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"We can build on children's strengths, supporting them and challenging them to excel. The good news is that closing the opportunity gap doesn't require a magical quick fix; the bad news is that to do it we need to stop grasping at those magical quick fixes. Instead, we must turn to evidence-based, best practices."

"In particular, we have failed to build capacity or increase opportunities to learn.   Our intense focus on achievement gaps needs to be combined with an equally intense focus on opportunity gaps. The status quo of test-based accountability reform needs to give way to new, evidence-based approaches dedicated to building the capacity to accomplish accountability goals." I believe that there is no opportunity gap in Henrico because of the fact that we have so many options for high school specialty centers, extracurricular activities and clubs, sports, etc. These things give us a good amount of opportunity in order to "close" the gap and give us a well rounded education that can sustain us for a lifetime.

"Much has happened in the last 30 years. But let's fast forward, past the 1989 Charlottesville Education Summit and past President Clinton's "Goals 2000" legislation in 1994. Let's jump right to the "No Child Left Behind Act" of 2001. That law, along with the current administration's Race to the Top policies, has placed American school reform on a stark path best defined as "test-based accountability reform" - just as was called for 30 years ago in A Nation at Risk."

"Students from lower-income households may not have the financial resources that give students from higher-income households an advantage when it comes to performing well in school, scoring high on standardized tests, and aspiring to and succeeding in college. Poor nutrition, health problems resulting from a lack of healthcare, or an inability to pay for preschool education, tutoring, test-preparation services, and/or college tuition (in addition to a fear of taking on student-loan debt) may all contribute to lower educational achievement and attainment." This article gives examples of how people from lower-income households have a lower chance of getting a better education. Students from lower-income households might not have financial resources to give students their education like college tuition. This article is helpful, because it gives specific examples and explains the opportunity gap. This article can be useful because it gives specific examples and can give a clear understanding.

This article refers to educations and the opportunity gap by talking about it as well as the causes/effects. It displays many factors that can give rise to opportunity gaps. Through this identification of the problem, it leads into ways of solving this huge problem by eliminating the causes.

"Closely related to achievement gap and learning gap, the term opportunity gap refers to the ways in which race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English proficiency, community wealth, familial situations, or other factors contribute to or perpetuate lower educational aspirations, achievement, and attainment for certain groups of students." This article explains how the opportunity gap affects people in different social classes. It talks about how some of the people with lower incomes have less of an opportunity to go to college and further their education's.

"Family income also affects success on campus. Graduation rates for high-income students climbed to 54 percent for those born in 1979-1982, from 36 percent for those born in 1961-1964. By contrast, graduation rates for low-income students had improved by just 4 percentage points, to 9 percent, based on a December 2011 paper by University of Michigan economists Martha Bailey and Susan Dynarski." This article helps shed light on the growing problem of opportunity gap, by education and extracurricular activities, to the general public. This article can help someone by giving them factual evidence for the opportunity gap through studies and data collected.

"Among them: Wealthy parents are spending more lavishly on childcare, education and accessories such as toys, while families in the middle are spending roughly the same or less after inflation. And extracurricular activities such as after- school clubs have increasingly become the province of privileged kids." It helps to explain what the education opportunity gap is. It explains what happens to people on the bad half of the gap. It talks about advantages and disadvantages.

"A student at one of America's most selective colleges is 14 times more likely to be from a high-income family than from a low-income one, based on a 2010 study by Carnevale and fellow Georgetown University economist Jeff Strohl. Those schools usually admit less than one-third of applicants." This article summarizes the unfortunate opportunity gap in the USA. It expounds on how statistics show that kids from the upper-class almost have it in their DNA to get their degree, while those in the middle-class and lower class are seeing it as an aspiration. The resources and educational tools being brought about by wealth are increasing the gap between the rich and the American middle-class and lower-class

"Putnam's data verifies what many of us have seen anecdotally, that the children of the more affluent and less affluent are raised in starkly different ways and have different opportunities. Decades ago, college-graduate parents and high-school-graduate parents invested similarly in their children. Recently, more affluent parents have invested much more in their children's futures while less affluent parents have not." This Article basically explains what the opportunity gap is and how it affects education in America. It talks about how higher class children typically have more opportunities than lower class children. It also explains why jobs have an affect on opportunities because, the parents of children need money to send them to college, so without a good job children may not make it to college.

"The children of the more affluent and less affluent are raised in starkly different ways and have different opportunities. As a result, poorer kids are less likely to participate in voluntary service work that might give them a sense of purpose and responsibility. Their test scores are lagging. Their opportunities are more limited." This article explains the differences between the social classes of America, and their relation to education. Families who have a larger income than others tend to invest more time and money into their children. Kids who come from families who are wealthier are roughly twice as likely to participate in after school sports, and be members of nonsporting activities, also receiving better test scores and a sense of purpose and responsibility. Those with a larger amount of money are exposed to a plethora of opportunities which open doors to countless others, while those who are not so lucky do not get the same chance. Affluent individuals are more likely to raise children with other prosperous individuals in self-segregated areas where they are not exposed to those who do not share the same blessing. This is the reason for the lack of equality in the nation, as stated by the article, making the societal opportunity gap wider and wider.

