elements of their financial aid so students can compare offers.

Institutional award letters should make clear:

• The amount of grant aid the student is receiving, with clear language indicating that grants are gifts that do not need to be paid back.
• The source of each grant.
• Possible additional sources of funding (e.g., private scholarships) to pay the net cost (the difference between cost of attendance and grant aid).
• Clarification that loan amounts are suggestions, not requirements.
• A clear statement of how much money the student and family will need to pay, including an explicit statement that loans must be repaid.
• The net cost of attendance.

In addition, schools should make clear the terms of continuation of any aid:

• The requirements for maintaining each form of grant funding, such as grade point average requirements or minimum credit load requirements.
• A disclosure as to which grants must be renewed annually (including federal or state aid) with instructions on how to renew the aid.

Strategy 2: Provide students with a four-year estimate of expected costs

Unexpected rises in tuition can derail students, particularly those who may already be struggling financially to stay in school. Simply informing potential students that tuition prices may increase is not sufficient. While schools cannot be expected to know the exact tuition costs of future years, schools can project potential increases in tuition to help students make informed decisions and prepare for the next four to six years. Giving students an idea of the price of education for the duration of their schooling can allow students to budget and plan for potential tuition increases well in advance. Some schools have begun offering this information on their financial aid websites. Other schools can adopt these best practices:

• Towson University projects four-year university costs for fall 2017 through 2020.
• Manhattan School of Music provides estimated projected cost of attendance for 2017–18 through 2021–22.
• Culver–Stockton College provides estimated annual costs for the 2018–19 and 2019–20 school years.
• As of Fall 2017, several schools provide cost of attendance for the 2017–18 and 2018–19 academic years. For example, Sweet Briar College and Wesleyan College both provide data on two years of tuition and other costs.

Supplying future cost estimates is useful for students as they explore various colleges. An optimal solution would be a calculator that could estimate each individual student’s potential net cost (incorporating financial aid) over the course of college.

Strategy 3: Establish clear policies regarding financial aid eligibility requirements

Figure 1: FAFSA Text Reminder from the Common App. Source: “Using Texts to ‘Nudge’ Students on Financial Aid,” Education Week, October 11, 2016.

Most students who lose their eligibility for student financial aid do so because they lack the necessary grades, and therefore are unable to meet the “satisfactory academic progress” requirements of their aid program.⁷ Under the Student Right-to-Know Act, schools must make the conditions of satisfactory academic progress “available” to all benefit recipients.⁸ However, schools can meet the requirements of the statute in a number of ways. The most direct way would be by including these requirements in the same envelope with their financial aid award letters, but not all schools choose this option. Instead, schools frequently make this information available through publications or online.

Once students are enrolled, institutions should remind them periodically of requirements and deadlines. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is a requirement for the Pell Grant, the federal government’s program for the most financially-strapped students, and for a number of other public and private scholarships. FAFSA completion is important for maintaining various forms of aid. Students are not always aware that FAFSA must be completed annually in order to continue receiving need-based aid. Schools should remind students of specific FAFSA deadlines. Research suggests that low-cost interventions, such as text reminders, improve students’ completion of FAFSA and other college related tasks.⁹ Many schools already communicate important information, such as emergencies, to students through email, text, and automated messages (Figure 1). Transmitting reminders about financial aid deadlines would benefit many who would otherwise drop out.

?  Schools Offering Financial Aid Text Notifications

• Wayne State University
• Vernon College
• Rio Hondo College

Strategy 4: Establish more robust methods for estimating non-tuition costs

Half of all undergraduates (50 percent) live off campus, while the remainder live on campus or at home. 10  When providing financial aid, colleges are required to estimate living costs for students who are living on their own. However, estimating off campus housing costs can be challenging, resulting in dramatic variation of estimates of off-campus living costs among colleges, even between colleges in the same city. Researchers have found, for example, that college estimates of living costs in Washington, DC ranged from $9,387 to $20,342, while colleges in Milwaukee have estimated costs ranging from $5,180 to $21,276. 11  Furthermore, researchers have estimated that one-third of colleges underestimate living expenses. 12  The estimation of living costs has critical implications for students who depend on financial aid. Underestimationof living expenses can mean insufficient financial aid; overestimation can lead to students borrowing more money than they need.

Many schools survey students to obtain information on living costs. These surveys do not accurately estimate costs, because they capture what students are spending as opposed to what they need to spend. 13  Under-resourced students may underreport costs, because they are missing meals, sleeping in their cars, or couch surfing. 14  A survey of undergraduates at the University of California, Berkeley found that 23 percent of students reported skipping meals at least somewhat often to save money. 15  On the other hand, wealthier students may report higher living costs than necessary. 16

When estimating off-campus living expenses, schools should use standardized information or validate student-reported information with standardized data, such as data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Plans, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The significance of this information is too important to get wrong.

Strategy 5: Educate students about financial aid

Relatively few students have even minimal knowledge about financial aid. According to the 2015 Administrative Budget Survey, administered by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), over 70 percent of administrators at four-year institutions reported that students’ financial literacy was “limited.” 17  Knowing the source and requirements of financial aid enables students to make better financial planning decisions.

Schools should encourage or require students to meet with a financial aid adviser before signing off on financial aid packages to ensure students understand their packages and make informed financial decisions. One study of financial aid recipients found that when students sought financial aid advising, they found it useful. 18  Alternatively, schools should also offer webinars or videos that walk students through an example of a financial aid letter and discuss common questions or issues that students face to help them better understand their financial aid packages.

Some processes that ostensibly help facilitate approval of grants are problematic. For example, there are online systems that allow students to sign off on their financial aid packages without fully examining or understanding them. Further, a student’s parent may independently agree to a financial aid package if a student has consented to allow their parents access to their financial aid information. Parents should not be allowed to consent to burdens imposed on their children.

