Kids' social class plays big role in school success

I found an interesting article by Shannon Proudfoot off the Canwest News Service about the role of social class on success.  You can read the full article here.  

The article, titled, “Kids' social class plays big role in school success, experts say” confirms something I’m sure most of us had already expected.  Proudfoot writes:

Even from the earliest days of kindergarten, a Quebec study suggested that children with less educated mothers fared more poorly in "school readiness" than their peers, with lower scores in language and cognitive development, physical health, general knowledge and communication skills, such as the ability to tell a story.

There were similar links with low parental income and such disadvantages persisting in later grades, the study concluded.

Statistics Canada research finds that among older students, those whose parents had a post-secondary diploma were nearly three times as likely to go to university than those whose parents had less education. Post-secondary enrolment rises with parental income, too, the federal agency noted.

…While research shows it (social status) to be the strongest predictor of educational paths, others insist social class doesn't spell destiny in the classroom…

While about 25 per cent of a school's results can be attributed to parental income in the neighborhood, Peter Cowley, the think-tank's director of school performance studies, says they assign rankings based solely on testing results. They believe that's a more accurate picture of whether the public-school system is succeeding for all students, regardless of background.

"The relationship between family characteristics and student performance is not etched in stone," he says. "You take anybody in the front door and you ensure they all - not just the rich ones - acquire the skills and knowledge they need to go on to the next step, whatever that might be."

Personally, I believe that social status may make up for greater than 25% of success when you factor everything into the picture: better healthcare, better access to education, better access to a professional that can help your child succeed (such as yours truly), and eye opening experiences that only the wealthy can afford for their child. 

Research has also shown that middle-class and wealthy families have different (not necessarily better — just different) parenting styles than working-class and disadvantaged ones.  Structure is the key difference here, and children tend to thrive under structure.  Having planed daily activities and a set schedule is paramount to a child's success in school.  In fact a large part of what I do in my practice is to establish systems of structure and organization.

A child from an upper class family will be used to a certain lifestyle and will strive to achieve similar socio-economic status in adulthood.  Or, as the old adage goes, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." 

The economic argument is easy to grasp: money begets money.  The wealthy pass on their resources and advantages to their children.  Wealthy people tend to invest their money wisley, and there is no better investment than into your child's educational advantage.