Statistics on Education and Why Educating Our People is Paramount to Overcoming Poverty
Michelle Malsbury, BSBM, MM
May 27, 2011
I recently moved from Florida to Memphis, Tennessee. While I never would have thought I would become an educator that is exactly what has occurred as result of this move. I teach, as adjunct, Business Communication at the University of Memphis, Creative Writing at the Lewis Senior Center, and Write Grants for Peer Power Foundation. All three are great jobs and I feel extremely lucky to be part of them. Thank you Memphis!
I have always been interested in ensuring that our children are adequately educated and prepared for the workforce or pursuits in higher education. Each of my three jobs touches the topic of education in some way or another and manages to run the gamut of age groups too. Peer Power Foundation has exposed me to the local educational deficits for Memphis City High Schools and helped me to learn what we can do to change those dynamics. Working with my senior at the Lewis Senior Center has exposed me to the wonders of writing as we age. These are great ladies and I am proud to be affiliated with them. The University of Memphis allows me to work with the children who are pursuing higher education and want to make more of their lives. I enjoy this interaction and learn as much from them as I teach.
Before I get into what is amiss and how we might go about correcting it let me give you a brief blurb about what Peer Power Foundation is and does because they are making a difference in at-risk children´s lives. Peer Power Foundation works alongside our regular school system and fills in the gaps that schools fail to rise to. Specifically, we take our low performing students and pair them up with their high performing counterparts…hence the name Peer Power. We add a layer of collegiate tutors/mentors who help these children 10 – 20 hours each week, and throughout the summer, raise their GPA´s/ACT scores, excel in the areas of math, science, and English. We also work with them to obtain scholarships or internships that can help grow the local talent quotient for the Greater Memphis area and expose them to opportunities that otherwise might never be seen. College mentors are overseen by faculty champions who write the curricula and help measure the outcomes of our lofty goals. To date, we have risen the ACT scores 4 – 7 points per year in our program and ensured that each of our scholars goes on the graduate from high school. Most all attend four year colleges too. We hope to reach more children with more funding and add a vocational element to our teaching as time marches onward. For more information about Peer Power Foundation please visit our website at http://www.peerpowerfoundation.org or call our program director, Bill Sehnert, at 901-761-8463.
Now let´s look at some revealing statistics about poverty and education in Memphis and elsewhere. According to the latest Tennessee Department of Education, 2010 Report Card some 96.4% of our teachers across Memphis are considered highly qualified, yet only 6% of our high school graduates are college ready. This report also depicts school by school standing or status according to NCLB, No Child Left Behind and the TCAP´s (2008-2010). On average our kids in Memphis are performing at 16.7% compared to the Tennessee standard of 20.3% in English, 16.7% compared to the Tennessee standard of 19.6% in Math, 17.0% v. 20.7% in Reading, and 17.4% v. 20.1 in Science. All stats are from school year 2010, and it is worthwhile to note that these scores are down from scores tabulated in 2008/9. Graduation rates for high school aged children stands at a mere 70.8% meaning that nearly 30% dropout.
The Center for Labor Market Studies estimates that in 2007 there were more than 38 million dropouts across the USA. Of those who dropped out, the largest single segment of our population were black males, aged 16 – 24. Black dropouts, both male and female, accounted for 21% of all dropouts in 2007. The authors of this study state that, "Over a working lifetime from ages 16 – 64, high school dropouts are estimated to earn $400k less than those that graduated from high school." furthermore, their study shows that there are more than 6.1 million youth in America who do not have diplomas. We can no longer close our eyes to this dilemma. We must act.
