Children's exposure to neighborhood poverty and violence: Implications for Black student middle school literacy in Charlotte, North Carolina

Abstract

This study investigates potential correlation between neighborhood indicators of poverty and violence and Black student literacy performance. The literature indicates that children exposed to violence and poverty are at greater risk for traumatic responses that impact behavior and academic achievement (Buka, Stichick, Birdthistle, & Earls, 2001; Flannery, Wester, & Singer, 2004; Ford, Chapman, Hawke, & Albert, 2007; Gorman-Smith & Tolan, 1998; Margolin & Gordis, 2000; North Carolina Justice and Community Development Center [NCJCDC], 2000; Thompson & Massat, 2005), and recommendations are made for interventions that address such trauma (Camilleri, 2007; Clise, 1994; Ford et al., 2007; Howell, 2003; Jones & Compton, 2003; Lantieri & Patti, 1996; Levin, 1994; McWhirter, J.J., McWhirter, B.T., McWhirter, E.H., & McWhirter, R.J., 2004; Stevenson, 2003). Spatial (geographic information system) and statistical (correlation matrices) analyses are incorporated in this study with literacy test scores for grades 6 and 8 to determine correlation of poverty and violence indicators with academic performance. The results indicated moderate to strong visual and statistical correlation among neighborhood indicators of poverty and violence with selected neighborhood variables, but weak correlation with school performance.

Keywords:

• literacy
• violence
• poverty
• Black student achievement
• GIS

Acknowledgements

I thank Dr. Chance W. Lewis, Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair of the Urban Education program and Executive Director of the UNC-Charlotte Urban Education Collaborative, for his advisory support and unending belief in the ability of and passion within his students to make a powerful impact on urban education.

Notes

1. Geocoding is the process of locating features in a GIS using the street address or the latitude/longitude coordinates of the feature.