Persistent gaps between Black and white students in educational outcomes — such as school suspensions, special education assignments, admission to AP or gifted classes, and grade-level retention — continue to shape the lives of children across the United States. But what explains these disparities, and who bears responsibility for addressing them?
This debate is longstanding and divides perspectives. Some argue that “everything begins in the home,” emphasizing parents’ roles as children’s first teachers. Indeed, families shape students’ early development, values, and academic foundations. However, research shows that once children enter the K-12 system, they learn up to 80% about life and society from experiences outside of home.
Others argue that schools and the state are responsible for these disparities because the education system itself structures opportunities, experiences, and outcomes for students…