Statistics show that of those who do not eventually obtain their GED or go on to pursue higher education and other employment avenues there is a direct correlation between increased crime and incarceration rates. Bonczar writes that "…dropouts make up over 50% of the state prison population…From the public perspective there are four main costs: criminal justice system costs for policing and trials and sentencing incarceration costs (including parole and probation) state-funded victim costs (medical care and from lost tax revenues); and expenditures of government crime prevention agencies." He goes on to state [paraphrase] that as one moves further through higher education those crime statistics are reduced by 10 – 20% in any given community. There are some many community benefits attached to helping our youth to graduate from high school and go on to become productive parts of the society via entrance to higher education of proper vocational training. What will it take to accomplish this task?
Grover Whitehurst states that "Good education outcomes for students depend on good teachers... teachers vary substantially in effectiveness." He goes on to offer insight on how best we can change these outcomes from better or more meaningful teacher evaluations to changing requirements for tenure to creating online curricula to reach more students outside of the traditional educational facilities that target or mirror the dramatic changes that have occurred in our global environment and would make our graduates more competitive in that arena. I happen to believe his assessment is spot on and that it is in the best interests of each city or community to invest in helping our youth to stay in school. By ensuring that our youth graduate high school we can help them to realize their potential by aiming for higher education or vocational training such that they are able to reap the rewards of a more informed and better educated lifestyle for their futures and those of their children while lessening the burden on federal and state governments.
In the US Department of Education College Completion Tool Kit they state that "More than half of the new jobs in the next decade will require a post-secondary certificate or degree…boosting the number of college graduates should be a central goal in every state´s workforce and economic development plan." Economically speaking they hypothecate that college grads pay $5,900 per year in state, federal, and local taxes and that over a lifetime this generates as much as $177k in tax revenues. And that is not all. Levin, et.al. calculate that the federal government spends approximately $168 Billion dollars annually on welfare and other social programs along with states spending near $25 Billion for same. Furthermore, they chart the number of welfare recipients according to educational attainment as follows: temporary assistance for those with less than a high school diploma is 553,000 (ages 21-64) housing assistance (same age grouping) 745,000, and food stamps (age 20) at 95,000. (DHHS, 2005; Census, 2003, TANF distribution) However, add some college to that mix and we see those numbers dramatically drop. For instance, temporary assistance fell to 40,100 and housing assistance fell to 54,100. Regardless of whether the spending is federal or state, recouping those costs can go a long way toward bolstering city, county, state, and federal governments that have been sagging since our economic slowdown.
Therefore, it is in every community´s best interest to ensure that their youth graduate from high school and are adequately prepared to either enter our workforce or entrance to vocational/colleges/universities. Doing so will severely curtail the cost of social services across the board and make each community more diverse talent-wise. Investing in interventions for better education of our youth with foundations like Peer Power can expose, equip, and better prepare these at-risk students to take advantage of the unique opportunities that create and shape their marketplace and their future. Peer Power faculty champions and tutors/mentors have passed the muster and stand ready to mark success one child at a time. Our programs make scholars/students responsible for their educational and personal outcomes, as well as, help build self-esteem and foundation for success in life. Clearly the benefits outweigh the time and money necessary to address this challenge, but we cannot do it alone.
Across this great nation there are organizations like Peer Power who are making differences in the communities they work in. Success rates may vary according to resources available and commitment of students/families who want to see the scales evened up as far as equal access to quality educations is concerned. Doesn´t every child deserve a good education? With real and measurable benefits outweighing any other constraints, how can any community afford not to invest in their/our children´s future?
Resources:
Bonczar, T.P., 2003. Prevalence of Imprisonment in the US Population, 1974-2001. BJS Special Report, NCJ 197976.
Center for Labor Market Studies. Left Behind in America: The Nation´s Drop Out Crisis. Northwestern University in Boston and the Alternative Schools Network in Chicago. May 2009.
Levin, Henry, et.al., 2007. The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America´s Children. Prepared for Lilo and Gerry Leeds for Teachers College, Columbia University. January 2007.
