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The Achievement Gap From A Capabilities And Asset Perspective, William Elliott Iii, Margaret Sherrard Sherraden
The Achievement Gap From A Capabilities And Asset Perspective, William Elliott Iii, Margaret Sherrard Sherraden
Center for Social Development Research
Current explanations for the achievement gap do not fully explain why high-achieving poor and minority children perceive of college as being out of reach. This paper reviews perspectives on the achievement gap and proposes a model that incorporates a capabilities and assets approach. The uneven playing field created by unequal distribution of assets sustains educational advantage and high expectations for college among children from families with assets, while dampening expectations for college among poor and minority children. As a possible avenue to closing the gap, we suggest that increasing poor and minority children’s capability for financing college may increase educational …