Poverty is the biggest problem for Public Education today

The October 2013 Southern Education Foundation study indicates clearly that poverty, which has long been the biggest obstacle to educational achievement, is more important than ever. It is our true 21^st century problem. Fifty years ago, we educated mostly working-class kids and up, and we did not expect those at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder to graduate. Now we educate all students, including the very poorest and otherwise disadvantaged.

http://billmoyers.com/2013/11/06/the-real-21st-century-problem-in-public-education-is-poverty/