Examples of Financial Aid Educational Resources Offered by Schools

• Stony Brook University (SUNY) Financial aid YouTube page covering a range of topics, including “Accept and Decline Aid” and “SBU Satisfactory Academic Progress Guidelines.”
• University of California at Berkeley YouTube page offers videos addressing various financial aid topics. Videos include a tutorial of UC Berkeley’s financial aid system.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Presentations for students and parents.

Easing the Financial Burden

As noted, rising college costs can make higher education seemingly unattainable for low-income students. They are more likely to forgo higher education entirely due to perceived financial constraints. 19   It is no surprise that low-income families are more likely to find financial assistance critical in selecting a college, particularly in light of the high price of a college education. 20  These students’ college choices may be limited to what they can afford rather than the best fit. For high performing, low-income students, this may mean sacrificing selectivity.

Once enrolled in college, low-income students are more likely to leave without obtaining a degree. Insufficient funds to meet basic needs and the requirement to work while in school contribute to the increased rate of attrition. 21

Schools can help to ease the burden of financial stress and support low-income students in multiple ways, outlined in strategies 6 through 9 below.

Strategy 6: Prioritize need-based institutional grants

Over the last 20 years there has been a shift towards merit-based scholarships and away from need-based aid. In 1995, the majority of institutional award dollars were need-based.²² However, by 2003 the majority of institutional award dollars were merit-based.

Non-need-based aid, such as merit scholarships, is likely to attract students who can afford to pay for college. It also attracts students who are at the top of their class.²³ Accordingly, merit-based awards benefit institutions, but they can exacerbate the excellence gap by limiting aid to students who may need it the most.

In other words, wealthier students may be getting more aid than they need, while low-income students are unable to meet even their minimum financial requirements. A study by Postsecondary Education Opportunity suggests that students from lower-income families had greater unmet need than their higher income peers.²⁴ Another study found that more than a quarter of students from the top income quartile, or students from families that can afford to pay for college, received merit grants.²⁵ Accordingly, institutional aid that is used for merit aid hurts low-income students while not materially helping wealthier students as they have little to no financial need.

Institutional aid is an important source of financial aid, particularly among students attending private institutions (see Figure 2). In 2011–12, 67% of the aid received by students attending private four-year colleges came from institutional grants, and 25% of the aid received by students at public four-year colleges came from institutional grants.²⁶

Closer examination of private colleges and universities shows varying practices in institutional aid. At the lowest-priced private institutions, low-income students actually receive less institutional aid than students from higher-income families, because of the merit aid awarded to high-income students. Unsurprisingly, at the highest-priced institutions, low-income students, on average, receive almost double the institutional aid than students from the highest income quartile (see Figure 3).²⁷

Additionally, high-income students are significantly more likely to obtain funding that exceeds their need (see Table 1).²⁸ Students in the highest-income bracket attending private four-year institutions received an average of $5,800 in aid exceeding their need. Almost half (45 percent) of students from the highest-income brackets that attended private institutions received grant aid beyond what their need dictates.

Figure 2: Sources of Grant Aid for Full-Time Undergraduates,by Type of Institution, 2011–12

Figure 3: Institutional Grant Aid by Tuition Level and Family Income at Private Nonprofit Four-Year Institutions, 2011–12

Table 1: Percentages of Full-Time Full-Year Students Receiving Grants and Grant Aid Exceeding Need, 2011-12

Strategy 7: Commit to maintaining grant levels for the duration of a student’s academic program

Students entering college may assume that grant funds will be stable throughout their college years. However, research indicates that institutional grant aid at private universities decreases by an average of $1,000 between freshman and senior year.²⁹ Just as unexpected tuition increases can derail students,³⁰ unexpected losses in grant funds can potentially interfere with a student’s educational progress, particularly when loss of grants are coupled with increases in tuition and fees. Schools should seek to maintain grant funds throughout the course of a student’s academic program, provided the student maintains minimum academic standards.

– Examples of Schools Committed to Maintaining Institutional Grant Levels for Four Years*

• Vassar College
• Grinnell College

*Grants may be contingent on yearly application and changes in need

– Examples of Schools Offering Need-Based Grants Only

• Stanford University
• Harvard University
• Northwestern University
• Franklin and Marshall College

Strategy 8: Do not reduce institutional aid when students receive private scholarships

Private scholarships can help students meet unmet need and reduce debt. Many students seek such scholarships to make college more affordable and to avoid taking loans. However, displacement of institutional aid undermines the purpose of private scholarships as the net price is not decreased and college does not become more affordable. In a survey of their scholarship recipients, the Dell Scholars program found that 60 percent of scholarship recipients were adversely affected by award displacement.³¹ When schools engage in displacement, they limit the benefit of private scholarships, particularly for low-income students. Scholarships should supplement institutional aid, rather than supplant it.

–  Examples of Schools with a Policy of Reducing Loans and/or Work Study Before Institutional Grants

• University of California at Berkeley

Strategy 9: Utilize low-cost textbooks

The cost of academic materials such as textbooks may place a burden on students with unmet financial need. The average cost of textbooks has increased by 73 percent over the past decade, and an individual textbook can cost over $200.³² With nearly all courses requiring a textbook,³³ these materials can add up quickly. Students may be forced to go without textbooks or purchase textbooks and make other sacrifices in return.

A study by the Lumina Foundation found that most instructors do consider the cost of textbooks when choosing course materials for their students.³⁴ Furthermore, faculty tend to be dissatisfied with the high cost of texts. One faculty member from the study is quoted as saying, “At a time when we are concerned about the cost of a university education and student debt, a $246 text is obscene.” Open-licensed educational materials or open textbooks can significantly reduce course material costs. Yet, the awareness of these alternative resources among faculty tends to be low.³⁵

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) argues that institutions are well equipped to address the issue of textbook prices through their libraries and support staff. They suggest a number of ways that schools can encourage the use of openly licensed materials.³⁶ Their recommendations include:

• Expand open textbook use on campus. Currently only five percent of courses use an openly licensedrequired textbook.³⁷
• Implement policies that demonstrate administrative support of, but do not mandate, open textbooks as a possible choice for course materials.
• Develop programs that provide training and coaching around the use of open textbooks.
• Offer faculty release time or stipends to explore open materials and incorporate them into their courses.
• Assign a chair or committee with the coordination of these efforts.

