Nearly a quarter of all kids in Michigan live in poverty. We want to believe these kids have an equal shot at success in life, but there’s a pile of research that suggests otherwise. Dustin Dwyer and Jennifer Guerra of Michigan Radio’s State of Opportunity Project take a look at how life is different for kids growing up in poverty.
If you grow up poor:
1. Your mom probably didn’t have good prenatal care.
2. Your chances of surviving your first year in Michigan are lower than in most other states.
3. Your chance of being breastfed is lower, and that can impact your development.
4. You were exposed to fewer words than a middle class child.
5. You enter school behind middle class children and fall farther behind.
6. There’s a good chance you will drop out of high school.
The full story is available the State of Opportunity section of Michigan Radio's website. It includes links to the research studies that outline disadvantages kids growing up in poverty experience.
