Role of Socioeconomics in Education

Public schools have been reviewing the disparaging statistics relating to achievement gap within the school systems. Giant strides in education reform have been taken in the past few decades in attempt to alleviate the problem. With the goal to raise the achievement levels of all students, especially underperforming groups, and to close the achievement gap that parallels race and class distinction, legislation such as No Child Left Behind has been developed. Even with these vast initiatives, the gap still seems to grow. Certain uncontrollable barriers still and always will exist and no matter what standards are put into place; teachers will not be able to overcome their influence. This study will research and illustrate the affects socioeconomics has on students’ achievement levels. Students from low-income families oftentimes have poor living conditions, poor health and hygiene, poor nutrition and hunger, experience lack of sleep and have limited access to technology. These distinct issues caused by socioeconomics inevitably impact a child’s ability to learn, thus causing their academic performance to be lower than that of their peers from higher socioeconomic classes.


Introduction
All across America, schools are faced daily with the challenge of educating their students under the theory that every child can learn. A fundamental question that has plagued the minds of educators for decades is how can students that receive the same curriculum and instruction within a classroom have such varying academic performance. This gap in performance is a topic that is being discussed and researched by all sectors of society. In efforts to minimize or close this gap, both federal and state legislation is being passed each year to ensure that all students receive an equal education. Schools face the fear of not attaining accreditation, or not achieving Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as mandated by the federal government in the No Child Left Behind Act if student performance is not achieved. Education standards are being updated and implemented within school curriculums that require all teachers to teach the same subject matter with similar methodologies, but yet, the achievement gap is still prevalent.
The United States Department of Education defines the "Achievement Gap" in education as "the disparity in academic performance between groups of students." This gap is visible in grades, standardized test scores, course selection, dropout rates and college completion rates and can be attributed to various indicators including race, culture, socioeconomic class, disabilities and gender (Horton, 2005).
As the importance of meeting Annual Yearly Progress on state mandated assessments becomes more intense, the need for understanding the correlation of socioeconomic status and academic performance increases. Although past researchers have shown expansive links between socioeconomic status and academic achievement, the income divide has received far less attention from policy makers and government officials than gaps in student accomplishment by other factors such as race and sex. Now, in analysis of long-term data published in recent months, researchers are finding that while the achievement gap between white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades, the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period. Perhaps a greater look into America's overall economy could play a role in impacting this gap.
"We have moved from a society in the 1950's and 1960's, in which race was more consequential than family income, to one today in which family income appears more determinative of educational success than race," said Sean F. Reardon, a Stanford University sociologist. Reardon authored a study that found that the gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students had grown by about forty-percent since the 1960's, and is now double the testing gap between blacks and whites.
In another study, by researchers from the University of Michigan, the imbalance between rich and poor children in college completion -the single most important predictor of success in the work force -has grown by about fifty percent since the late 1980's. "With income declines more severe in Copyright © 2013 Horizon Research Publishing International Journal of Social Work and Human Services Practice 39 Vol.1. No.1 September, 2013, pp. 38-44 the lower brackets, there's a good chance the recession may have widened the gap," (Reardon, 2012). In the study Reardon led, researchers analyzed twelve sets of standardized test scores starting in 1960 and ending in 2007. He compared children from families in the 90 th percentile of income -the equivalent of around $160,000 in 2008, when the survey was conducted -and children from the 10 th percentile, $17,500in 2008. By the end of that period, the achievement gap from income had grown by forty percent, he said, while the gap between white and black students had shrunk substantially.
The achievement gap in education has been noted for a number of years and educators have battled with ways to close the gap, just as politicians have passed legislation to do the same. It is apparent from data findings that these efforts have prevailed in narrowing the race and gender gaps, but have been to no avail in narrowing the social and economic gap. Today's political climate is bringing the issue of income inequality to the forefront of political discussion and future legislation. The connection between income inequality among parents and the social mobility of their children has been a focus of President Obama as well as some of the Republican candidates. This redirection of attention from race and gender gaps to socioeconomic gaps will ultimately lead to more research being conducted regarding social and economic influence on academic achievement.
Before children can learn, they must have the basic needs of food, water and shelter met. For many students living in poverty, these basic needs are oftentimes not met at home, but rather at school. For many students, the only meals they receive during the week are the ones provided to them at school. Poverty-stricken children's first worries are about their next meal or having heat at home, rather than worrying about academic performance.