– Examples of Schools Providing Information About Open Education Resources

• Baruch College
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Filling in the Gap

Even with financial aid, some students still struggle to meet basic needs. Unexpected life events can present financial challenges that interfere with students’ studies. Over the past several years, schools have started identifying new strategies for helping meet students’ outstanding financial needs. These strategies include setting up emergency aid and integrating financial aid with public benefits.

Strategy 10: Set up emergency aid programs

Unexpected financial emergencies can interfere with students’ education and may lead students to drop out.³⁸ Food insecurity is also a growing problem among college students. Low-income students should not have to choose between purchasing textbooks and meeting their basic needs, such as eating and having a place to sleep. In one of the largest studies examining campus food insecurity, researchers found that 40 percent of students attending University of California campuses did not have consistent access to nutritious food and one-fourth said they had to choose between buying food or paying for education and housing expenses.³⁹ This research suggests that food insecurity and housing insecurity are far more pervasive than is generally understood. Inadequate nutrition may interfere with students’ ability to focus and threaten their academic progress. This may be particularly true for low-income students who are facing tight budgets. Emergency aid programs can help to relieve this financial pressure and keep students enrolled in college.

Private foundations have stepped into the gap. The Lumina Foundation funded two pilot projects — Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Aid Program and the Angel Fund Emergency Financial aid Program — to provide support to students at risk of leaving school due to a financial emergency. They studied whether the students receiving Lumina’s aid stayed enrolled as a result of this support.⁴⁰ Evaluations of these projects showed that both students and administrators felt the aid helped students stay in school. Further, administrative data showed that re-enrollment rates of aid recipients were comparable to enrollment rates of the larger student body.

In their “landscape analysis” of emergency aid programs, the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA), found that 74 percent of 706 institutions surveyed offered emergency aid programs, and that many had been implementing these programs for years.⁴¹ Most schools also offered more than one type of aid.

The primary types of emergency aid offered by institutions include:

• Campus vouchers (help students purchase books and food from the institution book store or dining hall)
• Completion scholarships (covers outstanding balances for students eligible to graduate)
• Emergency loans (short term loans)
• Food pantries
• Restricted grants (provided with criteria related to academic standing)
• Unrestricted grants (provided without criteria related to academic standing)

Recommendations to guide emergency fund programs based on these studies include:

• Develop a clear governance structure and simplify administration. NASPA’s landscape analysis showed that many schools integrated processes where departments (e.g., financial aid and student affairs) work together to administer aid. However, this can create a barrier to serving more students as the processes can become cumbersome. Indeed, in their evaluation of emergency aid programs, researchers at MDRC, an education and social policy research organization, found that students sometimes felt the process of applying for aid was burdensome.
• Advertise widely. NASPA found that schools often relied on word of mouth to advertise aid programs. Because funds are limited, schools are often hesitant to advertise widely. However, evaluations of Lumina’s Dreamkeepers and Angel Fund pilot programs found that demand for emergency aid was less than colleges’ initial fears.⁴²
• Diversify funding. Lack of financial resources is the leading reason why schools are not able to serve more students. University foundations, individual donors, and operating budgets tend to be the main sources of funding for institutions providing emergency aid programs. One way to expand these programs is to solicit funding from other sources such as alumni giving or through fundraising events.

Strategy 11: Integrate financial aid and social services

Public benefit programs (e.g., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP]; Women, Infants, and Children Program [WIC]; and the Earned Income Tax Credit [EITC]) may provide an important source of financial support for students facing sudden financial challenges. However, many students may not be aware that they qualify for these benefits or know how to apply.⁴³ Several community colleges across the country have begun linking students to these benefits through organizations such as Single Stop USA, the Benefit Bank, and Seedco’s EarnBenefits.⁴⁴ For example, Single Stop USA is located at several community colleges and provides students with free services such as screenings and applications for public benefits, tax services, financial counseling, and legal services, as well as case management with referrals to resources at the institution and in the community. In their evaluation of Single Stop USA, the RAND Corporation found that Single Stop was associated with a material increase in college persistence, and that users of Single Stop attempted schedules with more credits than non-users. Tax assistance services were found to be particularly beneficial.

Initiatives such as the Benefits Access for College Completion (BACC) and the Working Students Success Network integrate access to emergency funds into traditional college processes.⁴⁵ For example, schools targeted specific students, such as those with no expected family contribution, and flagged student records to inform them to contact benefits staff, as they may be eligible for public benefits. Schools also housed public benefit services in campus departments such as financial aid. An evaluation of the BACC initiative found an increase in student retention and found that it helped students overcome unmet financial need.⁴⁶

While there are restrictions on college students receiving public benefits,⁴⁷ some exemptions apply that may allow some college students to qualify for benefits. For example, many low-income college students may qualify for one of the SNAP exemptions — one of the few public benefits available to individuals regardless of family status or disability.⁴⁸ Schools should consider partnering with organizations or providing staff with the tools to link students with public services that can help them meet their basic needs. Taking it a step further, University of Wisconsin–Madison has been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to become a SNAP retailer, which would make it the first college in the country to accept food stamps at cafeterias.⁴⁹ If successful, other institutions should consider this path.

