A newly released National Center for Education Statistics report has revealed that childhood poverty is on the rise, and that those who suffer from poverty are less likely to receive "positive approaches to learning," according to the Huffington Post.

"The annual report aims to give members of Congress an overview of the U.S. public educational system, using a mix of hard data like enrollment and test scores, and surveys reflecting the views of educators," the article said.

In 2013, the research showed 21 percent of children were being raised in families below the poverty line, indicating a six percentage point increase from 2000,

The report also based various findings on teacher surveys, and overall "[t]eachers reported that kindergarten students from affluent households in the 2010-2011 school year were more likely to have positive approaches to learning than those whose families live below the poverty line," the article said.

The Center defines positive approaches to learning as "paying attention in class, keeping belongings organized and enthusiasm for learning," and more.

The findings are evidence that poverty affects children as early as the kindergarten age and can have severe negative effects on academic performance and school completion.

On a positive note, the report also revealed that considerably more students are becoming involved in STEM subjects. "In 2009, 30 percent of high school graduates took physics, biology and chemistry, an increase of 3 percentage points from 2005," according to the article.

Read the full report here and comment below.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

5/28/2015