"Affluent parents also invest more money in their children. Over the last 40 years upper-income parents have increased the amount they spend on their kids' enrichment activities, like tutoring and extra curriculars, by $5,300 a year. The financially stressed lower classes have only been able to increase their investment by $480, adjusted for inflation." This article talks about how higher income parents (Haves) spend more time and money invested in their children and because of this their children in the future will be as successful. This article also states how the gap will keep growing bigger and bigger.

"The opportunity gap is the disparity in access to quality schools and the resources needed for all children to be academically successful. If every child is to have an opportunity for success, every student must have a true Opportunity to Learn." This article defines opportunity gap and the long-term consequences for individuals and the nation. It goes further to suggest methods of fixing the opportunity gap.

"Students from historically disadvantaged families have just a 51 percent Opportunity to Learn compared to White, non-Latino students. Closing this opportunity gap is essential to closing the academic achievement gaps that separate most Black and Hispanic students from their White and Asian peers." This topic brings up education from a racial perspective because in the United States of America, we have people from all over the world, making us one of the most diverse and cultural societies. I would say that in the United States of America, there are some opportunity gaps, because like I said, we are a diverse country, and everybody doesn't have the same opportunity unless that individual who is at a disadvantage works harder than others. For example, there are people who come to the United States of America and aren't as educated in certain topics compared to the colleagues sitting next to him or her. So I think that it is very valid to say that there is an opportunity gap in the United States of America. I think that you could relate the unfairness of the American education system with the Roman education system in various ways. I think that the biggest point though, is that the Roman education system revolved more around money more than education, because only the wealthiest received an education in Rome, this is because education wasn't a standard in Roman society. The rest of the Romans were laborers. In the United States of America, you don't need to own a mansion in order to be educated in school. Even though there is some difference in who got educated based on either wealth or brains, there's still an opportunity gap in both societies. I think that no matter where you go, someone will be at a disadvantage, but that's life.

This website and article discuses the opportunity gaps in american education. It provides an overview along with details to how big of a problem this is. It also talk about how race can fall into play of the gaps in america.

"Equal opportunity, once core to the nation's identity, is now a tertiary concern. If America really wants to change that, if the country wants to take advantage of all its human capital rather than just the most privileged two-thirds of it, then people are going to have to make some pretty uncomfortable decisions." This article talks about how being born into a certain economic class can define your opportunities for the rest of your life. For example, a child born into a lower class family may not be able to receive the same quality education as a middle or upper class child. As they get older, this can affect the colleges they may or may not go to and the jobs they are able to get.

"As a result, behavior gaps are opening up. In 1972, kids from the bottom quartile of earners participated in roughly the same number of activities as kids from the top quartile. Today, it's a chasm." This article tells how the opportunity gap in education has increased over time. Poorer kids make less, and also grow up differently. Richer kids, however, grow up having much more privilege and opportunity.

"As a result, behavior gaps are opening up. In 1972, kids from the bottom quartile of earners participated in roughly the same number of activities as kids from the top quartile. Today, it's a chasm." This article tells how the opportunity gap in education has increased over time. Poorer kids make less, and also grow up differently. Richer kids, however, grow up having much more privilege and opportunity.

This article talks about the income gap between some of the lower income students and the children from higher income places. It goes with question #2 and also talks about some different states' efforts to fix the gap.

"America faces an opportunity gap. Those born in the bottom ranks have difficulty moving up. Although the United States has long thought of itself as a meritocracy, a place where anyone who gets an education and works hard can make it, the facts tell a somewhat different story."

It is more difficult for lower-income children to be successful because they are unlikely to get a high level education.  But those born into high income have a better chance of becoming middle class or higher because they are more likely to get a high level education or a degree.

"To find out, the Aspirations Research Center at the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA) listened to students in 627 schools across the United States. Between 2006 and 2010, QISA surveyed 456,021 students in grades 6-12 through our My Voice survey. The results send a clear signal that both student achievement and student opportunity are connected to the kinds of expectations, relationships, and chances for participation that students perceive they have in school. We've come to think of the "opportunity gap" some students face as having three elements: the expectations gap, the relationships gap, and the participation gap." The article talks about how there is not one opportunity gap, but three that each influence how a child succeeds in life. It explains what can be done to fix these, and how each impacts a child's learning process.

We've come to think of the "opportunity gap" some students face as having three elements: the expectations gap, the relationships gap, and the participation gap." This article is based off a survey that 456,021 students completed in 627 schools across the United States. It talks about splitting the opportunity gap in education that many students face into expectations, relationships, and a participation gap. From here, there are many solutions that can be implemented to close the gap.

"Students are acutely aware of the view teachers hold of them, and that awareness affects their actions. It's challenging to push students to take advanced courses or even attend classes when they suspect teachers expect them to fail." This article gives a possible explanation to why there is an opportunity gap. It states that students are aware if teacher expect them to succeed or not. If teacher do not expect some students to succeed, then they are not challenged to try in school.

