BY JAYDEN EDA AND AASHIR SURA,
Bank of America Student Leader Interns
Classically, education has been society’s answer to those in its lowest social and economic positions. The belief that education is a sure path to success is deeply ingrained in our culture. But does the institutionalized culture surrounding academics inadvertently hinder fair and equitable access to quality education and obstruct struggling populations’ progress?
Education and poverty are intertwined, much like the “chicken and egg” dilemma. Investigating how the quality and accessibility of education can either reinforce or break the ongoing cycles of poverty underscores the critical role that education plays in either trapping individuals in poverty or providing them with the tools to escape it. This perspective is crucial in understanding the real-world implications of these cycles and the potential power of education as a transformative force.
For the people served here at Crisis Assistance Ministry each day, education is just one of a multitude of factors that intersect to form the complex reality of struggling with limited financial resources. Ensuring that school-aged children have a stable place to live, with access to electricity and running water, along with essential items like clothing and bedding, is one way Crisis Assistance Ministry supports families. Before a child can concentrate on learning algebra, they must have their basic needs met. Thanks to the generosity of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, countless families can focus on other priorities, like their children’s education.
Recognizing the power of education, localities across the nation, including the Charlotte region, have invested heavily in creating top-notch educational resources within their communities. However, our system, wherein public schools are funded by their local communities, leads to an inherent disparity in the quality of education and opportunities given to those coming from more privileged backgrounds versus those without. While federal and state funding covers a small portion of the costs to build, maintain, and improve schools, the rest is dependent upon local communities. Richer areas are able to provide extracurricular programs, broader class selection, and more resource offerings than their poorer counterparts. Simply put, the current system presents a situation where your neighborhood and its average income and tax contributions play a significant role in determining the quality of your children’s education.
Close to Home
Let us look at one example in Charlotte-Mecklenburg that illustrates this predicament.
Jay M. Robinson Middle and James Martin Middle are two public middle schools with similar student populations, but they are in different areas of Mecklenburg County. When you compare funding and student performance scores for these two schools, striking disparities become evident. Jay M. Robinson Middle achieves an A grade, while James Martin Middle only manages an F. These discrepancies correlate to differences in location and economic conditions. Robinson Middle is in Ballantyne, a neighborhood with an average household income of $159,304, which allows the community to invest more in student education.
However, James Martin Middle is on University Pointe Boulevard, where the average household income is $57,980, less than half of what the average Ballantyne household earns. This lower level of wealth impacts the ability of the surrounding community to invest in education and schools. While government funding supports public schools throughout the community, the financial capacity of neighborhoods and local communities also plays a significant role in shaping the quality of education. This is a clear demonstration of how economic factors can contribute to educational gaps.
Another Way
For a viable alternative model, we look to Iceland. Providing a significant distinction from American education, Icelandic education differs in funding and composition, existing without a hierarchy of government grants and fewer private educational institutions. This Icelandic model for fueling education prioritizes the accessibility of education over its ability to be capitalized on. Unlike the fusion of state, local, and federal money being allotted towards education, Iceland’s federal government takes on the responsibility of funding education fully, meaning the disparity in the education of the rich and the poor is minimized.
The Icelandic model provides for a free public education like the United States; however, it does so in a way that includes a quality university education for a free or low cost, in contrast to the United States, where students must pay a fortune for a four-year degree. Educational checkpoints exist similar to the United States’ secondary, undergraduate, and graduate systems, yet admission is granted to all who complete compulsory education. In addition, the only fees for graduate school are the registration fees. The accessibility and prioritization of equity in education in the Icelandic model results in a near-perfect literacy rate and a shockingly low 2.7% unemployment rate.
Back here at home, the stark contrast between the educational outcomes in Charlotte’s Jay M. Robinson Middle and James Martin Middle schools underscores the profound influence of socio-economic factors on education. Drawing inspiration from the Icelandic model, which prioritizes equitable access to quality education, Charlotte and similar communities may need to rethink their approach to education funding and accessibility, aiming for a transformative shift towards a more equitable system.
Sources for Further Discussion
Funding:
Icelandic model
Social Capital
CMS Performance Data
https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/district?district=600LEA&year=2023
About the Authors
Jayden is a rising senior at Cato Middle College in Charlotte, NC. With an interest in law, political science, and public service, he has enjoyed working with the Crisis Assistance Ministry, interning in the Community Advocacy & Social Media spaces. As a part of the Bank of America Student Leaders Program, he hopes to explore the stories of all the people in his community, so he can be a fairer leader in the future.
Aashir, a rising senior at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, harbors a keen interest in law and business. He is gaining practical experience as an intern in Community Advocacy & Social Media at Crisis Assistance Ministry, courtesy of the Bank of America Student Leaders Program. He expresses immense gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to a noble cause at such a remarkable organization.
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