Closing the Achievement Gap in Education

Published: October 15, 2019

New research shows that the difference in educational attainment between students from higher and lower socioeconomic backgrounds has not changed over the past 50 years. This achievement gap has persisted even though inflation-adjusted spending per student has quadrupled. To help narrow the achievement gap, the United States needs to reconsider its existing course and be open to new directions in education policy.  

Discussion Questions

1. Why haven't we closed the achievement gap?
2. What can the schools do to ensure that every student has equitable access to the highest quality educational experiences?

Additional Resources

• Read “The Achievement Gap Fails to Close” by Eric Hanushek and Paul Peterson, available here. 
• Read Eric Hanushek’s interview in “No Change In Student Achievement Gap In Last 50 Years,” available here.
• Read “The War on Poverty Remains a Stalemate” by Eric Hanushek and Paul Peterson, available here. 
• Read “The Unwavering SES Achievement Gap: Trends in U.S. Student Performance” by Eric Hanushek, Paul Peterson, Laura Talpey, and Ludger Woessmann, available here.