Question+4.

At the turn of the 20th Century North Carolina had the highest illiteracy rate in the South. At that time “every dollar that was spent on a black child, $3.22 were spent of a white child. We had the shortest school days in the south at that time (Z. Smith Renyolds Foundation, 2010). · During this time period North Carolina was identified as the least productive state in the nation. In NC rural poverty was the most pronounced (Z. Smith Renyolds Foundation, 2010). · As late as the early 1960s, approximately one-third of North Carolinians lived below then-developing federal poverty standards (Z. Smith Renyolds Foundation, 2010).  What are the challenges related to poverty in southeastern North Carolina? North Carolina has growing numbers of racial minorities and poverty remains a daunting challenge in rural areas as well as urban areas in eastern North Carolina. Economic distress is resulting in rising unemployment, and poverty in NC remains higher than national averages. One in five North Carolina children lives in poverty, and 43 percent of our children live in low income families. "Plant closures, worker dislocations and the virtual disintegration of some of our most cherished industries, have made it much tougher to maintain the progress we made during the1990s.” (Z. Smith Renyolds Foundation, 2010).  The absence of family support is a challenge relating to poverty and education. Challenges relating to this area include:
 * Question 4: What are the historical roots of poverty in southeastern NC?**
 * What are the challenges related to poverty in southeastern North Carolina?**
 * Lack of parental structure and supervision.
 * Poorly developed language skills.
 * Limited or no parental support.
 * Hunger
 * Homelessness
 * Absence of overall resources including health care.