Whose Problem Is Poverty?

by Richard Rothstein ASCD's Educational Leadership April, 2008
It's not an excuse, but its important to be honest and realistic about the effects of poverty on academic achievement. Yes, every student can learn, but ignoring very real barriers and perpetuating myths about what educators' beliefs can accomplish alone will demoralize teachers and distort the real impact of good teaching. In Richard Rothstein's cover story, he argues that educators need to build social movements because modest social and economic reforms can greatly improve student achievement.