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From Kindergarten to Career, Money’s Influence Outweighs Talent’s

A new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation suggests that starting in kindergarten, success is determined more by affluence than merit. A kindergartner from an affluent family with test scores in the bottom half has a 7 in 10 chance of reaching a high socioeconomic status. A disadvantaged kindergartner with test scores in the top half has only a 3 in 10 chance – and the racial disparity is even more severe. Family’s socioeconomic status continues to determine a person’s likelihood of success through college and into the labor market.