–  Single Stop USA School Locations

• Miami Dade College-Kendall
• Delgado Community College
• Baton Rouge Community College
• Community College of Philadelphia
• Borough of Manhattan Community College

Low-income students face numerous barriers when it comes to the pursuit of higher education. They are frequently disadvantaged by a lack of support in navigating the complicated financial information needed to make the best educational and financial decision for their future. Once enrolled in college these students too often struggle to meet their basic needs, which undermines their academic performance and potentially threatens any grants or scholarships. Further, because of the lack of adequate funding, or the loss thereof, low-income students are left with enormous debt whether or not they graduate. Many school practices exacerbate rather than alleviate these barriers. Schools have a responsibility to students and must recognize that not all students have access to the same resources. Practices that reflect the disparate realities of low-income students ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

This report identifies the best practices that schools should implement to support low-income students. Specifically, we recommend that schools:

• Clarify financial aid letters by distinguishing loans from grants and scholarships, noting that loans must be paid back, and clearly stating net costs.
• Provide students with a four-year estimate of expected costs.
• Establish clear policies regarding financial aid eligibility requirements, and include them in all financial aid award letters and communications.
• Establish more robust methods for estimating non-tuition costs to provide students with more accurate information.
• Educate students about financial aid by requiring or encouraging financial aid advising.
• Prioritize need-based institutional grants.
• Commit to maintaining grant levels for the duration of a student’s academic program.
• Do not reduce institutional aid when students receive private scholarships.
• Utilize low-cost textbooks.
• Set up emergency aid programs.
• Integrate financial aid and social services.

Helping low-income students pay for college and increasing students’ financial literacy takes more than just a financial aid check. It requires a commitment on the part of university administration and faculty members to consider both large and small financial obstacles standing in students’ path and to seek out ways to remove those obstacles. Adopting the eleven strategies outlined in this brief can help ensure more low-income students not only enroll in a college appropriate for their interests and abilities, but that they also persist through graduation without overburdening themselves with permanent debt.

¹ Keith Witham et al, America’s Unmet Promise: The Imperative for Equity in Higher Education . (Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2015).

² Christina Theokas and Marni Bromberg, Falling out of the Lead: Following High-Achievers through High School and Beyond (Washington, DC: The Education Trust, 2014).

³ Various components of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as well as the 1990 Student Right-To-Know Act, reinforce this belief by requiring institutions to make public information on cost and outcomes (including graduation rates). The federal government also created the College Scorecard to inform students.

⁴ “First Test For College Hopefuls? Decoding Financial Aid Letters,” NPR.org, accessed December 8, 2016, http://www.npr.org/2014/04/03/298330444/first-test-for-college-hopefuls-decoding-financial-aid-letters .

⁶ “Financial Aid Shopping Sheet,” U.S. Department of Education , accessed November 16, 2016, http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/guid/aid-offer/index.html .

⁷ “Students Lose Financial Aid for Failure to Make Satisfactory Academic Progress,” Fastweb , accessed December 16, 2016, http://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/students-lose-financial-aid-for-failure-to-make-satisfactory-academic-progress .

⁸ “Information Required to Be Disclosed Under the Higher Education Act of 1965: Suggestions for Dissemination” (Washington, DC: National Postsecondary Education Cooperative, November 2009), https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010831rev.pdf .

⁹ John Balz, “A Conversation about Texting and Behavioral Science with Ben Castleman,” April 18, 2016, https://medium.com/@jpbalz/aconversation-about-texting-and-behavioral-science-with-ben-castleman-568f48690c9f#.prambl8b8 .

¹⁰  Robert Kelchen, Braden J. Hosch, and Sara Goldrick-Rab, “The Costs of College Attendance: Trends, Variation, and Accuracy in Institutional Living Cost Allowances,” Wisconsin Hope Lab (paper presentation, annual meeting of the Association of Public Policy and Management, October 2014) http://wihopelab.com/publications/Wisconsin%20The%20Cost%20of%20College%20Attendance.pdf .

¹³ Sara Goldrick-Rab and Nancy Kendall, “The Real Price of College,” The Century Foundation , March 3, 2016, https://tcf.org/content/report/the-real-price-of-college/ .

¹⁴ Rebecca Nathanson, “Tens of Thousands of College Students Have Nowhere to Sleep,” Rolling Stone , December 22, 2015, http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/tens-of-thousands-of-college-studentshave-nowhere-to-sleep-20151222 .

¹⁵ Katherine Seligman, “Hidden Hunger: Some Students Are Scrimping, Skipping Meals to Afford a Cal Degree,” California Magazine (Cal Alumni Association), November 12, 2013, http://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/just-in/2016-03-08/hidden-hunger-some-studentsare-scrimping-skipping-meals .

¹⁶ Jill Barshay, “Underestimating the True Cost of College,” The Hechinger Report , June 1, 2015, http://hechingerreport.org/underestimating-the-true-cost-of-college/ .

¹⁷ National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, “2015 Administrative Burden Survey”, April, 2015, http://www.nasfaa.org/uploads/documents/ektron/f5fdae89-a23f-4572-9724-15e5a9f614d2/0d73bf4cd48a43a6a9414b6ec1a6ab9d2.pdf .

¹⁸ Sara Goldrick-Rab, Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream (Chicago ; London: University of Chicago Press, 2016).

¹⁹ Robert Bozick and Stefanie DeLuca, “Not Making the Transition to College: School, Work, and Opportunities in the Lives of American Youth,” Social Science Research 40, no. 4 (July 2011): 1249–62

²⁰ “A Benchmark for Making College Affordable,” accessed December 1, 2016, https://www.luminafoundation.org/files/resources/affordabilitybenchmark-1.pdf .

²¹ Mark Kantrowitz, “Why Do Students Drop out of College?,” Fastweb , December 17, 2009, http://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/whydo-students-drop-out-of-college .

²² Donald E. Heller, “Merit Aid and College Access,” in Symposium on the Consequences of Merit-Based Student Aid (March, 2006), http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.544.2863&rep=rep1&type=pdf .

