Serious advocates of improving educational outcomes know that the single most important education policy is something that never gets included in education bills: reducing poverty among children. The United States has
shockingly high childhood poverty levels; on a list of 35 developed nations, only Romania has a higher percentage of children living in relative poverty (defined as less than half the median income). Children living in poverty face a host of educational challenges; they are more likely to be food insecure, exposed to lead and cigarette smoke, less likely to have had early childhood care that would be expected to prepare them for school. The educational results are clear:
And the cost to the United States of childhood poverty is estimated at $500 billion a year. Why does it cost so much? Because childhood poverty has long-lasting effects on people's participation in the economy as adults:
If you want to fix the education system and strengthen the economy, reducing childhood poverty is a fantastic policy solution. Republicans—and too many Democrats—would say we can't afford it. But if they were honest about the costs, they'd have to admit we can't afford not to.
(Via The Answer Sheet)