The effect of students' socioeconomic status on academic achievement

Lower socioeconomic students  display difficulty with language skills and struggle with reading. In comparison to higher socioeconomic status children, they are not as accurate when completing academic tasks such as word problems or addition. As schools become aware of low student performance, students are assigned to lower school tracks. Consequently, students on the lower end of the socioeconomic status are forced to take lower level courses that do not necessarily prepare them for higher education. Lower socioeconomic status contributes to lower academic performance and slower rates of academic progress.

School environment plays a vital role in academic achievement for low socioeconomic status students. Teacher turnover, limited resources and low academic performance are characteristics of schools in lower socioeconomic communities. Consequently, the qualified teachers almost avoid such schools by joining more affluent school communities, leaving low socioeconomic status students with teachers who often lack experience in their subjects.