The document discusses how poverty affects student achievement through various out-of-school factors such as low birth weight, lack of healthcare, food insecurity, and unsafe neighborhoods. These factors lead to problems like neurological damage, absenteeism, and poor behavior that negatively impact learning. However, some high-poverty, high-success schools have overcome these challenges by focusing on academics, frequent assessment, collaborative work, and non-fiction writing to motivate students and help them succeed regardless of their circumstances. Educators must empower students in poverty to see their potential and make choices that can improve their lives.