This article explores the link between socioeconomic
status and third-grade literacy in Mississippi's public schools. It emphasizes
how poverty contributes to disparities in student achievement. The study uses a quantitative causal-comparative design to analyze data from the Mississippi Department of Education.
It reviews reports such as the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, the Third
Grade Reading Gate Assessment, and the MAAP English Language Arts test.
District poverty levels, determined by Community Eligibility Provision
measures, serve as the independent variable, while readiness and proficiency scores are the dependent
variables. Statistical methods, including t-tests and chi-square tests, show
that students in wealthier districts tend to perform better than those in
economically disadvantaged districts.
Districts classified as poverty-affected often
report that over 40% of their students
do not meet proficiency standards. These findings suggest that poverty
has lasting effects on early literacy and highlight the need to improve support
systems in early childhood education and community resources. The study relies
on cross-sectional data, which limits its generalizability beyond Mississippi.
Nonetheless, it adds to the growing
evidence that social and economic factors significantly influence educational
outcomes.
