Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education
Washington, D.C.
The American Dream relies on public education to be the Great Equalizer with the federal
Elementary and Secondary Education Act and other education policies playing critical roles.
Findings from the recent Russell Sage compendium Whither Opportunity, however, call into
question the capacity of education policy and systems to realize the promise of a level playing field
Four experts provide different perspectives on the impact of poverty on educational attainment and
resulting implications for federal policy making.
A Broader, Bolder Approach/SCOPE education policy briefing. April 19, 2012