Many times, teachers are called upon to be parents, providers and teachers for their students. Because students come from all walks of life, teachers must be ever mindful of the backgrounds from which their students come. It is not always that the need in their student's life is food, clothing or shelter, but rather sometimes the need is emotional, mental, or spiritual. More and more, students live in single-family homes and the one parent spends the majority of his or her time working and does not have the optimal opportunities to spend time going over homework and providing guidance for important decisions. Many "latchkey" homes require older siblings to care for younger siblings, cook meals and assist with household chores as the parental figure works long hours for minimal pay. This situation leaves little time for homework or school activities and athletics.
The need to provide support for every student and the idea that all students can learn are critical for the future of our society. Because students do not enter school on the same level, public schools must work to develop tools to diminish the achievement gap, identify students who are at-risk of academic failure, and provide interventions.
This study will look at how socioeconomics affect students overall achievement and will answer the question "does socioeconomics play a role in students' academic performance". It has long been said that the socioeconomicstatusofachild'sparentsisoneofthestrongestpr edictorsofthechild'sacademicachievementandeducationalatt ainment. Why is this believed to be true? Parents with more money are always going to ensure that their children get more and better educations than the children of people with less money. (Nisbett, 2010). Students that come from families in higher economic demographics have more opportunities for learning, as well as life experiences such as museums, dance, art and theatre afforded to them. Children from low-income families have fewer resources available to them, thus minimalizing their exposure to modern technology, as well as other educational resources. This has been particularly true in recent years as more parents try to position their children for college, which has become ever more essential for success in today's economy.
Typically, college-educated individuals attain higher wealth and are categorized in a higher socioeconomic class. As parents, these individuals instill within their children the desire of a quality education and the necessity of a college degree. An obviously direct correlation between parental educational attainment and family income exists. Thus, the income-achievement gap may be partly a result of the effects of parental educational attainment. (Lareau,1989).
The forces at work behind the rising socioeconomic achievement gap are complex, multifaceted and interconnected. This study will encompass a myriad of existing data available on this topic, delve into the research conducted and uncover the complexity of the variables contributing to the socioeconomic achievement gap.
As the achievement gap relating to socioeconomic status continues to widen and the majority of students from low-income families continue to fail academically, the future of public schools will be challenged to find a means of survival in a world that is continuing to change. It is critical that schools find an environment in which students from diverse backgrounds can all flourish. All across America, schools have populations that contain a majority of at-risk students, thus making it more difficult to meet federal standards and guidelines. This study will provide another key piece of research that can be used to further these efforts.

Literature Review
It is an unequivocal fact that achievement gap exists in America today. With education reform a widely discussed topic among both legislators and educators, understanding the causes of this gap is important in determining future education strategies. The 2001, No Child Left Behind legislation mandated public school districts to become 100-percent proficient among all students by the year 2014. This key piece of legislation has increased pressure on

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In vast attempts to elevate the gap in performance among students, researchers continue to look for the underlying causes of the gap. Much research supports the idea that socioeconomic status effects academic performance. Caro (2009) stated that, when groups of students with similar backgrounds are compared, the students from higher-socioeconomic status (SES) outperform those from a low socioeconomic status on academic performance. High SES is related to better social support, fewer discipline problems, and higher social expectations.
Many variables are considered when discussing socioeconomics in relation to academic achievement among students. The amount of a family's annual income is not the only considering factor in the evaluation, but rather other variables such as, parent's educational attainment, parental involvement, neighborhood conditions and family structure. Understanding the correlation between these variables is key in determining the impact socioeconomics has on academic achievement. Altschul (2012) researched the connections between parent's occupations as well as educational attainment as variables impacting socioeconomics. Unarguably, the higher the parents educational attainment, the higher the families overall annual income is. However, Altschul concluded that the parent's occupation played a greater role in the child's academic performance than the parent's academic attainment. She further concluded that the mother's occupation impacted the child more so than the father's occupation. Within her research, Altschul also stated that the parent's ability to invest economic, social and human capital in their child's education influenced academic performance. As an example, parents who themselves have attained higher levels of education may consider providing their children with intellectually stimulating activities to be of greater value than would parents who have little formal education. Overall, family income will facilitate or limit parents' abilities to provide such activities. In summary, Altschul's findings concluded that parents from higher socioeconomic classes typically, themselves, have higher educational attainments, value the educational system for their children and do what they can to ensure their children have the tools necessary to learn.
