Study promotes economic integration to increase student achievement

An article in the Washington Post on October 15, 2010 focused upon the positive effects of 'economic integration' of low-income students across school district. The research study found that low-income students had higher rates of achievement when attending affluent elementary school in comparison to low-income students who attended elementary schools with higher rates of poverty. This study was accomplished by examining an existing income achievement gap in the Montgomery County Public School District in Maryland.

The Washington Post newspaper article outlines the study which, "tracked the performance of 858 elementary students in public housing scattered across Montgomery from 2001 to 2007. Researchers see the results as especially significant because Montgomery, one of the nation's best and largest public school districts with 144,000 students, has been uncommonly aggressive in seeking to improve the performance of students in schools with higher poverty."

The Washington Post article summarizes the concepts from the educational researcher, Heather Schwartz, who authored study, "Housing Policy is School Policy: Economically Integrative Housing Promotes Academic Success in Montgomery County, Maryland." Her entire study can be found here.

You can read the entire Washington Post newspaper article online here.