Poverty, Development and Schools in New Mexico

Today, development goals for society encompass a wide variety of issues including poverty, inadequate health-care, poor education, inequality, income and wealth, and ethnic and gender discrimination. The U.S. has the ability to address these issues and change, however many institutions must be changed, and the government must eliminate poverty. Education plays a key role in eliminating poverty and creating positive development. Education is a major opportunity for impoverished people to better their lives and society as a whole.

Inner-city public schools face many problems to due to poverty and low amounts of funding from the government. Stratification between school success and income is manifested in the public school system. Greater income yields a better school (according to income and neighborhoods) and more opportunities for success such as after school tutoring and mentors. Wealthier schools have higher expectations for their students in terms of professional careers, where as poor, inner-city schools focus on the very basics of education. Urban schools are failing students by not having sufficient classrooms, updated textbooks (if any), and limited instruction. Children are simply being pushed through minimal state requirements without ever actually being engaged. There is little focus on individual students because urban schools are so largely over-populated and are running on little funding.

New Mexico is a very poor state, with a low population that affects public schools. As of 2002, 54% of New Mexican students were eligible for free of reduced price meals. New Mexico has the highest proportion of people in poverty, with one in four below the threshold. The state's education level and criteria are far below the country's standard. One of the major problems that inner-city schools in New Mexico face is a lack of funding. Student's need many resources for their education, and so this website is for teachers to ask for classroom funding in terms of extra supplies, books, field trips, and other needs. Often times, children in inner-city public schools do not have adequate textbooks or goals, mentors, classroom aids, and materials.