The Impact of Achievement Gaps on State and National Economies
A number of current research reports address the impact of the achievement gaps on state and national economies. Below you will find important studies that can help educators and policymakers look at the complex issues that surround the achievement gaps.
The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America’s Schools
This report by McKinsey & Company has been widely acknowledged as providing a “common, neutral fact base” on the gaps that exist between students who are White or Black, rich or poor, and looks at the dramatic difference in student performance in students from similar backgrounds across school systems and classrooms.
The Alliance for Excellent Education
The Alliance has developed a number of briefs documenting the connection between poverty and the achievement gaps, looking at the impact of the gaps on our national economy:
- The Economic Benefits of Reducing High School Dropout Rates in America's Fifty Largest Cities
- The High Cost of High School Dropouts: What the Nation Pays for Inadequate High Schools
- Facts For Education Advocates: The Economic Impacts of Education (co-published with the College Board)
- Dropouts, Diplomas, and Dollars: U.S. High Schools and the Nation’s Economy
- Potential Economic Impacts of Improved Education
- Hidden Benefits: The Impact of High School Graduation on Household Wealth
- Healthier and Wealthier: Decreasing Health Care Costs by Increasing Educational Attainment
- Saving Futures, Saving Dollars: The Impact of Education on Crime Reduction and Earnings
Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing the Graduation Gap
This report was prepared for America's Promise Alliance, one of NEA’s partners in addressing the dropout crisis. It examines the economic and employment picture for individuals with varied educational levels, including dropouts, looking at income levels, employment rates, and poverty rates.
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