Invest in High-Ability, Low-Income Students to Close the Excellence Gap

The following article was originally published in the 2015 Arkansas Times Big Ideas Issue

In education, the achievement gap describes the disparity in academic performance between certain student subgroups. A related but distinct phenomenon is what some call the excellence gap: the disparity between the numbers of lower- and higher-income students who reach advanced levels of academic performance. Unsurprisingly, economically disadvantaged students are less likely than wealthier peers to excel as they progress through their academic careers. This is not inevitable.

We tend to embrace the tropes of the film “Good Will Hunting” when it comes to thinking of low-income, gifted students. We like the idea of an unstoppable force that rises above challenging circumstances and does great things through sheer determination. But although some bright minds are able to succeed through self-motivated curiosity, most talent requires nurturing, coaching and support from a variety of outside influences. It was only through a combination of opportunity and mentoring that the film’s Will Hunting was afforded the chance to stand toe-to-toe with scholars who had greater access to resources and training. Here in the real world, these challenges can be even more substantial.

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