CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Poverty in Mecklenburg County has a significant impact on the academic achievement of students. Data shows economically disadvantaged students are more likely to have lower test scores, lower grades, and higher dropout rates than their more affluent peers.
This is true for schools nationwide and within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district.
"All of my students don't come to me where they need to be," Danielle Belton, Paw Creek Elementary School Principal said. "Many of them, you know, come not necessarily in the same space."
Students living in poverty often have less access to resources outside of school that can help them succeed in school.
That can include trouble paying for extra tutoring, parents' participation may be low due to them working multiple jobs, and students could even be facing food insecurity.
"Families are just doing their best and bringing their best," Belton said. "But they're not always where they need to be. So we have to fight and hustle and make sure that we grow them."
Paw Creek Elementary serves many students facing economic hardship, and because of this it’s considered a Title I school and receives federal funding to support the education of students from low-income families.
"Just because you’re Title I doesn't mean you're not as good as anyone else," Belton said.
It takes years to see the changes from this extra money. For Paw Creek, the investment is finally showing up in the form of improved test scores.
"We've been able to academically perform at levels just as well as those who may not be Title I or better," Belton said.
One example, this month the school earned national recognition as a certified magnet school from Magnet Schools of America.
"They recognized us for exceeding growth expectations," Belton said.
The school has exceeded school growth expectations for the past seven years consecutively, according to Belton.
Paw Creek was also recognized for its gains in closing the achievement gap between students.
"We were also recognized as having the highest proficiency growth in all of CMS elementary schools this year," Belton said.
That means students’ test scores went up.
"Just because you’re Title I doesn't mean you're not as good as anyone else," Belton, a graduate of a Title I school herself said.
The federal government is trying to see more schools around the United States improve like Paw Creek.
"We cannot normalize students reading one or two grade levels below," United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said.
The Biden administration has a $50 million grant to increase achievement scores.
"That's available now, to help districts and states focus their efforts on literacy," Cardona said. "We need our students to be reading on grade levels so that they can reach their potential."
Title I funds are separate from the new grant offered, but it’s a testament to what extra federal dollars can do in real time.
To be eligible for Title I funding, a school must have at least 40% of its students enrolled in the free or reduced-price lunch program. The funds can be used to support a variety of programs and services, such as:
- Hiring additional teachers or teaching assistants
- Providing tutoring and other academic support
- Buying books and other educational materials
- Funding after-school programs and summer school
"We have additional resources," Belton said. "I do not have to scrape many times, if there are additional hands-on materials I need for kids, I'm able to use Title I funds to do that."
What some may see as a stigma, Belton embraces as a way to level the playing field for her students.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.