Economic Policy Institute/ July 2011 Decades of solid research continue to affirm James Coleman’s 1966 finding that the majority of the achievement gaps between rich and poor and white and minority students are attributable to factors outside of school walls. If schools are to substantially narrow these gaps, education policy must incorporate physical and mental health and nutrition supports and after-school and summer enrichment to address the barriers to learning that are driven by child poverty. Across the country, communities have adopted a range of comprehensive strategies to improving all children’s educational opportunities and attainment. These different approaches tailored to various needs all produce community-wide benefits.
