Almost six out of 10 Texas public schoolchildren hail from low-income families, marking a troubling spike in poverty over the last decade, a new state report finds.
The increase coincides with a significant jump in the number of Hispanic students, while fewer Anglo students were enrolled last year than 10 years ago, according to the study by the Texas Education Agency. Schools also are educating many more children whose primary language is not English.
The rapidly changing makeup of the Texas public school classroom poses growing challenges for the state. Impoverished and disadvantaged children are more likely to falter academically and drop out, and educating struggling students can be costly.
“Economically disadvantaged students have needs,” said Sarah Winkler, the president of the Texas Association of School Boards and an Alief school board trustee. “The cost of education is going to go up. Every student has to meet the same standards, and some of those students have never seen a book before.”
To help at-risk students, Winkler said, school districts should focus their resources on preschool programs to try to close the learning gap early, on parent education, on extra tutoring and on smaller class sizes, among other things.
The state's school funding system is set up to pay districts more for their impoverished students, but some believe the extra dollars are not enough.
This year, the price tag is $2.8 billion, according to the TEA. Districts also get additional federal funds.
A special legislative committee is supposed to study school funding before state lawmakers reconvene in 2011, and Rep. Rob Eissler, chairman of the House Public Education Committee, said he expects discussion on the cost of educating at-risk students.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/head…
How big role illegal immigration playing in Texas almost 60% of public school children are poor half Hispanic?
It would seem their children would have a better chance in Mexico if that is the case. At least they would speak the same language.
How big role illegal immigration playing in Texas almost 60% of public school children are poor half Hispanic?
To hear the news reports and documentaries of kids like them, they are at risk students their entire school life when they get to this country. And sanctuary cities are a magnet to draw in more who are just like them.
Deport all of them. No more free education, healthcare and other programs that are intended to assist Americans.
they can learn the language i mean i came not knowing english and know im famous!!! but still illegal:(
Don't know, but looks like you need to go back LOL!
