Barnum, M. (2018, September 26). One strategy to boost students’ test scores: Help low-income families. Retrieved January 17, 2019

Programs that address poverty — such as food stamps, insurance and tax credits — also improve students’ academic performance, graduation rates and likelihood of enrolling in college, according to a review of more than 20 studies. One recent study, for example, showed that teens from poorer families scored higher on assessments and were more likely to graduate college if their families received a low-income tax credit.