The level of parental involvement greatly impacts a child's ability to perform in school. Lacour and Tissington (2011) concluded that parental involvement plays the greatest role on children's academic performance. Their report stated that previous research conducted showed that children from single-parent households do not perform as well in school as children from two-parent households. There are several different explanations for this conclusion. Single-parent households have less income, as well as a lack of support for the single-parent which increases stress and conflicts. Single parents struggle with time-management issues due to balancing many different areas of their own life. Some research has also shown that single-parents are less involved with their children and therefore give less encouragement and have lower expectations of their children than two-parent households.
Altschul (2012) also discusses parental involvement and family structure with research that stated supportive and attentive parenting practices positively affect academic achievement. Other research showed that academic scores were impacted indirectly by parental involvement with the direct correlation being that greater parental involvement prevents behavioral problems and children with less behavioral problems have higher academic scores.
Smaller family size has also been linked with higher academic achievement. Students with fewer siblings are likely to receive more parental attention and have more access to resources than children from large families. The additional attention and support leads to better school performance. Lacour and Tissington (2011) also stated that low achievement is closely correlated with a lack of resources.
Research from Orr (2003), showed that wealth affects academic achievement through its effect on the amount of cultural capital to which a child is exposed. Certainly, families from higher socioeconomic status can provide more opportunity for their children than families from lower socioeconomic status. Orr's research concurs with other research pertaining to parental involvement stating the direct correlation between greater parental involvement and higher academic achievement. Critics to this research might argue that parents with higher educational attainment have more time-demanding occupations; therefore the level of parental involvement may be weakened. However, Orr's research combats this argument by showing that these parents have the economic means to provide social capital by way of additional help for their children through tutors and other resources. This research concluded that ultimately, these parents, although not always personally, provide great levels of involvement in their children's education.
Farooq, Chaudhry, Shafiq, and Berhanu's (2011) research, conducted in Pakistan, is relevant in any global school district. They stated that home environment affects the academic performance of students. Educated parents can provide such an environment that suits best for academic success of their children. They also found that the performance gap is greater among Middle and High School students than that of students' ages seven to eleven. As the difficulty level of subject matter increases in middle and high school, parents from lower socioeconomic households possess lower personal educational attainment, therefore are unable to help their children with homework and instruction. Caro (2009) reported concurring data on this matter. Sean F. Reardon, a leading scholar on the matter of achievement gap, stated that the possible explanation for the rising income achievement gap is that high-income families not only have more income than low-income families, but also have access to a range of other family and social International Journal of Social Work and Human Services Practice 41 Vol.1. No.1 September, 2013, pp. 38-44 resources. On average, families with higher incomes tend to be those in which parents are highly educated. This has long been true, though the link between parental educational attainment and family income has grown stronger in recent decades, as the wage returns to educational attainment have increased since 1979. Because highly educated parents are more able and more likely than less-educated parents to provide resource and opportunities for their children to develop cognitive and academic skills in both the preschool years and the school-age years, children of parents with college degrees may have higher academic achievement, on average, than children of parents with lower levels of education, all else being equal.
Family socioeconomic characteristics continue to be among the strongest predictors of student achievement, but while there is a considerable body of research that seeks to tear apart this relationship, the causes and mechanisms of this relationship have been the subject of considerable disagreement and debate. Much of the scholarly research on the socioeconomic achievement gradient has focused largely on trying to understand the mechanisms through which factors like income, parental educational attainment, family structure, neighborhood conditions, school quality, as well as parental preferences, investments, and choices lead to difference in children's academic and educational success. Still, we know little about the trends in socioeconomic achievement gaps over a lengthy period of time. The questions posed in this article by Reardon is whether and how the relationship between family socioeconomic characteristics and academic achievement has changed during the last fifty years, with a particular focus on rising income inequality. As the income gap between high-and low-income families has widened, has the achievement gap between children in high-and low income families also widened? The answer, in brief, is yes. The achievement gap between children from high-and low-income families is roughly 40 percent larger among children born in 2001 than among those born twenty-five years earlier (Reardon, 2012). Johnson and McGue (2007) write in their research that measured properly at the level of the individual, socioeconomic status reflects the occupations and thus the underlying levels of education and resulting incomes of the adult members of a household. It is thus generally considered to be an indication of economic and educational opportunity or privilege. In reality, however, SES reflects a much wider range of human qualities that contribute to the ability to attain and maintain any given occupation, including diligence, intelligence, determination, interpersonal skills, materialism, ambition and passion for life. In short, it reflects an aspect of culture, an aspect that, because of the importance of educational attainment to occupational status, has some natural associations with academic achievement that transcend mere economic and educational opportunity. This aspect of culture is reflected at the level of the community in which the individual resides as well.
