Enrichment Gap Essay

One major reason for the “achievement gap” between K-12 students in low and high income families is a related “enrichment gap” between those same groups. Enrichment entails any activity that aids in a child’s ability to learn in their formal educational setting (i.e., school)-- this could mean after-school programs,tutoring, music lessons, summer camp, sports programs, study-abroad opportunities, visits to cultural institutions, et cetera. Wealthier families are able to spend more money towards enrichment activities for their children, giving their children an “edge” in schooling and predisposing them to better outcomes. What does this look like? A child from a privileged family, who was able to get tutors for their coursework and standardized tests attends a …show more content…
What does this look like? A child with no opportunities for enrichment becomes disengaged with their education due to an inability to compete with their more privileged peers and a lack of stimulation outside of the classroom. It will be more difficult for this child to graduate from high school, and they may or may not enroll in college (if they do enroll in college, it will not be at a “top-tier” institution). Ultimately, they will be subjected to a lower income as a result of their lack of educational attainment. In order to address the gap in enrichment spending, we must first understand what the status quo looks like. Individuals in the top two quintiles of income (Top 40%) contribute nine percent of their income to their child’s enrichment activities, on average. Individuals in the bottom quintile of income contribute three percent of their income to their child’s enrichment activities-- this means that in low-income families, less is being spent in amount and in