The Impact of Poverty on Math Readiness

Abstract

This study examines, food security, neighborhood safety, reward habits, discipline habits, parent child interactions, reading scenarios, and parent depression, which are factors in a child’s environment, and their effects on the child’s math school readiness scores. I look at both English speakers and Spanish speakers, using data from the Longitudinal Child Study of Arizona (LSCA) project. Using linear regression, I find that those who are primarily English speakers have more positives scores all around and are also impacted by reward behaviors, parent depression, and their receptive language scores. I also find that the Spanish speakers are impacted by their receptive language scores. These findings suggest that specific pieces of a parent child relationship may be more important than others. This study can also lead to more studies focusing on the effects of different languages other than Spanish.