On Monday I posted on the impact of parental socioeconomic status as it pertains to their children’s educational outcomes. In reviewing the post I failed to display 1 of 3 findings the authors made. I think I did this because the data failed to demonstrate a point that I will be anxious to make in future posts regarding the book.
I will post now the data that speaks to kids who drop out of school only to later come back and earn their GED instead of obtaining a high school dipploma. The graph is here:
As you can see, SES has a large impact on whether or not a child obtains a GED or stays in school to earn her high school diploma. The wealthiest families generate graduates 9x more often than the poorest families of kids who drop out but come back to earn either their GED or diploma.
Yeah, and it’s tough to know how to actually help create equal opportunity for children of poor families. Clearly direct transfers don’t cut it – it’s not lack of money that’s the problem but all of what goes with it – poor role models, a culture that doesn’t value school, etc. I do think health care, nutrition, and the like is important for kids, and good schools help. This lack of social mobility is of course the norm for human history. Still, think of all the potential brilliance and innovation that doesn’t surface.
Clearly direct transfers don’t cut it – it’s not lack of money that’s the problem
Right. We’ve demonstrated that.
all of what goes with it – poor role models, a culture that doesn’t value school, etc. I do think health care, nutrition, and the like is important for kids, and good schools help.
This is key. My kids are in private school now and I remark that the school isn’t better because the teachers are better or whatnot, the school is better because it’s primarily made up of parents who give a crap about education.
This lack of social mobility is of course the norm for human history. Still, think of all the potential brilliance and innovation that doesn’t surface.
Stay tuned!