See the following new report by the Economic Policy Institute —Inequalities at the Starting Gate: Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills Gaps between 2010-2011 Kindergarten Classmates
“Inequalities in education outcomes such as test scores or degree attainment have been at the center of education policy debates for decades. Indeed, the first seminal national report on the state of U.S. education — the 1966 Coleman Report — examined some of these inequalities 50 years ago. Since then, researchers have examined performance gaps by income level and race or ethnicity in depth, as well as inequalities in educational attainment (degrees earned, etc.), employment opportunities, earnings, and even health status and overall well-being-all of which can be seen, partly, as long-lasting consequences of earlier education gaps…
“This study seeks to broaden the debate by examining the education gaps that exist even before children enter formal schooling in kindergarten…”