Tajalli and Opheum (2005) stated that researchers who examine student performance consistently find that one of the most important influences on student achievement is socioeconomic status of students. The more affluent the student's background, the better he or she will perform. Many lower SES students live in communities where the majority of people are of similar lower socioeconomic background and economic development in these areas are lacking. Consequently, the schools within these areas are funded from low-income tax payers which ultimately mean fewer taxes dollars funneled into the schools. This oftentimes means that these schools have to make due with computers dating as far back as a decade ago, science labs with virtually no supplies and textbooks that are years out of date and literally falling apart at the seams. Standardized tests are the greatest indicator of student performance, as well as the measurement tool used by both school administrators and legislators when valuing academic performance. When evaluating these test scores, educators cannot take into consideration outside variables, like socioeconomic status, that may affect the scores achieved by students and alter the grades accordingly. Several factors appear to have an effect on standardized test scores; 1.) a student's intellectual ability; 2.) the nature of school curriculum and instruction and the standardized tests used to measure student mastery of that curriculum; 3.) the cultural and socioeconomic history and environment of the individual student; and 4.) the economic environment of the school attended by the student. Consequently, school districts have little to no control over several of these factors; however, if a greater understanding of their student's cultural and socioeconomics is matched with direct knowledge of ways to account for the noted differences, then perhaps the achievement gap relating to socioeconomics can be narrowed or potentially closed.

Action Research Project
This study looks at how socioeconomics affect students overall achievement and attempts to answer the question "does socioeconomics play a role in students' academic performance". To gather information for this project, a survey was designed to collect data on numerous indicators of socioeconomic status. The survey gathered information from the students about their home life, such as the demographics of their family composition, family income, and educational attainment of their parents, as well as information about their school experience and environment.
Students were given the survey at the beginning of each class in periods one thru four and six. Students were given ample class time to complete the survey and all surveys were returned at the end of the class period to the surveyor. Appropriate permissions were gained prior to the execution of the research to ensure autonomy.
The survey was conducted as an anonymous survey, as the researcher felt that students would more accurately and honestly answer the questions presented. Therefore, the David Benders Horizon Research Publishing major limitation within this study was the accuracy of the student's self-reported grade point average. With the anonymity of the survey, the student's official transcript grades could not be matched with the survey and the data that was used in the correlation of GPA and socioeconomic status was provided by the student. Small sample size and the use of data from only one school were also limitations within the study. In addition, all of the information was self-reported through student response on the survey.
The participants' backgrounds established that less that 2% are non-caucasian and the ratio between male and female is 47:53 female: male. All eighth grade students were given the survey, however, they had the option to not complete the survey if they so desired. Surveys were conducted at the beginning of the class period and students were given amble time to complete the survey. A total of 104 surveys were completed and returned to the surveyor at the end of the period. From this population of surveys, the researcher discarded seven surveys for non-completion and obvious lack of disregard. Ultimately, statistical analysis was completed on a population of 97 students. The information gathered from the surveys was transcribed, analyzed and compiled using statistical software SPSS and Excel. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the means of the variables. Correlation research analyzes the relationship between two variables. Although a direct relationship may exist between variables, the relationship does not necessarily predict cause. No multiple regression analysis was used in the analysis of the data.

Findings
Studies have repeatedly found that SES affects student's academic performance. Students who have a low SES earn lower test scores and are more likely to drop out of school. Low SES students have been found to score about ten percent lower on the National Assessment of Educational Programs than higher SES students. It is believed that low SES negatively affects academic achievement because low SES prevents access to vital resources and creates additional stress at home (White, 1982).
