What matters? Abilities or Connections? And where does social class fit in?

<p>Tell that to the folks who send their kids to Andover. </p>

<p>“Spending more does little to overcome the impact of uncaring parents and disruptive uninvolved students.”</p>

<p>Actually, we know that’s not true, from the experience of the nation from 1910 to 1960, where the amount spent on white students was 3-4X the amount spent on non-white ones. We know the result.</p>

<p>But the hypothesis actually is testable, but no one will ever test it. Take a short time frame, say, three generations. And in that time frame, spend 3X as much every year, dependably, on low-income children as you do on higher income ones. Doesn’t matter what the amount is, as long as it is 3X the amount (just as it was from 1910-1960). Once you know that you will have 3x the amount, consistently, for the next 50 years, then you can figure out how to spend it.</p>

<p>In other words, put Andover in East L.A. for the next 50 years, with free tuition for entering students, oh, and their entire endowment and buildings and grounds, and see what happens. </p>

<p>The rich would have us believe that it wouldn’t make a difference (but in the case of prestige colleges - the opposite, 'cause that’s where their kids go!). I think we all know better, once we can get past the ideological crap.</p>