During the past 3 decades, a broad national consensus has emerged identifying poverty - related disparities in child development and school
readiness as a critical public health problem.1, 2 Children growing up in poverty fall behind their middle - class peers in development from the time they say their first words, usually shortly after their first birthday.3 In a 2009 population - based analysis, 4 40 % of low - income eighth graders performed below the basic level for their age group in
reading.