We are in the midst of an educational crisis in the U.S.—a large percentage of our young children are failing to acquire the basic math, reading, writing, and social skills that they will need to become successful adults. However, we often fail to address one of the major contributors to this crisis: poverty.  For example, in the 2011 4th grade NAEP reading assessment, only 18% of students in low-income families scored in the proficient range, compared with 48% of their peers from higher-income families.

Recently, there has been renewed attention to the relationship between poverty and education as well as compelling research findings. Programs that combine innovative educational approaches, extended day, additional teacher resources, and link families to family workers, community based programs, and infant-parent courses have been successful in producing results that could narrow the achievement gap. But without adequate funding, these programs are not viable.

U.S. House Representative, Jim Himes (D-D-CT-4) has introduced a bill that will provide $50,000,000 per year in grants allocation to be distributed among five partnerships in five different states that show they can provide the critical elements of these successful programs. The grant period will be limited to six years, but applicants must show that they will be able to secure funding for future years.

PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BILL! A 1% INCREASE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATE WOULD SAVE THE U.S. AS MUCH AS $1,400,000,000 PER YEAR IN PENAL EXPENDITURES. CHILDREN IN POVERTY ARE BORN WITH THE SAME COGNITIVE ABILITIES AS THEIR BETTER-OFF PEERS. BUT OFTEN FALL BEHIND EARLY DUE TO A LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. A strong foundation in childhood is critical to positive educational outcomes later on.