Povery, education, and possible solutions

In the book A Framework for Understanding Poverty, U.S. leading expert on the mindsets of poverty, middle class, and well, Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D. researches the various aspects of poverty. In this text not only does Payne describe and analyze poverty, she also comes up with solutions and techniques to help both children and adults suffering from poverty, There was a particular chapter though that sparked interest in relation to this discussion on poverty and urban education. She states that the purpose in writing the book was to improve the achievement of students from poverty (87). It is said that low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and there have been numerous studies that have documented the correlation between low socioeconomic status and low achievement. Payne's idea on this topic is that in order to bridge the achievement gap between the poor and the non poor instruction, instructional arrangements need to be reformed. What do we think about this? Is this the ultimate solution? Haven't many policy makers tried to continuously reform education? Has these reforms made any difference?
I believe in an earlier post I touched on what educational institutions were using as testing literacy may need to change. Payne shares this view. When looking at standardized tests we need to look at content. For example the SAT. If the content of the questions were changed to identify with the lifestyle and things that impoverished students encounter on a regular basis then the results of the test would flip to be in favor of these students. The books and other subjects that students are learning aren't necessarily to their lives, therefore they have no interest because they see no use for the information. If they were taught the curriculum using some materials that related to their lives it would be an easier gateway to get them to the point of literacy they need to be. An example of this would be giving them "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet to read as mandated in the curriculum but teach it from a lens of gangs possibly. Gangs are probably something all urban students know about and this would spark their interest and willingness to work with the text.
If a student isn't taught cognitive skills and engaged in a what that they aren't focused just on their homes lives then that decreases the students' chances of success. Cognitive strategies are fundamental ways of processing information. In order to accept and retain learning students also need concepts, skills, and content. Concepts store information and allow the learner to refer back to this information when necessary. Content is what the learner is learning. Teaching simply content is the most basic form of learning but lower income students tend to need this.

I think another important point here is learning styles. Teachers need to take into consideration that not all students learn the same. Some learners are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, as well as others. Teachers may have to adjust their assignments or teaching methods in order to reach the needs of their students. The video referenced in a previous comment also touches on this point. I think the main point is that we as teachers need to find other and better ways of educating. I think this is where new literacies come in to play. New literacies looks at how what the students need to learn is different yet the curriculum and testing hasn't changed with the times. New Literacies is that change that needs to occur in every classroom.