Changing Lives Today

When we hear the word disabilities we tend to think of physical or developmental delays. Yet, these are the disabilities that are more noticeable to the human eye. One of the biggest disabilities that exist today in the public school system is learning disabilities. It is estimated that nearly 2.9 million students are currently receiving special education services for learning disabilities in the United States. This disability is not evident to the human eye. The fact that it is not visible and has many characteristics makes it even more questionable and controversial. Yet, one thing that is not disputable is that today’s children are faced with a number of obstacles, including but not limited to, family, economic hardship, violence, drugs and alcohol, and lack of community support. These internal and external issues throughout the lifecycle can affect ones social and emotional behavior, thoughts, and ability to succeed. Fifty percent of students receiving special education services through the public schools are identified as having learning disabilities. Two-thirds of secondary students with learning disabilities are reading three or more grades levels behind. Twenty percent are reading five or more grade levels behind. More than 38.7% of children with learning disabilities drop out of high school, compared to 11% of the general student population. Student achievement is not a matter of what happens in school but a combination of factors, such as, school, family and self, social incentives, and socioeconomic factors. Student achievement is not a matter of what happens in school but a combination of factors, such as, school, family and self, social incentives, and socioeconomic factors.

The deeper the poverty the more powerful of an influence it has on a child’s life. Poverty, unfortunately, is not left behind in the miseries of these homes when the children enter the school doors. Although no direct links have connected disability among children of poverty status, poor children are more likely to engage in behavioral problems, academic failure, family management problems, low neighborhood attachment and community disorganization, grade retention, reading disorder, attention disorder, and other learning disabilities. Though no data currently links disability and poverty together, studies have indicated that health problems, such as, asthma, lead poisoning, and low birth weight are higher among the poor.
Being born poor in the United States does not fate a child to a life of failure, but the sharp effect of poverty on children can be severe and long lasting. Children from high-poverty environments enter school less ready to learn. They fall behind their wealthy classmates in their ability to use language and solve problems. They also face higher rates of health problems such as asthma. Their drop out rate is much higher, they get pregnant early, or have a hard time paying attention because they don’t get a nutritious breakfast and/or may not have eaten dinner the night before.