Socioeconomic status begins affecting a child's educational performance before he even enters preschool. Critical developmental stages are reached before the age of 3, and in the case of poor families, unstable environments and a lack of resources thwart this development. Research shows that infants need safe, stable and predictable homes, a primary caregiver, 10 to 20 hours of harmonious interaction, and enrichment through complex activities to develop properly. In the case of poorer children, almost all of these elements are absent in infancy, which limits their ability to grow brain cells and develop maturely. This leads to them falling behind in school from the start.
Parental involvement in development and education plays a crucial role for a child's educational success. This remains so beyond infancy and throughout the duration of a child's enrollment in school. For poorer families, unfortunately, this presents a problem. Studies from the University of Leicester, for example, found that poorer parents simply did not have the time or interest to involve themselves in educating their children at home. These same parents, in addition, did not involve themselves in demanding a strong local school, which further lessened their children's educational achievement.
A child's behavioral maturity affects her ability to learn. Children who behave better are less disruptive and likely to get more from their classes. Unfortunately, though, coming from a low socioeconomic household appears to affect a child's ability to behave well. Because poorer parents are stressed from a lack of resources, they often are unable to take the time to consider proper parenting and discipline for their children. Instead, they are frequently punitive and harsh, which in turn creates children who are poorly socialized and cognitively developed.
Low socioeconomic status also affects a child's educational attainment because of problems with health. Children from poor families are more likely to experience extended hospital stays and thus miss days of school, according to research by Robert H. Bradley and Robert F. Corwyn for the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. In childhood, this affects education, while in children's pre-teen and teen years, poor health continues to affect school achievement. Low-SES students are more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases or become pregnant, which can lead to dropping out of school