Disrupting links between poverty, chronic stress, and educational inequality

Abstract The income-achievement gap is a significant and stubborn problem in the United States, which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article, we link two emerging literatures that have historically been disparate: the neurobiology of poverty as a form of early life stress, an...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Madeline B. Harms, Sherona D. Garrett-Ruffin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-11-01
Series:npj Science of Learning
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-023-00199-2
Description
Summary:Abstract The income-achievement gap is a significant and stubborn problem in the United States, which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article, we link two emerging literatures that have historically been disparate: the neurobiology of poverty as a form of early life stress, and research on educational policies with the potential to reduce SES-based disparities in academic achievement. In doing so, we (1) integrate the literature on poverty-related mechanisms that contribute to early life stress, alter neurobiology, and lead to educational inequities, and (2) based on this research, highlight policies and practices at the school/classroom level and broader structural level that have the potential to address the problem of inequity in our educational systems. We emphasize that educational inequity is a systemic issue, and its resolution will require coordination of local, state, and national policies.
ISSN:2056-7936