Tennessee Department of Education. Report Card 2010. Taken from the web site http://www.edu.reportcard.state.tn.us
US Department of Education College Completion Tool Kit. Washington, DC 20111. March 2011. Taken from the web site http://www.ed.gov/college-completion/governing-win
Whitehurst, Grover J. Spurring Innovation Through Education: Four Ideas. Brooking Policy Brief. June 2010. No.174.
I have always been interested in ensuring that our children are adequately educated and prepared for the workforce or pursuits in higher education. Each of my three jobs touches the topic of education in some way or another and manages to run the gamut of age groups too. Peer Power Foundation has exposed me to the local educational deficits for Memphis City High Schools and helped me to learn what we can do to change those dynamics. Working with my senior at the Lewis Senior Center has exposed me to the wonders of writing as we age. These are great ladies and I am proud to be affiliated with them. The University of Memphis allows me to work with the children who are pursuing higher education and want to make more of their lives. I enjoy this interaction and learn as much from them as I teach.
Before I get into what is amiss and how we might go about correcting it let me give you a brief blurb about what Peer Power Foundation is and does because they are making a difference in at-risk children´s lives. Peer Power Foundation works alongside our regular school system and fills in the gaps that schools fail to rise to. Specifically, we take our low performing students and pair them up with their high performing counterparts…hence the name Peer Power. We add a layer of collegiate tutors/mentors who help these children 10 – 20 hours each week, and throughout the summer, raise their GPA´s/ACT scores, excel in the areas of math, science, and English. We also work with them to obtain scholarships or internships that can help grow the local talent quotient for the Greater Memphis area and expose them to opportunities that otherwise might never be seen. College mentors are overseen by faculty champions who write the curricula and help measure the outcomes of our lofty goals. To date, we have risen the ACT scores 4 – 7 points per year in our program and ensured that each of our scholars goes on the graduate from high school. Most all attend four year colleges too. We hope to reach more children with more funding and add a vocational element to our teaching as time marches onward. For more information about Peer Power Foundation please visit our website at http://www.peerpowerfoundation.org or call our program director, Bill Sehnert, at 901-761-8463.
Now let´s look at some revealing statistics about poverty and education in Memphis and elsewhere. According to the latest Tennessee Department of Education, 2010 Report Card some 96.4% of our teachers across Memphis are considered highly qualified, yet only 6% of our high school graduates are college ready. This report also depicts school by school standing or status according to NCLB, No Child Left Behind and the TCAP´s (2008-2010). On average our kids in Memphis are performing at 16.7% compared to the Tennessee standard of 20.3% in English, 16.7% compared to the Tennessee standard of 19.6% in Math, 17.0% v. 20.7% in Reading, and 17.4% v. 20.1 in Science. All stats are from school year 2010, and it is worthwhile to note that these scores are down from scores tabulated in 2008/9. Graduation rates for high school aged children stands at a mere 70.8% meaning that nearly 30% dropout.
The Center for Labor Market Studies estimates that in 2007 there were more than 38 million dropouts across the USA. Of those who dropped out, the largest single segment of our population were black males, aged 16 – 24. Black dropouts, both male and female, accounted for 21% of all dropouts in 2007. The authors of this study state that, "Over a working lifetime from ages 16 – 64, high school dropouts are estimated to earn $400k less than those that graduated from high school." furthermore, their study shows that there are more than 6.1 million youth in America who do not have diplomas. We can no longer close our eyes to this dilemma. We must act.
Statistics show that of those who do not eventually obtain their GED or go on to pursue higher education and other employment avenues there is a direct correlation between increased crime and incarceration rates. Bonczar writes that "…dropouts make up over 50% of the state prison population…From the public perspective there are four main costs: criminal justice system costs for policing and trials and sentencing incarceration costs (including parole and probation) state-funded victim costs (medical care and from lost tax revenues); and expenditures of government crime prevention agencies." He goes on to state [paraphrase] that as one moves further through higher education those crime statistics are reduced by 10 – 20% in any given community. There are some many community benefits attached to helping our youth to graduate from high school and go on to become productive parts of the society via entrance to higher education of proper vocational training. What will it take to accomplish this task?
