A new report from scholars at the University at Albany and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute has examined the most influential socioeconomic factors that lead to racial disparities in educational achievement among elementary students, as well as disparities among the most high-achieving students.
The report consists of data from two kindergarten cohorts of the federal Early Child Longitudinal Study for the 1998-1999 and the 2010-2011 school years, respectively. The authors examined a broad set of socioeconomic factors such a parents’ backgrounds, family finances, household structures, and household opportunity factors to determine which best explained the Black-White achievement gap among both kindergarten cohorts.
According to their analysis, the authors found the broad set of socioeconomic factors explained some 34 to 64 percent of the Black-White student achievement gap, with the largest gap found in readings scores compared to other subjects like math or science. Among the most achieving students (those in the top quartile of test scores), the socioeconomic factors explained about 36 to 60 percent of the racial gap.
Notably, the extent to which the socioeconomic factors explained the racial achievement gap has remained relatively unchanged from 1998 to 2011. When controlling for these factors, the gap significantly decreased.
Out of all familial factors analyzed, household income (56 percent) best accounted for the Black-White elementary achievement gap, followed by mother’s education (36 percent), father’s education (36 percent), mother’s occupation (22 percent), and household structure (22 percent).
The report authors offer several recommendations that educational leaders and policymakers can take to achieve racial equity in the American educational system. Their suggestions include implementing support programs for parents’ to advance their education, investing in early childhood education, providing economic support to low-income families, and creating dedicated support systems for underrepresented students.
The authors write, “The time to act is now. By enacting comprehensive and inclusive policies, we can narrow achievement gaps and create a more just educational landscape for the next generation.”
