PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The State of Pennsylvania released Standard & Poor’s analysis today to elaborate on what we already know – students from high poverty areas struggle with student achievement more than students from high-income areas.  What has not been addressed, however, is why this is so.  

“We are not asking the right questions,” said Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA).  “Students from high poverty areas suffer from a poverty of educational resources.”  

“If a child cannot get access to a quality education, how can he possibly succeed on school assessment tests? If a student does not have access to a chemistry lab or a textbook written in her lifetime, or has not had a decent math teacher in five years, how is she supposed to thrive on tests designed for students who do have access to these resources,” asked Congressman Fattah.

“These are the questions we need answered.  Children from high poverty areas have enough to overcome, being denied a quality education should not be one of them,” said Congressman Fattah. 
 

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