Grover Whitehurst states that "Good education outcomes for students depend on good teachers... teachers vary substantially in effectiveness." He goes on to offer insight on how best we can change these outcomes from better or more meaningful teacher evaluations to changing requirements for tenure to creating online curricula to reach more students outside of the traditional educational facilities that target or mirror the dramatic changes that have occurred in our global environment and would make our graduates more competitive in that arena. I happen to believe his assessment is spot on and that it is in the best interests of each city or community to invest in helping our youth to stay in school. By ensuring that our youth graduate high school we can help them to realize their potential by aiming for higher education or vocational training such that they are able to reap the rewards of a more informed and better educated lifestyle for their futures and those of their children while lessening the burden on federal and state governments.
In the US Department of Education College Completion Tool Kit they state that "More than half of the new jobs in the next decade will require a post-secondary certificate or degree…boosting the number of college graduates should be a central goal in every state´s workforce and economic development plan." Economically speaking they hypothecate that college grads pay $5,900 per year in state, federal, and local taxes and that over a lifetime this generates as much as $177k in tax revenues. And that is not all. Levin, et.al. calculate that the federal government spends approximately $168 Billion dollars annually on welfare and other social programs along with states spending near $25 Billion for same. Furthermore, they chart the number of welfare recipients according to educational attainment as follows: temporary assistance for those with less than a high school diploma is 553,000 (ages 21-64) housing assistance (same age grouping) 745,000, and food stamps (age 20) at 95,000. (DHHS, 2005; Census, 2003, TANF distribution) However, add some college to that mix and we see those numbers dramatically drop. For instance, temporary assistance fell to 40,100 and housing assistance fell to 54,100. Regardless of whether the spending is federal or state, recouping those costs can go a long way toward bolstering city, county, state, and federal governments that have been sagging since our economic slowdown.
Therefore, it is in every community´s best interest to ensure that their youth graduate from high school and are adequately prepared to either enter our workforce or entrance to vocational/colleges/universities. Doing so will severely curtail the cost of social services across the board and make each community more diverse talent-wise. Investing in interventions for better education of our youth with foundations like Peer Power can expose, equip, and better prepare these at-risk students to take advantage of the unique opportunities that create and shape their marketplace and their future. Peer Power faculty champions and tutors/mentors have passed the muster and stand ready to mark success one child at a time. Our programs make scholars/students responsible for their educational and personal outcomes, as well as, help build self-esteem and foundation for success in life. Clearly the benefits outweigh the time and money necessary to address this challenge, but we cannot do it alone.
Across this great nation there are organizations like Peer Power who are making differences in the communities they work in. Success rates may vary according to resources available and commitment of students/families who want to see the scales evened up as far as equal access to quality educations is concerned. Doesn´t every child deserve a good education? With real and measurable benefits outweighing any other constraints, how can any community afford not to invest in their/our children´s future?
Resources:
Bonczar, T.P., 2003. Prevalence of Imprisonment in the US Population, 1974-2001. BJS Special Report, NCJ 197976.
Center for Labor Market Studies. Left Behind in America: The Nation´s Drop Out Crisis. Northwestern University in Boston and the Alternative Schools Network in Chicago. May 2009.
Levin, Henry, et.al., 2007. The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America´s Children. Prepared for Lilo and Gerry Leeds for Teachers College, Columbia University. January 2007.
Tennessee Department of Education. Report Card 2010. Taken from the web site http://www.edu.reportcard.state.tn.us
US Department of Education College Completion Tool Kit. Washington, DC 20111. March 2011. Taken from the web site http://www.ed.gov/college-completion/governing-win
Whitehurst, Grover J. Spurring Innovation Through Education: Four Ideas. Brooking Policy Brief. June 2010. No.174.
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