» Education & Opportunity Skip to main content
U-M Poverty Solutions Logo U-M Poverty Solutions Logo

Key Issues

Education & Opportunity

Education, poverty, and socioeconomic mobility are closely linked. Children who grow up in families with low-incomes face more barriers to education than those that don’t – they attend under-resourced schools segregated by income and race, have fewer opportunities for enrichment, and struggle to pay for higher education. These inequities are rooted in both historical and current housing policies that segregate neighborhoods by class and race; school funding policies that result in more resources for wealthy school districts; and a system of higher education that was never designed to provide opportunity for all.

Despite these structural barriers, research has shown that education is a key stepping stone that can help individuals and families move out of poverty. Poverty Solutions and our affiliated scholars and partners work to reduce and help students overcome these obstacles,expanding educational opportunities so that all children have access to high-quality education and a better life.

Education & Opportunity Scholars

Publications

News Releases

Research Projects

Data Tools

Visit the Data Tools page for an interactive map of chronic absenteeism rates among students experiencing homelessness by Michigan school district.

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity | Jun. 12, 2024

Michigan Looks to Public-Private Partnerships to Boost Child Care Access

Read more

NBC 10 Boston | May. 21, 2024

Wealth inequality starts at birth. Lawmakers debate whether child savings accounts can help

Read more

Second Wave Media | Apr. 30, 2024

Early Education Community of Practice brings unified message to state focus on early childhood care

Read more
Video