Education and Poverty: Systems and Barriers

A set of flashcards focusing on the vocabulary and systemic concepts discussed regarding the intersection of poverty and the education system.

Modular solution

An approach to problem-solving that addresses isolated components, such as building a school, while ignoring interconnected factors like transportation or food stability.

Interdependent problem

The nature of poverty where multiple factors such as housing, health, and education are inextricably linked and cannot be solved in isolation.

Property taxes

The primary funding source for American public schools, which often results in schools in poor areas lacking the resources to handle high child poverty rates.

Chronically absent students

In the Connecticut housing study, students of color account for nearly 71% of this group, driven by housing instability and the need to work.

Pell Grants and FAFSA

Financial aid tools designed for higher education that are often criticized for being piecemeal and failing to cover hidden costs like childcare or textbooks.

Academic capital

The insider generational knowledge of how the educational and financial aid systems work, which is often lacking in low-income students.

Summer melt

A phenomenon where students fully intend to go to college but fail to show up in the fall because they cannot navigate the complex institutional system.

Homework gap

The digital divide where over 15,000,000 US k-12 students lack reliable home internet or personal devices for schoolwork.

Digital literacy

The ability to troubleshoot software and navigate digital platforms, which is distinct from simply possessing hardware like a WiFi hotspot.

Wraparound support

A strategy that integrates academic instruction with essential services like childcare, transportation, and mentoring to treat the student as a whole person.

Universal basic services

A concept advocated by the UN to provide integrated support systems rather than treating poverty as a series of disconnected symptoms.