Inequality at the Starting Gate: Social Background Differences in Achievement as Children Begin School - Softcover

Lee, Valerie E.; Burkam, David T.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1932066020 ISBN 13: 9781932066029

Publisher: Economic Policy Inst, 2002

Synopsis

"Inequality at the Starting Gate is a new EPI study of the learning gap between rich and poor children when they enter kindergarten. This study, by two education experts from the University of Michigan, analyzes U.S. Education Department data on 16,000 kindergartners nationwide, showing the direct link between student achievement gaps and socioeconomic status. The report finds that impoverished children lag behind their peers in reading and math skills even before they start school. It shows how a lack of resources and opportunities can cause lasting academic damage to some children, underscoring the need for earlier and more comprehensive efforts to prepare children to succeed in school."--Http://www.lights.com/cgi-bin/epi/shop/shop.cgi.

About this title

About the Author:

Valerie E. Lee is a professor of education at the University of Michigan, where she teaches courses in quantitative methods, sociology of education, and program evaluation. She holds master's and doctoral degrees in education from Harvard University and a bachelor's in chemistry from Stanford University. Most of her research has focused on issues of educational equity. Her most recent book is Restructuring High Schools for Equity and Excellence: What Works? (2001), and she is a co-author of Catholic Schools and the Common Good (1993).

David Burkam is a lecturer and an assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan, where he has joint appointment spanning the school of education and the residential college. He earned his bachelor's degree from Wittenberg University and his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan. Dr. Burkam is the author of many articles and reports, and his recent research includes equity issues in kindergarten and early schooling; gender equity in math and science; high school curriculum structure; and measurement issues in student course-taking and achievement.

About this edition

• Publisher: Economic Policy Inst
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1932066020
• ISBN 13: 9781932066029
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 102