ABSTRACT
Poverty shapes the experience of more than twelve million children in the United States. To further an understanding of the relationship between poverty and school performance in South Carolina public schools, we investigated the association of high and low poverty levels with a range of state report card variables for three school levels: elementary, middle, and high schools. In this study, we considered variables in four categories: academic achievement/outcomes, student engagement, classroom environment, and student safety. An analysis of 1163 public schools in 88 school districts and state-operated programs revealed that for different school levels, significant differences by poverty level exist in these categories. We conclude with recommendations for policymaking, intervention programs, and funding opportunities to support high-poverty schools, and ultimately aiming to narrow the gaps of school performance due to poverty.
