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In 2006, researchers at Johns Hopkins University drew an important conclusion after a quarter-century following rich and poor students in Baltimore from childhood to machismo. The summer, they said, is a major reason students from low-income families are continually playing catch-up with their wealthier peers. Affluent children stay academically engaged during enriching summer camps, museum excursions and other travel experiences, not to mention more frequent library visits. Each fall they come back ahead of where they left off in the spring, while poor students tend to stay the aforementioned or fall behind.

Of course, summertime isn't the only source of the problem. From the fourth dimension babies are born, there is a huge disparity in access to encephalon-building stimulation and activities. A written report just released by Stanford University found that, by ii years sometime, children from high-income families are six months ahead of their future classmates in language proficiency.

In neighborhoods plagued by violence, parents must make keeping their children safe their pinnacle priority; getting them ahead comes second.

By sixth course, the disparities translate to an estimated 6,000-hour difference in learning opportunities. Six hours a solar day in school 180 days a yr is nowhere close to an adequate solution.

Just what is the answer to the opportunity gap? A yr-round academic agenda in poor neighborhoods? A longer school day? More after-school and summer programs? Internships and apprenticeships?

Effectually the country, there have been many efforts to prefer all of the higher up. But nosotros know that longer doesn't ever hateful better. Quality is necessary as well. And so what are the well-nigh effective means for students to spend their "extended learning time"? How can community organizations help under-resourced schools and share responsibility with overworked educators? Is in that location such thing equally as well much time in school? And in hard upkeep times, where should extended learning fall in the long list of priorities?

During the next yr, The Hechinger Report volition embark on an in-depth exploration of this topic, sending reporters to cities around the country to explore what works, what doesn't and what's needed to provide equitable opportunities –– inside school and out. We'll exist producing stories in partnership with diverse media outlets likewise every bit posting regular blog entries here, and nosotros welcome the submission of opinion pieces. If you have suggestions, please join our discussion publicly, or e-mail contributing editor Sara Neufeld at neufeld@hechingerreport.org.

We'll see you after schoolhouse.

The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. Just that doesn't hateful information technology's free to produce. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing problems at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. Help u.s. keep doing that.

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Sara Neufeld is a contributing editor. She was first assigned to the education beat in 2000 while interning at the San Jose Mercury News; her editors figured she couldn't mess up as well desperately since it was...