²³ Christopher Drew, “A Rise in Students Receiving Merit Awards,” The New York Times , July 17, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/education/edlife/a-rise-in-students-receiving-merit-awards.html .

²⁴ Kim Clark, “Who Really Gets the Most College Financial Aid?,” U.S. News & World Report , October 19, 2009, http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-cash-101/2009/10/19/who-really-gets-the-most-college-financial-aid .

²⁵ Heller, “Merit Aid and College Access.”

²⁶ “Sources of Grant Aid for Full-Time Undergraduates by Sector, 2011–12 – Trends in Higher Education – The College Board,” accessed January 24, 2017, https://trends.collegeboard.org/content/sources-grant-aid-full-time-undergraduates-sector-2011-12 .

²⁷ “Institutional Grant Aid by Tuition Level and Family Income at Private Nonprofit Four-Year Institutions, 2011–12 – Trends in Higher Education – The College Board,” accessed January 24, 2017, https://trends.collegeboard.org/student-aid/figures-tables/institutional-grant-aid-tuition-level-family-income-private-nonprofit-four-year-2011-12 .

²⁸ “Average Grant Aid at Four-Year Institutions: Need-Based, Non-Need-Based Meeting Need, and Exceeding Need, 2011–12 – Trends in Higher Education – The College Board,” accessed January 24, 2017, https://trends.collegeboard.org/student-aid/figures-tables/average-grant-aid-four-year-institutions-need-based-non-need-based-meeting-need-exceeding .

²⁹ Rochelle Sharpe, “Why Upperclassmen Lose Financial Aid,” The New York Times , April 6, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/10/education/edlife/why-upperclassmen-pay-more-they-may-get-less.html .

³¹ Michele Waxman Johnson, “Private Scholarships Should Benefit the Student, Not the Institution,” The Baltimore Sun , July 15, 2015, http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-scholarship-displacement-20150715-story.html .

³² U.S. PIRG, “Student Group Releases New Report on Textbook Prices,” February 3, 2016, [Press release] http://www.uspirg.org/news/usp/student-group-releases-new-report-textbook-prices .

³³ “Opening the Textbook: Open Educational Resources,” accessed December 5, 2016, https://www.luminafoundation.org/files/resources/opening-the-textbook.pdf .

³⁴ “Opening the Textbook.”

³⁶ Ethan Senack, Robert Donoghue, The Student PIRGs, “Covering the Cost”, February 2016, http://www.uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/National%20-%20COVERING%20THE%20COST.pdf .

³⁷ “Opening the Textbook.”

³⁸ Christian Geckeler, “Helping Community College Students Cope with Financial Emergencies,” MDRC , July 2008, http://www.mdrc.org/publication/helping-community-college-students-cope-financial-emergencies .

³⁹ Suzanna M. Martinez, Katie Maynard, and Lorrene D. Ritchie, “Student Food Access and Security Study,” July 11, 2016. http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/july16/e1attach.pdf .

⁴¹ Kevin Kruger, Amelia Parnell, Alexis Wesaw, “Landscape Analysis of Emergency Aid Programs,” NASPA, accessed December 12, 2016, https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/Emergency_Aid_Report.pdf .

⁴² “ Helping Community College Students Cope with Financial Emergencies ”

⁴³ “Benefits Access for College Completion,” CLASP , September 10, 2012, http://www.clasp.org/issues/postsecondary/pages/benefits-access-for-college-completion .

⁴⁷ For example, students are prohibited from receiving SNAP benefits unless they meet one of the exemptions, such as having children, working at least 20 hours per week, or receiving Federal Work-Study.

⁴⁸ Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Helly Lee, “College Student Eligibility,” SNAP Policy Brief ( Center for Law and Social Policy , June 2014), http://www.clasp.org/resources-and-publications/publication-1/SNAP_College-Student-Eligibility.pdf .

⁴⁹ Nico Savidge, “University of Wisconsin Moves to Let Students Use Food Stamps in Dining Halls,” La Crosse Tribune , March 7, 2017, http://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/university-of-wisconsin-moves-to-let-students-use-food-stamps/article_2d15754c-27d1-56af-90c1-c4be05fc91b7.html .

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Measures to boost education for underprivileged students

Education brings equality and gives equal opportunities to everyone. but this seems to be a far-fetched dream in our country with the changing socio-economic conditions. having quality knowledge and excellent skills will help both the individual and country grow..

Tuesday January 11, 2022 , 5 min Read

Nelson Mandela has rightly quoted - “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”

Many eminent leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekanand have also stated the importance of education. Similar to them, I believe that education is the key to the development and growth of an individual and an entire country.

Education not only helps in a country’s growth, but also helps in our personal growth. 

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has also mentioned the ‘QUALITY EDUCATION’ plan in its goals. 

According to the UN SDG , its objective is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

That’s true. However, our present education system has not delivered what is needed for the country to develop completely.

Education is supposed to bring equality and give equal opportunities to everyone. However, this seems to be a far-fetched dream with the changing socio-economic conditions. For instance, today, merely pursuing a graduation degree won’t open up job opportunities as a post-graduation degree would do.

Again, to follow a post-graduate degree, an individual needs to have the means and resources. In this race, the underprivileged who lack resources are often left out. Thus, there is a need to boost our educational system, especially underprivileged students.

Students are the country’s future. Having quality knowledge and excellent skills will help both the individual and country grow. Hence, providing education to them is the most critical aspect.

However, many are deprived financially and therefore are unable to pursue their desired goals. Thus it becomes imperative to boost education for underprivileged students and make their and the country's future brighter.

1] Free sessions for parents/guardians

The first important step is to conduct free sessions for parents of such students. Lack of awareness about the importance of education is a significant factor stopping parents from taking appropriate measures towards their child’s education.

