Is America Doing Enough for Impoverished Students?

Is America doing everything it can do for impoverished students? We all know that America has an abundance of wealth compared to many countries. Yes, America has poverty. Do we have the same level of poverty as other countries? I recently read about Ceibal, Uruguay’s national center of educational innovation and digital technologies. It will be partnering with a well-known international tutoring company to deliver EFL training to students in a highly customized partnership.

Uruguay is the only country in the world where all students in public schools nationwide receive a computer with free internet access that, after the initial delivery, is replaced twice during their educational journey. Uruguay also has an outstanding, high-quality video conferencing network that connects more than 50% of schools throughout the country. This program will provide an engaging, immersive, and culturally attuned learning experience for students. Stay tuned for more information.

According to worldpopulationreview.com, in 2022, Uruguay was the second wealthiest economy in South America. Although the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita is a good measuring tool, the GDP can be inflated artificially by lax tax laws in some tax havens, leading to contorted rankings. For this reason, some economic analysts also examine Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. The GNI also measures the value of all goods and services produced in a country, but the GNI includes money entering or leaving the country via international businesses. This method can reduce or eliminate the misrepresentation caused by tax shelters and provides a more accurate country-to-country comparison.

I consulted the World Bank website for the 2022 GNI of the U.S. and Uruguay, and the difference was huge. According to the calculator on the World Bank website, the GNI for 2022 for the U.S. was, 25,838,326.60, and Uruguay’s GNI for 2022 was 64,885.01. Am I a Mathematician? Absolutely not. Just ask my son, who was so disappointed in my Geometry skills. I do believe this shows which country has more financial resources. The question may be, “Which country is doing the most for all students in its country?” Yes, our population is larger, but so is our wealth.

I do not believe we need to give a computer to all students in America. Even if we gave only every student living below the poverty level a computer, I believe the difference in test scores would be as astonishing as the 1969 moon landing, Usain Bolt’s world records in running, or even Noah Lyles’ breaking Usain’s incredible record. It is possible. The Hendrick’s Foundation is leading the way to allowing students to have their own astonishing victories. I want you to be a part of our student’s conquests.

Angel