Your story is very similar to mine. I too was a poor farmers child growing up. But thanks to Pell Grants, Federal Student Loans, and my parents vision for me,

Your story is very similar to mine. I too was a poor farmers child growing up. But thanks to Pell Grants, Federal Student Loans, and my parents vision for me, I was able to go to college. My parents greatest vision for me was that I would be able to do better than them. That was the goal that was drilled into me, that I could do better. That I had a blank slate and could make myself whatever I wanted. And they made sure I was keeping up with my grades and not going out and getting in trouble. I believe its very true that a bad or ignorant home life is probably one of the greatest disadvantages a child can have when it comes to education. I don't have the studies or facts handy right now, but from what I've read and seen myself, English as a second language and disengaged parents are far more responsible for poor test scores and student failures than the teachers are. Of course there are bad teachers, just like any other profession, but I would guess that the number of incompetent and bad teachers is far lower than test scores would suggest.