Where a child lives can have a significant effect on his or her educational opportunities and academic achievement, according to a study examining disparities across five school districts on Long Island outside New York City.
It finds that, despite their geographic proximity, the districts showed significant differences in student performance and school funding, and that the quality of education was related primarily to the districts’ income levels.
“Despite the New York state standards, state exams, and a statewide definition of ‘proficiency’ under the federal No Child Left Behind law,” the study says, “there is very little consistency across these five districts in the quality of education students are receiving.”
The report was written by a team of researchers from Teachers College, Columbia University, led by Amy Stuart Wells, a professor of sociology and education.
