Education provides individual children with the knowledge and skills necessary to advance themselves and their nation economically. Socioeconomic factors, such as family income level, parents' level of education, race and gender, all influence the quality and availability of education as well as the ability of education to improve life circumstances.
Other People Are Reading
Family Income Level
A family's financial status influences a number of factors that can help or hinder a child in gaining an education. Wealthy families have the financial resources to send a son or daughter to high-quality schools, hire tutors and obtain supplemental education sources. Students from low-income families may not be able to attend school because no school is available. Where school is available, the teachers may have insufficient education or training. Financial stress on the parents can cause a child to leave school early to work. Worries about the financial lack at home can negatively affect low-income children's ability to learn.
Parents' Level of Education
Parents' education level directly correlates to the importance and influence of education in their children's lives. Educated parents can assess a son or daughter's academic strengths and weaknesses to help that child improve overall academic performance. The educated parent also sets expectations of academic performance that propel students forward in their achievement levels. However, even if educated, parents who struggled academically and do not think highly of formalised education may have negative attitudes toward education that can still hinder the child academically.
The availability of education to girls and women varies by country. Restrictions on education for girls and women are based on gender bias prevalent with the culture. Some cultures will allow education for girls and women but limit the content of the education or skew the education to prepare for certain few social roles. In the United States, the availability of education to girls and women expanded to become coeducational in most schools within the 20th century.
While race is not a predictor of how a student will perform in school, African American students have trailed behind European American students in reading and mathematics. This phenomenon may occur less because of race and more as a result of family income level. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 sought to improve academic performance for students in predominantly African American or Hispanic schools by placing an emphasis on teacher quality and performance.
- 20 of the funniest online reviews ever
- 14 Biggest lies people tell in online dating sites
- Hilarious things Google thinks you're trying to search for
- Investigacion-Psicopedagogica: Personal, Family and Academic Factors Affective Achievement in Secondary School
- Central European University: Emale Education Inequality; In Turkey: Factors Affecting Girls' Schooling; Anil Duman
- "International Journal of Business and Social Science"; Factors Affecting Teachers Motivation; Dr. Muhammad Tayyab Alam and Sabeen Farid; January 2011
- "Journal of Family Psychology"; The Influence of Parent Education and Family Income on Child Achievement: The Indirect Role of Parental Expectations and the Home Environment; Pamela E. Davis-Kean; 2005
- "Education Week"; Poverty's Effect on U.S. Scores Greater Than for Other Nations; Sean Cavanaugh; December 2007
- "Time Magazine"; Studying the Impact of Race in the Classroom; Randy James; July 2009