Illinois' Poor Students Falling Further Behind

By Prescott Carlson in News on Feb 20, 2011 5:30PM

As politicians and the media continue to hammer away at teachers' unions and their inability to bring education up to the standards of Finland, a new report from Voices of Illinois Children is trying to highlight some of the more pressing issues when it comes to improving education in the state, namely breaking the cycle of poverty.

According to a study conducted by the organization, 45 percent of students enrolled in Illinois come from low-income families, up 8 percentage points from a decade earlier. The Chicago Public Schools rate of low-income family students rose to well over 70 percent. And of those kids, less than 50 percent of them are reading at an appropriate level in fourth grade. Voices of Illinois Children puts a bulk of the blame squarely on the conditions in which these children live:

"School readiness is affected by children's health, as well as by the families and communities in which they live. Low-income children are more likely to have chronic health problems and are at greater risk for developmental delays. They are more likely to be affected by family stress -- especially in times of economic hardship -- and are less likely to live in safe and supportive neighborhoods."

The report goes on to say that the current Illinois fiscal crisis is also a factor, as it "threatens to further erode important investments in early childhood education and care, health insurance coverage, children's mental health services, family supports, and other essential programs and services." It also points out the while Illinois has had a decent track record for early learning programs, they have also taken a hit the past two years due to "budget cuts and delayed payments to preschool providers."