Educating All God's Children: What Christians Can--and Should--Do to Improve Public Education for Low-Income Kids
Ebook
Children living in poverty have the same God-given potential as
children in wealthier communities, but on average they achieve at
significantly lower levels. Kids who both live in poverty and read
below grade level by third grade are three times as likely not to
graduate from high school as students who have never been poor. By
the time children in low-income communities are in fourth grade,
they're already three grade levels behind their peers in wealthier
communities. More than half won't graduate from high school--and
many that do graduate only perform at an eighth-grade level. Only
one in ten will go on to graduate from college. These students have
severely diminished opportunities for personal prosperity and
professional success. It is clear that America's public schools do
not provide a high quality public education for the sixteen million
children growing up in poverty.
Education expert Nicole Baker Fulgham explores what Christians
can--and should--do to champion urgently needed reform and help
improve our public schools. The book provides concrete action steps
for working to ensure that all of God's children get the quality
public education they deserve. It also features personal narratives
from the author and other Christian public school teachers that
demonstrate how the achievement gap in public education can be
solved.
From the Back Cover
There are sixteen million children growing up in poverty in
America. They have the same God-given potential as children in
wealthier communities, but on average they achieve at significantly
lower levels. Education expert Nicole Baker Fulgham explores what
Christians can--and should--do to champion urgently needed reform
and improve our public schools.
"A compelling call to a new generation of Christians to fight
poverty and injustice through committing themselves to education.
Nicole Baker Fulgham is a leader who gives me hope for the future
of the church and for educational equality in America. Her passion
and dedication to her faith and to tackling one of the greatest
challenges of our time is clear on every page. Anyone looking for a
practical and faithful means of changing the world should read this
book at once."
--Jim Wallis, president, Sojourners; author of The
(Un)Common Good: How the Gospel Brings Hope to a World
Divided
"A powerful, engaging book about one of the most urgent
challenges facing our nation today. Combining moving stories with
solid data, Educating All God's Children is a ringing
challenge to provide quality education for all our children.
Excellent."
--Ronald J. Sider, president emeritus, Evangelicals for
Social Action
"Educating All God's Children stands as a justice manifesto
on behalf of millions who stand crippled by the epidemic of
educational disparity. This book serves as a clarion call for the
church of Jesus Christ to rise with a prophetic and moral
imperative to reform our public schools."
--Samuel Rodriguez, president, National Hispanic Christian
Leadership Conference, Hispanic Evangelical Association
"Nicole Baker Fulgham weaves personal experience, national
statistics, educational theory, biblical teaching, and practical
examples into a compelling call to transform public schools from
worst to first. Everyone who cares about America's children must
read this book."
--Leith Anderson, president, National Association of
Evangelicals
Introduction
1. A School System Deeply Divided: Notes from Detroit and
Compton
2. Root Causes, Systemic Factors, and Myths
3. The Good News: Hard Work Yields Success for All Children
4. A Biblical Framework: Children, Justice, and Human
Potential
5. A Rich History, An Absent Voice
6. Motivating and Sustaining Faith
7. Closing the Awareness Gap
8. Laborers in the Movement
9. Faith-based Advocacy
10. Never Again
Additional Resources
Product Details
- Title : Educating All God's Children: What Christians Can--and Should--Do to Improve Public Education for Low-Income Kids
- Author: Baker Fulgham, Nicole
- Publisher: Brazos Press
- Publication Date: 2013
- ISBN: 9781441241375
Nicole Baker Fulgham (PhD, UCLA) is president and founder of The Expectations Project, a national organization that mobilizes people of faith to support public education reform and close the academic achievement gap. She is the former vice president of faith community relations at Teach For America and has appeared on CNN and ABC News. Baker Fulgham was named to the list of "50 Women to Watch: Those Most Shaping the Church and Culture" by Christianity Today and one of "14 Faith Leaders to Watch in 2014" by the Center for American Progress. She lives in the Washington, DC area.
