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Socioeconomic Factors that Affect Student Achievement

First-name Middle-initial Last-name

Department, Institution Name

Name of the course instructor

Mon, Day, Year

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Abstract

The right to education for all is one of the fundamental rights for all children around the

world. Various socio-economic factors not only pose a threat to this right but also in some cases

hinder the growth of a student on the academic front (Tilak, 1998). Political as well as civil

factors also hinder the attainment of proper education. Socioeconomic factors hindering the

attainment of education of children as well as their performance are related to the incomes of

primary caregivers, their level of qualifications and education, and racial or gender differences

(Gebeyehu, 2016).

Most cultures exhibit a general bias over the education of girls as the investments of

parents for the education of boys in the same demographic comes with a promise of better results

(Gebeyehu, 2016). The advancement of society has its perks but has widened the gap between

the haves and the have-nots. The decisions made by the parents a decade ago have paramount

effects on the future of their children, ranging from their level of competency, performance, and

their environment (Hoy,2002). However, these atrocities can be subsidized with the

implementation of affirmative actions such as scholarships and grants.

This study aims to analyze the performance of the students and make recommendations

based on risk assessment regarding lower achievements and hampering their growth

(Nazroo,1998). The commercialization of education entails that students coming from a stable

background and from parents with heavy pockets only have the right to quality education

(Hanafi, 2008). This process has weakened the morale of students coming from poorer

backgrounds and has somehow innately placed hopelessness for themselves and their

achievements (Gobena, 2018).

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Schools, in general, has little to no effect on the academic performance of children rather

the socioeconomic and mental baggage they come up with determines their achievements

(Jacobs, 2016). It is of utmost importance that we as responsible citizens bring about a revolution

in the process of education of students coming from all sectors of the society and let their merits

determine their fate rather than imposing erosive properties of the society upon their feeble

shoulders.

Key Words: Socio-economic factors, effects, student achievement

Average Values from Low-Income, Middle-Income, and High-Income Schools

(1995/96 School Year)
Low- Middle- High-
Characteristic Income Income Income
Schools Schools Schools

Distribution of 12 17 13
schools
Demography in percentage
African American 65.63 36.43 34.13
Caucasian 26.73 56.12 58.72
Other 7.64 7.45 7.15
Percentage of students who
mastered mathematics
Overall 53.75 70.06 78.85
African American 41.17 55.76 65.15
Caucasian 69.08 81.41 86.15
Other 67.25 83.88 74.77
Note. The values in this table were derived from data published in the North Carolina School Building
Improvement Report, 1995/96. Okpala, Comfort O., Okpala, Amon O., and Smith, Frederick E. (2001). Parental
Involvement, Instructional Expenditures, Family Socioeconomic Attributes, and Student Achievement. The
Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 95 Issue 2, p110-115.
Studies and Pertaining Results

(Okpala et al., 2001)

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This analysis is based on the achievement on the subject of mathematics for students coming

from both low as well as high-income households in North Carolina. In this study, the population

of African American students represented as high as 65.63% in low-income schools whereas

high-income students averaged at about 34.13% (Okpala et al., 2001).

The population of African American students decreased in the range from low-income to

higher-income areas. Therefore, this study proved that the backgrounds the students come from

are an important factor for their achievements in academics. This table also pointed out that the

students coming from a low-income background were mostly African Americans and thus the

Caucasians and whites came from higher social-economic backgrounds.

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Literature Review

Having a good and nurturing background is a plus in every situation especially when it

comes to the education of children. Their quality of life, access to resources, tutors, and good

role models gives them a good segue when it comes to achievements and sets them up for

whatever life throws at them. While some parents came up with good decisions decades ago and

their children are reaping the benefits of the same, some households on the contrary do not have

the same living conditions and pose a significant challenge in the growth and advancement of

other students coming from worse backgrounds (Güven, 2019).

The high-income households in the US are prepared to meet the educational requirement

such as books, study tables, study rooms, and computers but when it comes to other countries,

where the general population is on the lower side of the income spectrum, education of children

get hampered and this hinders the child from acquiring higher goals and performance (Güven,

2019). In light of the current situation, it is imperative to consider the education of the families of

the lower-income segment. Free education should be imparted for the sake of the futures of

millions if not billions of students who are capable but hindered. Teachers should have better

connections with the authorities and the students as well for notifying when a student is not able

to access quality resources for education (Güven, 2019).

