How to Change This? Tests Scores in Schools Closely Follow School Poverty Rates

The debate over how to fix Michigan’s education system often boils down to arguments over budgets, benefits, teacher tenure and class size.

Those issues may affect the way children learn in school, but U.S. Census figures hint at a single, overriding factor: Poverty.

Estimates of poverty and income show school districts with the lowest reading and math scores are often those with the highest poverty rates.

The pattern is clear both locally and statewide.

Across Michigan, such districts as Muskegon Heights, Flint Beecher and Benton Harbor have high poverty rates and low test scores.

The state’s wealthiest districts — including Bloomfield Hills, Northville, East Grand Rapids and Dexter — have median family incomes above $100,000 and very high test scores.

www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/school_achievement_closely_tra.html

P.S. For full disclosure, as of August 2011 I started working as an Interim Financial Officer for the Benton Harbor Schools.