"The socioeconomic status of a child's parents has always been one of the strongest predictors of the child's academic achievement and educational attainment," (Reardon, 2012). But yet, what defines socioeconomic status. It is far more complex than just the amount of income the child's parents earn annually; but rather a group of indicators, comprised together, that influence academic achievement. Within this survey seven key variables were compared to GPA -family income, Father's highest education level, Mother's highest education level, household makeup, participation in free and reduced lunch program, parents and/or caregivers assistance with homework and whether parents and/or caregivers attend school activities (Lareau, 1989).
Within the survey, students were asked to select what they believed their family's annual income. They were asked to select from the following choices: $0 -$19,999; $20,000 -$44,999; $45,000 -$69,999; $70,000 -$99,999; Over $100,000 and I don't know. From the student surveys that were collected, twenty-three students reported family income below $19,999; twenty-five students reported family income between $20,000 and $44,999; nineteen students reported family income between $45,000 and $69,999; fifteen students reported family income between $70,000 and $99,999; nine students reported family income over $100,000 and only six students indicated that they did not know their family income. By using family income as a predictor of socioeconomic status, major findings show that students from families with higher family incomes have higher grade point averages. Of the twenty-three students that reported family income between $0 and $19,999, 30% indicated a grade average below one of three lowest grade categories or those equivalent to a C or lower grade average, with 17% reporting a grade average between 100 -90. Whereas within the nine students from the over $100,000 range of family income, 11% indicated a grade average below 70 and 44.5% indicated a grade average between 100-90.
The argument made by many researchers and scholars on this topic all concur that students from families with higher family income tend to have higher grade point averages. Families with higher annual incomes have the financial ability to offer more opportunities to their children including more advanced technologies, participation in more cultural activities like theatre and music and the ability to provide special help with homework whether they themselves offer the assistance or hire an outside tutor or learning center. Regretfully, these opportunities are oftentimes not extended to students from lower income families because of financial hardships. Psychologists and counselors also report that children, even at an early age, recognize the financial hardships and strains on their families. Whether they hear mom and dad argue about finances or are told "no, because we don't have the money" when they ask for something, children recognize these struggles (Payne, 2005). These worries sometimes overshadow their day to day activities and cause them to be less involved in academics.
Many researchers have examined the parental educational attainment level of a child as a predictor or indicator of academic performance. Parents in lower socioeconomic status families typically have little education themselves, so educational achievement is seldom emphasized in homes. Although for the parents in lower SES households that have high aspirations for their children, often lack the academic skills and knowledge to successfully assist in their child's education (Payne, 2005).
The educational attainment levels of the surveyed populations' Father and Mother's highest education level with the grade average of the population. Participants reported that over 50% of the students have grade averages below 80 are from families where the Father has attained an International Journal of Social Work and Human Services Practice 43 Vol.1. No.1 September, 2013, pp. 38-44 education level of Less than High School or High School only. It further shows that 46.6% of the students whose Father has a Bachelor's degree or higher reported a grade average between 100-90.
When comparing the education level of both mother and father, many researchers concur that the educational attainment level of the mother far more impacts the child's academic achievement than the father's level (Payne, 2005). Although researchers agree with this statement, the reasoning for the fact is mixed. Many argue that the Father is the "Head of the Household" in many traditional families and is the "bread-winner" often spending the majority of his time at his workplace, and the mother is the one nurturer of the family and is ultimately the one that helps the children with their homework (Johnson, and McGue, 2007). Others make their case for this argument by stating that in most single-family households, the mother is the parental figure that obtains custody and therefore is the one that spends the majority of time with the children. The research obtained within this study from the student surveys, concur with this notion. The Mother's education level increase, so does the grade averages of the students surveyed.
The survey found that 42% of the students whose mother's hold a Bachelor's Degree or higher reported a grade average between 100-80, whereas only less than 12.8% of the students whose Mother's hold a High School diploma or less reported the same grade average. The student's whose Mother attained less than a high school diploma reported a grade average between 100-90 or 89-80. Therefore all students within this study who's Mothers have less than a high school diploma report a grade average of C or less.
Mothers' education is a strong and consistent predictor of children's outcomes -from IQ test scores at age five through school completion rates at age nineteen and twenty. It is unclear whether the effects of mothers' education are larger or smaller than those of family income (Duncan, Brooks-Gunn, and Klebanov, 1994).
