Dr. Philip Hickman leads as superintendent of the Columbus Municipal School District in Missouri. This district overwhelmingly educates students from low-income backgrounds, and was operating at a D rating until Dr. Hickman's changes began to drive improvement. Dr. Philip Hickman believes that there are simple ways parents and educators can encourage students to perform better and work toward college, regardless of their background.
In the United States, many children from low-income backgrounds face barriers to education. They tend to score lower than their middle-class and wealthier peers, and enroll in college at a much lower rate. The college enrollment gap has not improved much since 1990, demonstrating decades of stagnation.
This disparity is caused by a number of factors, including an aspiration gap. Children born to parents who did not attend college may not feel that higher education is within their reach, especially if it is not part of the culture at home and at school.
To help children set their sights on a college education, it’s important to talk about education from an early age. When a student expresses an interest in a certain career path, it can be helpful to discuss how education can help them reach that goal. According to many educators, college should seem like a normal and expected step in life for every person, rather than a far-fetched aspiration attained only by the wealthy.