No doubt, in the last few years people have started realising the importance of education and they have started chasing their dreams through education.

But many, especially in rural areas, are still uninformed about it. It is thus crucial to have sessions with parents to let them understand the importance of education. Parents will pass the same knowledge to their children and the coming generations.

2] Counseling to children

Proper guidance is a must for children and organising a counseling session with them will help them understand how crucial education is.

Moreover, it will also help them to clear the blurred vision related to their career and blow away the smoke of confusion, all in all, this will aid in making a clear career pathway and also make it easier for them to set their own goals and targets.

3] Early childhood education

While guiding parents about the significance of education, it is our responsibility to let them know that early childhood education is crucial rather than starting a career untimely.

Indeed, learning has no age barriers, yet a strong education at an early age will develop confidence from a significantly younger age and help them understand the importance of education.

4] Educational facilities and learning facilities

What if children are aware of the significance of learning but lack access to educational and learning resources? Will our purpose be met? Will we be able to see them succeed? Or will we ever be able to boost education for underprivileged students?

Hence, it becomes crucial to share the importance of education and provide them with educational and learning facilities.

It is important to build better schools and institutes with all the learning essentials such as books, stationery items, and basic facilities. 

5] Increase the pool of teachers and professors

The way a chef is prime in a restaurant, similarly, in schools/institutes, teachers/professors are prime. To increase the pool of efficient teachers and professors, it is necessary to conduct boot camps to train passionate teachers and help them upskill themselves with new methods and approaches.

These training sessions must also inculcate the values of inclusion among teachers to understand the needs of the underprivileged students and teach them accordingly.

6] Skills development programme

To boost education to underprivileged students, we must emphasise on skill development programmes and we must teach new-age skills to help them face the real world. More importantly, basic life skills should be fundamental for underprivileged students. The programmes must prepare students for communication skills, social skills, and practical skills to help them grow in life and career.

7] Personality development programme

Personality development programmes needs to be organised frequently in rural areas to help underprivileged students to develop their personalities. Due to lack of personality challenges, students fear participating in any activity or educational sessions.

Therefore, this becomes a stumbling block between their dreams and goals. It is important to see that nothing holds back the underprivileged students in their career path.

8] Scholarship 

The best way to boost education for underprivileged students is to offer them scholarship programmes. This will erode all the barriers, holding passionate students back and help them fulfill their dreams.

I believe following at least a few of the above measures, if not all, can help boost education opportunities for underprivileged students.

Edited by Megha Reddy

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)

• Education in India
• education sector
• underprivileged children
• rural education

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Academic Referencing: How to Cite a Research Paper

Learning how to conduct accurate, discipline-specific academic research can feel daunting at first. But, with a solid understanding of the reasoning behind why we use academic citations coupled with knowledge of the basics, you’ll learn how to cite sources with accuracy and confidence.

When it comes to academic research, citing sources correctly is arguably as important as the research itself. "Your instructors are expecting your work to adhere to these professional standards," said Amanda Girard , research support manager of Shapiro Library at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

With Shapiro Library for the past three years, Girard manages the library’s research support services, which includes SNHU’s 24/7 library chat and email support. She holds an undergraduate degree in professional writing and a graduate degree in library and information science. She said that accurate citations show that you have done your research on a topic and are knowledgeable about current ideas from those actively working in the field.

In other words, when you cite sources according to the academic style of your discipline, you’re giving credit where credit is due.

Why Cite Sources?

Citing sources properly ensures you’re following high academic and professional standards for integrity and ethics.

“When you cite a source, you can ethically use others’ research. If you are not adequately citing the information you claim in your work, it would be considered plagiarism ,” said Shannon Geary '16 , peer tutor at SNHU.

Geary has an undergraduate degree in communication  from SNHU and has served on the academic support team for close to 2 years. Her job includes helping students learn how to conduct research  and write academically.

“In academic writing, it is crucial to state where you are receiving your information from,” she said. “Citing your sources ensures that you are following academic integrity standards.”

According to Geary and Girard, several key reasons for citing sources are:

• Access. Citing sources points readers to original sources. If anyone wants to read more on your topic, they can use your citations as a roadmap to access the original sources.
• Attribution. Crediting the original authors, researchers and experts  shows that you’re knowledgeable about current ideas from those actively working in the field and adhering to high ethical standards, said Girard.
• Clarity. “By citing your sources correctly, your reader can follow along with your research,” Girard said.
• Consistency. Adhering to a citation style provides a framework for presenting ideas within similar academic fields. “Consistent formatting makes accessing, understanding and evaluating an author's findings easier for others in related fields of study,” Geary said.
• Credibility. Proper citation not only builds a writer's authority but also ensures the reliability of the work, according to Geary.

Ultimately, citing sources is a formalized way for you to share ideas as part of a bigger conversation among others in your field. It’s a way to build off of and reference one another’s ideas, Girard said.

How Do You Cite an Academic Research Paper?

Any time you use an original quote or paraphrase someone else’s ideas, you need to cite that material, according to Geary.

“The only time we do not need to cite is when presenting an original thought or general knowledge,” she said.

While the specific format for citing sources can vary based on the style used, several key elements are always included, according to Girard. Those are:

• Title of source
• Type of source, such as a journal, book, website or periodical

By giving credit to the authors, researchers and experts you cite, you’re building credibility. You’re showing that your argument is built on solid research.

“Proper citation not only builds a writer's authority but also ensures the reliability of the work,” Geary said. “Properly formatted citations are a roadmap for instructors and other readers to verify the information we present in our work.”