"Education has long been the traditional route to opportunity for American families of modest means. But a growing educational achievement gap between low-income and affluent kids is making that path both harder and less accessible." The main idea of this article is that the opportunity gap needs to be something the political parties can come together and fix, since it is clearly an issue that cannot be overlooked. The article also mentions statistics on the issue and says that the political parties need to further discuss this issue since it is clearly a problem.

"The American dream is the idea that anyone can get ahead in life with talent and hard work. But that ideal of wide-open opportunity has been dented quite a bit in the economic stagnation of the last few years." The article talks about how the topic of education gaps is becoming more of a problem in America and how that gap is increasing. It also demonstrates the relation between the income gap and the education or opportunity gap.

"The gap between aspiration and reality could hardly be wider. Today, the United States has less equality of opportunity than almost any other advanced industrial country. Study after study has exposed the myth that America is a land of opportunity." This article explains how and why our country has lost one of the things that it prized the most, equal opportunity. With many examples this article goes into detail on just how wide the gap has become, and how the rags to riches American dream has burned to the ground. 

This article is about the opportunity gap in American schools. Mainly, it states that children raised in low income households or people of color (mainly black or hispanic children) have less of an opportunity to go to a good school. Their research states that high-poverty districts in New York have "significantly fewer high-quality teachers" as well as black and hispanic students are four times less likely to be enrolled in a good school.

"The opportunity to learn-the necessary resources, the curriculum opportunities, the quality teachers-that affluent students have, is what determines what people can do in life." Linda Darling-Hammond, Professor of Education at Stanford University This includes information such as the different percentages of experienced teachers in different counties, states, cities, and districts. It mentions data about the education gap between different races in the US. It also gives information on how the access to high-level courses varies by state, and reasons and ways to close the opportunity gap.

In this article, they talk about opportunity gaps in America. They also talk about racial discrimination when it comes to getting a good education.

"Currently, Richmond's youth in low-income neighborhoods do not have equal educational opportunities. They lack essential resources for academic learning during the summer and after school time that more-resourced families and communities are able to provide. Schools in Richmond's high-poverty neighborhoods do not have the capacity to provide critical, individualized attention, and rigorous, out-of-school time learning opportunities to children who are motivated to learn. Lacking these supports, low-income children are ten times more likely than their affluent peers to drop out of high school." This article thoroughly explains how low-income communities can't afford the necessary resources for a good education, especially in Richmond. Also, it explains the consequences of this. For example, a bright student in one of these communities will lose a great educational opportunity due to economical hardships.

Article talks about how when people get out of college they do not always have an equal opportunity for employment.

"Across the country, people and places are being transformed by choice or circumstance. We're telling some of their stories this month in a series called Starting Over. In this latest installment, we go to Seattle, where the average unemployment rate for people under the age of 25 is more than twice the national average. Carolyn Adolph of KUOW reports on a young woman who changed her life by bridging the opportunity gap - that space between wanting a better life and actually getting it." This is an interview conducted to address the opportunity gap of America. It offers insight from someone who was able to overcome the gap.

"Decades ago, college-graduate parents and high-school-graduate parents invested similarly in their children. Recently, more affluent parents have invested much more in their children's futures while less affluent parents have not." This article is about how important a college diploma is for a stable future. High-school-graduate parents are less likely to invest in their children's future, setting their family up for trouble down the road.

"While most studies look at inequality of outcomes among adults and help us understand how America is coming apart, Putnam's group looked at inequality of opportunities among children. They help us understand what the country will look like in the decades ahead. The quick answer? More divided than ever." This article explains how children from unequal income families have different chances in later life success. Also about an attention gap with college-educated and working-class parents and their children.

"While most studies look at inequality of outcomes among adults and help us understand how America is coming apart, Putnam's group looked at inequality of opportunities among children. They help us understand what the country will look like in the decades ahead. The quick answer? More divided than ever."

Well it's unfortunate, but it's a fact. Income inequality is rising fast and there is nothing really we can currently do about it. Orange county has had it's pace of income inequality rising faster than any other and it clearly hasn't stopped. Obama's term may be ending soon and it leaves a clean slate... full of opportunity however the question is, "Will the opportunity be taken and used for the right purpose?"

Well it's unfortunate, but it's a fact. Income inequality is rising fast and there is nothing really we can currently do about it. Orange county has had it's pace of income inequality rising faster than any other and it clearly hasn't stopped. Obama's term may be ending soon and it leaves a clean slate... full of opportunity however the question is, "Will the opportunity be taken and used for the right purpose?"

This article talks about how it is harder to move socially in the US than in most of Europe. Also, it shows the Horatio Alger myth, which states the ideal aspects of the American Dream without stating the truth. Although Obama and the government believe in this lie, stating that someone born into poverty has equal chances as anyone else. The writer disagrees with this stating that she is bound by poverty and is a slaves for life, without equal opportunities as some other students

"Unfortunately, children's ZIP codes, not their need for the service, may well determine whether or not they have access to early childhood programs." This article explains how wealth and environment impact the educational opportunities that children can receive prior to and after starting school. Also, it describes the effect of having unequal education in public schools on the future of Virginia.