Just out from NCES: scores in reading, math and science for kids in a longitudinal study, k-5th grade. Reading, math and science scores from kids who are, or should have been, in 5th grade correlate highly with their k assessments in these areas, meaning that the public schools have accomplished essentially nothing for these kids in 6 years.

Value added = 0.

Thus, maternal education, family income, race, ethnicity, etc. are important to educational success, and kids without resources and/or with disabilities are out of luck.

Findings From the Fifth Grade Follow-up of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K)