“Schools themselves aren’t creating the opportunity gap: the gap is already large by the time children enter kindergarten and does not grow as children progress through school. The gaps in cognitive achievement by level of maternal education that we observe at age 18-powerful predictors of who goes to college and who does not – are mostly present at age 6when children enter school. Schooling plays only a minor role in alleviating or creating test score gaps.”

“Schools themselves aren’t creating the opportunity gap: the gap is already large by the time children enter kindergarten and does not grow as children progress through school. The gaps in cognitive achievement by level of maternal education that we observe at age 18-powerful predictors of who goes to college and who does not – are mostly present at age 6when children enter school. Schooling plays only a minor role in alleviating or creating test score gaps.”

— Robert D. Putnam