Common Citation Styles in Academic Research

Certain disciplines adhere to specific citation standards because different disciplines prioritize certain information and research styles . The most common citation styles used in academic research, according to Geary, are:

• American Psychological Association, known as APA . This style is standard in the social sciences such as psychology, education and communication. “In these fields, research happens rapidly, which makes it exceptionally important to use current research,” Geary said.
• Modern Language Association, known as MLA . This style is typically used in literature and humanities because of the emphasis on literature analysis. “When citing in MLA, there is an emphasis on the author and page number, allowing the audience to locate the original text that is being analyzed easily,” Geary said.
• Chicago Manual of Style, known as Chicago . This style is typically used in history, business and sometimes humanities. “(Chicago) offers flexibility because of the use of footnotes, which can be seen as less distracting than an in-text citation,” Geary said.

The benefit of using the same format as other researchers within a discipline is that the framework of presenting ideas allows you to “speak the same language,” according to Girard.

APA Citation for College: A Brief Overview

Are you writing a paper that needs to use APA citation, but don’t know what that means? No worries. You’ve come to the right place.

How to Use MLA Formatting: A Brief Overview

Are you writing a paper for which you need to know how to use MLA formatting, but don’t know what that means? No worries. You’ve come to the right place.

How to Ensure Proper Citations

Keeping track of your research as you go is one of the best ways to ensure you’re citing appropriately and correctly based on the style that your academic discipline uses.

“Through careful citation, authors ensure their audience can distinguish between borrowed material and original thoughts, safeguarding their academic reputation and following academic honesty policies,” Geary said.

Some tips that she and Girard shared to ensure you’re citing sources correctly include:

• Keep track of sources as you work. Writers should keep track of their sources every time an idea is not theirs, according to Geary. “You don’t want to find the perfect research study and misplace its source information, meaning you’d have to omit it from your paper,” she said.
• Practice. Even experienced writers need to check their citations before submitting their work. “Citing requires us to pay close attention to detail, so always start your citation process early and go slow to ensure you don’t make mistakes,” said Geary. In time, citing sources properly becomes faster and easier.
• Use an Online Tool . Geary recommends the Shapiro Library citation guide . You can find sample papers, examples of how to cite in the different academic styles and up-to-date citation requirements, along with information and examples for APA, MLA and Chicago style citations.
• Work with a Tutor. A tutor can offer support along with tips to help you learn the process of academic research. Students at SNHU can connect with free peer tutoring through the Academic Support tab in their online courses, though many colleges and universities offer peer tutoring.

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How to cite a reference in academic writing.

A citation consists of two pieces: an in-text citation that is typically short and a longer list of references or works cited (depending on the style used) at the end of the paper.

“In-text citations immediately acknowledge the use of external source information and its exact location,” Geary said. While each style uses a slightly different format for in-text citations that reference the research, you may expect to need the page number, author’s name and possibly date of publication in parentheses at the end of a sentence or passage, according to Geary.

A longer entry listing the complete details of the resource you referenced should also be included on the references or works cited page at the end of the paper. The full citation is provided with complete details of the source, such as author, title, publication date and more, Geary said.

The two-part aspect of citations is because of readability. “You can imagine how putting the full citation would break up the flow of a paper,” Girard said. “So, a shortened version is used (in the text).”

“For example, if an in-text citation reads (Jones, 2024), the reader immediately knows that the ideas presented are coming from Jones’s work, and they can explore the comprehensive citation on the final page,” she said.

The in-text citation and full citation together provide a transparent trail of the author's process of engaging with research.

“Their combined use also facilitates further research by following a standardized style (APA, MLA, Chicago), guaranteeing that other scholars can easily connect and build upon their work in the future,” Geary said.

Developing and demonstrating your research skills, enhancing your work’s credibility and engaging ethically with the intellectual contributions of others are at the core of the citation process no matter which style you use.

A degree can change your life. Choose your program  from 200+ SNHU degrees that can take you where you want to go.

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus — whether teaching or writing — is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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College Transfer Guide: Everything to Know About Transfer Credits

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By Matt Rowley Posted on August 26, 2024

Transferring schools is becoming more common for college students as higher education returns to its pre-pandemic status quo. Consider these highlights from  2023 data collected by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center:

• The number of college students who transferred to a new school in fall 2023 grew 5.3 percent compared to the previous fall.
• Transfer students represented 13.2% of all continuing and returning undergraduates, up from 12.5% the previous year.

College students who embark on this path may encounter a lack of information about the transfer process. To combat this, we’ve published this series of articles to help potential transfer students learn everything they need to know to make the process as quick and easy as possible.

What to Expect When Transferring Credits

The most critical element of the transfer process is making sure that your hard work as a student is carried forward to your new school and degree program. Each school is different, so make sure to contact your new university to determine how many credits they will accept. Also, research the courses and goals of your degree program, as this may impact how many of your previous credits are accepted. For example, if you completed a class in your chosen field of study that does not align with the academic rigor or values of your new school, they may deny those credits.

To explore this further, follow this link for our article about questions to ask when transferring credits .

Credit for Professional Certifications and Training

Many students already work in the field that they’re studying, and this experience may have included some kind of training program, professional certification, or license. Because these represent a form of on-the-job or third-party provided education, they can sometimes be accepted as college credit.

If you have certifications you think might apply, learn more about how to submit them for consideration in our article about professional certifications and training .

Credit for Work Experience

Like certifications, certain elements of your day-to-day work experience can be considered for college credit, depending on the field of study. Since working in the field gives you an invaluable understanding of the subject matter you’re studying, many schools consider your work achievements valid for college credit. Once you submit examples of your work and expertise, it will be reviewed by the school.

To learn more, here’s our article about receiving credit for work experience .

Credit for Military Service

If you’re a military veteran, your service may be accepted as college credit in certain fields. Each school has a unique policy regarding military service credit – and some do not accept it – so it can make a difference to find a school that will give your military record consideration. Once you find a school and begin the application process, you’ll need to obtain your Joint Services Transcript, or JST. The JST serves as your definitive record, documenting every detail of your training and service. As with other transfer credit processes, your prospective school will review your JST and determine which elements of it will be accepted as transfer credits.

