The Constraints of Poverty on High Achievement

Research studies on school success often focus on the impact of discrete elements such as race, culture, ethnicity, gender, language, or school location on high achievement. The condition of poverty, however, may be the most important of all student differences in relation to high achievement; although not all schools have racial diversity, nearly all schools have at least some students living in poverty. In this paper, the authors review the literature on poverty, including its relationship with ethnicity and locale; search for commonalities that illuminate the relationship between poverty and high achievement; identify problems in data gathering that mitigate against the identification of high-ability poor children; and underscore the need to provide individual support and the development of resilience to low-income, high-ability students. Recommendations for improving the identification, services, and success of high-ability learners who are affected by poverty are included.