[Rhode Island] Union report says poverty hinders learning for children

from WPRI

Students from low-income urban families do not perform as well their suburban-rural peers.

That's according to a coalition of labor and teacher unions, which released a report yesterday saying poverty hinders students from learning. The report also says the voice of teachers have been left out when it comes to discussing how to improve education in the state.

The National Education Association, Working Rhode Island and Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals issued the report. The report looks at how to prepare children from low-income families for school and how to help them succeed once they are in school.

The executive director of NEA's Rhode Island chapter says for many students, the starting line is not the same.