To learn more about this process, here’s our guide to receiving college credit for military service .

College-Level Examination Program

The College-Level Examination Program – or CLEP – is a way for students who already have expertise in a certain subject to display their knowledge and earn credits toward their degree. Depending on the subject matter and your previous experience, colleges may accept CLEP exam results and allow you to bypass certain general studies course requirements, which allows you to focus on the subject matter you care about most. Before you sign up, ask your school about CLEP exams and determine whether it’s worth it for you to pay the fees for an exam.

Here's our breakdown about CLEP exams .

Articulation Agreements

An articulation agreement is an agreed-upon set of standards and rules between two schools, typically between a community college and university. It codifies the relationship between the schools and the process through which students can transfer from one to the other. They can sometimes include automatic acceptance, degree tracks for credit transfers, and dual enrollment. Because articulation agreements are designed to help students obtain their bachelor’s degree, they can be a great way to further your studies.

Learn more in our article about articulation agreements .

Transferring to CSU

Here at Columbia Southern University, our online degree programs are designed to help students earn a degree, no matter where they started.

To learn more about CSU’s online degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, visit our website .

Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes. CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.

Amount of transfer credits is dependent upon transcript evaluation and pending Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process.

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7 Ways You Can Help Fight Poverty in Your Community

• CommonBond Communities
• October 5, 2022

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 7.8 million people have fallen into poverty—the biggest jump in a single year since the government began tracking poverty 60 years ago. It’s easy to think about poverty as a national crisis that is bigger than you, but there are actually lots of things you can do to influence this systemic problem right in your own community. CommonBond works to help fight poverty through housing in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Iowa, and we’ve outlined some examples of how you can help fight poverty in your community .

How to Help Poverty Issues in Your Community

1. challenge ideas and assumptions.

Whether you have preconceived notions about poverty within your community, or as a concept in general, it’s important to challenge those assumptions so you aren’t unintentionally spreading harmful biases. One common misconception, for example, is that people experiencing homelessness choose not to work. This misconception is incredibly harmful because it negates the many uncontrollable and systemic conditions that can cause housing instability or poverty. In reality, there are many factors people have to deal with that make it hard to find employment, including loss of affordable housing , inequitable access to training and tools, and mental illness.

If you recognize this myth, be sure to challenge it. Want to go a step further with how to help the poor and fight poverty in your community? Learn about the specific poverty issues your town or city faces; this will educate you on matters and enable you to apply context and critical thinking while pushing back against assumptions and myths.

2. Create awareness/get informed

Poverty is in every community, so it’s important to know where the issues lie within your own. Get informed about the resources that are already available and those that are still needed. There are local groups doing this work that could use your help—you can then do your part in getting the word out and listening to these community experts about where you can be helpful in fighting poverty in your community. A great resource in Minneapolis, for example, is the Twin Cities Mutual Aid Map . This map shows a myriad of organizations and mutual aid efforts around the Twin Cities area that are accepting donations or other resources.

3.  Donate funds and time & find volunteer opportunities

One of the most straightforward ways to help fight poverty in your community is to donate funds to organizations whose mission it is to end these economic disparities. No amount of money is too small or too large. As these donations add up, organizations can put the funds toward fixing housing inequalities, education gaps, food insecurities and more.

Another helpful option is to p artner with local organizations that help the community by donating time. Whether it’s helping out in a food kitchen or working with children after school to get their homework done, there are ways that don’t require money that can still make an impact. We’ve created a volunteer list that you can join to support our work, whether you’re in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, or Iowa.

Fighting Poverty in Your Community is as Simple as Donating a Few Dollars.

Donate Today!      

4. Make kits or fundraise for those experiencing homelessness in your neighborhood

In addition to donating time, you can also reach out to local organizational leaders to see what specifically folks who are experiencing poverty in their communities need. To ensure your donations have the most impact, listen to these community experts. Be sure to donate items that are specifically being asked for, not just what you have in your pantry! Use that info to create meal kits or baskets full of food or house cleaning products that will keep people stocked up on essentials for a while, and give it to local organizations and community experts to distribute.

Another option is to hold fundraisers. How about fighting poverty in your community by throwing a pizza party where the proceeds go to local shelters or other organizations that provide critical services? Get bigger local businesses to donate services for a silent auction. Doing fundraisers like this can be a fun way to bring people together for an important cause.

5. Attend demonstrations or rallies to increase awareness

Another way to create and increase awareness and help fight poverty in your community is to attend events like demonstrations and rallies. These may be block parties or parades or any other kind of peaceful event that will grab the community’s attention and turn it toward fighting against systemic poverty. There are organizations that regularly hold events that both raise awareness, as well as stand in solidarity with those affected by poverty—and by joining their work, you may learn how to be a better advocate.

6. Create jobs

If you own a business or an organization in the community, look for areas you could use some help with. Many people living in poverty may not have had access to higher education or specialty certifications, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have skills to contribute. Identifying areas of opportunities within your business or organization, expanding your recruiting pool, and paying a living wage is one way to make a change to help neighbors living in poverty in your community.

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7. Provide paid leave and paid sick days

If you’re a business owner within your community, offer paid leave and paid sick days. Although it’s an investment for you, taking a day off every now and then without pay can seriously hurt some of your employees, especially if they’re under the poverty line. Your employees are going to get sick from time to time—let them rest easy by offering paid sick leave. For staff who are earning under the area median income, consider offering stipends for childcare, or even consider an on-site childcare option to create an environment where working families don’t have to choose between income and childcare.

CommonBond Can Help

Poverty affects more people than you think, and as you now know, there are many ways to help fight poverty in your community. Serving your community by donating time or money is a valuable way to get involved. Our team at CommonBond wants to help you in your fight, whether you’re in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, or Iowa. Get in touch to learn more about how to help the poor and fight poverty in your community today!

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