The demographic trends in family patterns and makeup, including changes in marriage and divorce, non-marital fertility rates and number of children within a household, impact and shape all aspects of children's lives from friendships to academic performance (Duncan, Brooks-Gunn and Klebanov, 1994). Single-parent homes are more likely to be female-headed homes where the Mother struggles to balance work and home life, oftentimes working multiple jobs with little or no financial support or parental involvement from the adult male. Lower family income, coupled with children to support, means fewer dollars to go around, placing women and children at greater risk of being under severe economic stress. In these situations, older siblings are often responsible for taking care of the younger siblings or working long hours themselves to help contribute to family finances (Payne, 2005).
Many researchers have looked at family demographics as a predictor of academic performance among students. Within the population surveyed for this study, students were asked to indicate their current household makeup by selecting from the following categories: Lives with Mother and Father; Lives in Single-Parent Household; Lives with one biological parent and step-parent; Lives with grandparent or other relative; or other. Although a wealth of research is present today that discusses the correlation between household make-up and academic performance, in this particular study, no overwhelming data was collected to support this theory.
The family makeup appears to have no relevance on the grade average as the numbers are not skewed in any one direction, but rather somewhat evenly proportioned among the different family makeups.
Most researchers use the free and reduced lunch program as a variable in their research on socioeconomic status relating to academic performance. Perhaps, the reasoning is that this program provides the greatest and most simplistic measure of whether or not a student is classified in a lower SES. Of the survey participants, 63% participation in the free & reduced lunch program. Of the eighth graders surveyed, 60.8% of the students participate in the free-reduced lunch program.
The highest percentage of students that participate in the free and reduced lunch program reported a grade average between 79 and 70, while highest number of students that do not participate in the program reported a grade average between 100 and 90.
Another strong predictor of academic achievement is the level of parental involvement. Increased parent participation enriches the school experience while enabling students to meet academic standards. Parent involvement also fosters increased satisfaction on the part of the educator and the parent, while facilitating the development of a positive school climate. Research has indicated that parental involvement supports growth in student achievement. Unfortunately, the level of parental involvement tends to decrease as students enter secondary schools. Often times, this lessened involvement is due to an increase in nontraditional family situations, in which one parent is working to provide support for the children. In such instances, resources and time are limited; often there are financial restraints as well (Payne, 2005).
Parental involvement in education traditionally is manifested through attendance at Parent Teacher Association meetings, as well as participation in conferences with counselors, administrators, and teachers. However, parental involvement is much deeper rooted than just that. It also encompasses the amount of involvement the parents have with students homework, extracurricular activities and students overall life.
Sixty-five percent of students that reported their grade average between 100-90 also reported that they strongly agree or agree with the statement that their parents and/or caregivers help them with their homework, whereas over 55% of the students that reported a grade average between 69 and 60 or below 60 reported that they strongly disagree or disagree with the statement that their parents and/or caregivers help them with their homework. Therefore, it can be concluded that students within the surveyed population reported that when parents and/or caregivers help with homework, students report higher grade averages.

Conclusion
In today's society, teachers see children from all walks of life, all experiencing a different and unique set of circumstances. As educators, it is the responsibility of all, to ensure that students receive the best possible education regardless of the financial background from which they are derived.
There is no one single factor that dooms a child's educational experience, nor is there one solution for the problem of academic failure. Although correlations can be made between certain variables like family income, level of parent's educational attainment and parental involvement with grade average, there are exceptions to the findings. One cannot make the assumption that all students from poverty type situations have lower academic achievement; just as one can also not make the assumption that all families with higher family income have higher academic performing children. With any research on this topic, we are dealing with individuals, with unique personalities and characteristics and what may be true in one family, may not be true in another. This research, just as any other research on this topic, is intended to provide educational opinion on the topic, but recognizes that variances occur within each reviewed variable and does not contend that all predictions are finite.
The findings demonstrates that although socioeconomic status may not offer a strong one to one correlation with academic achievement, it does offer strong opportunities for additional research in the area that would isolate components that are contributions to family income levels. External themes that were not addressed within this study were ideas of behaviors; attitude, and home environment specifically related to academics appeared to stand out. The importance of education was illustrated as a part of the family core belief despite the educational attainment levels of the parents. The family core value for involvement both socially and educationally within the child's development was also a factor attributing to achievement.