Closing Education Gap Will Lift Economy

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - In the three decades that followed the end of World War II, no matter their economic scale, Americans at least doubled their real incomes. But today, studies are showing a "yawning educational achievement gap" between the wealthiest and poorest children in America.

Balanced growth has evaporated, according to an article in The New York Times citing a new study; but, the United States could ultimately enrich everybody by improving the educational performance of the typical student.

Presently the US lags behind 33 of the advanced industrialized countries that are included in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, ranking 24th - far behind Korea, Poland and Slovakia.

If we could match Canada's 7th rank on the OECD scale, our gross domestic product would rise by an additional 6.7%, a cumulative increase of $10 trillion (after taking inflation into account) by the year 2050, with better educated, more equitable education systems.