A study conducted in 74 countries with 5000 samples per country to examine Gender

Egalitarian Values depicts that the parents of children and society at large plays a vital role in

gender differences in student’s achievements. This experiment entails that boys can land higher-

paying jobs than girls pertaining to their performance in Mathematics (Eriksson, Björnstjerna, &

Vartanova, 2020). Beliefs of society that point towards the fact that girls cannot understand

mathematics also denies them the right to study that subject, leading most of them to fail in that
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domain. Another study from 2020, discusses racial factors that hamper the education and

achievements of students (Marcucci, 2020).

Black and African American students are over-disciplined due to racial differences and

then have a higher risk of getting suspended from schools than their white and American Indian

peers. This trend follows an upward trajectory and this racial discrimination affects student’s

performance and aids in the increasing cases of dropouts of Black and African American

students (Marcucci, 2020).

This discrimination can be reduced but nurturing a fair and just environment and

encouragement for viewing African American students as assets rather than people who don’t

look like their counterparts. The government can also play a role in curbing the racial differences

in schools and this step will ultimately aid in the process of fair and just educational support for

every single student (Marcucci, 2020).

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Conclusion.

The heaviest burden that a child can be subjected to is a stunted career in academics and

unfortunately, a lot of socio-economic factors in this society contribute towards exactly that

(Gebeyehu, 2016). The lack of wealth in the household, various stereotypes, and the age-old

discriminative ideologies have hampered the studies and in doing so curbed students of their

potentials, male females alike (Gobena, 2018). The fact that some students can afford good

tutors, admission in the state of the art schools, and access to various academic resources gives

them a head start in their academic careers, the rest just fall behind or are subsequently less

prepared than their counterparts. Gender bias surprisingly is still a norm in many underdeveloped

and even some developed regions of the world (Gobena, 2018). The fact that women and girls

have to take some time off every month because of a biological bodily function is astonishing

and results in missing out on crucial amounts of knowledge. The implications of this kind of

social norm are nothing but worrying as children are the future and if the vast population cannot

bridge the gap between the educated minority and the uneducated majority, then society as we

know it is doomed. The fact that students coming from lower-income households can no longer

depend upon their merit to advance in their career, rather they have to depend upon poor

educational systems which are not quite enough for propelling the growth of an individual,

seriously damages their sensitive brains at an early age. The racial discriminatory factors which

focus on harshly disciplining the African American students than their white counterparts point

towards a systematic episode of racism even in this era of technology and free will on our side is

truly despicable (Marcucci, 2020). Furthermore, the governments of every nation should

prioritize formal education of every single child and see to it that they receive proper treatment in
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schools, a nurturing household that propels education, and the right to study irrespective of their

gender (Marcucci, 2020).

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Reference

Eriksson, K., Björnstjerna, M., & Vartanova, I. (2020). The relation between gender egalitarian

values and gender differences in academic achievement. Frontiers in psychology, 11,

236.

Gebeyehu Z. (2016). The Socio Economic Factors Affecting Girl’s Academic Achievement and

Gender Based Violence in Higher Institution: Case Study in Universities in Amhara

Regional State. International Journal of Research.

http://granthaalayah.com/Articles/Vol4Iss12/06_IJRG16_SE12_06.pdf

Gobena G. (17 Oct 2018). Family Socio-economic Status Effect on Students’ Academic

Achievement at College of Education and Behavioral Sciences,

Haramaya University, Eastern Ethiopia. ERIC.ED.GOV.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1207284.pdf

Güven, U. (2019). The Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Student Achievement: A TIMSS

Study. Contemporary Approaches in Education and Social Science, 89-99.

Hanafi, Z. (2008). The relationship between aspects of socio-economic factors and academic

achievement. Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia (Malaysian Journal of Education), 33, 95-105.

Hoy, W. K. (2002). Faculty trust: A key to student achievement. Journal of School Public

Relations, 23(2), 88-103.

Jacobs, L. A. (2016). Dealing fairly with winners and losers in school: Reframing how to think

about equality of educational opportunity 50 years after the Coleman Report. Theory and

Research in Education, 14(3), 313-332.

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Reference

Marcucci, O. (2020). Parental involvement and the Black-White discipline gap: The role of

parental social and cultural capital in American schools. Education and Urban

Society, 52(1), 143-168.

Nazroo, J. Y. (1998). Genetic, cultural or socio‐economic vulnerability? Explaining ethnic

inequalities in health. Sociology of Health & Illness, 20(5), 710-730.

Okpala, Comfort O., Okpala, Amon O., & Smith, Frederick E. (2001). Parental involvement

instructional expenditures, family socioeconomic attributes, and student achievement.

The Journal of Educational Research, 95(2), 110-115.