Editorial: Focus should move off gender gaps in schools

A recent report finds that gender-based achievement gaps in education are minimal, if they exist at all.

This is great news, partly because it is nothing new: For years, experts have argued that the gender gap in education is narrowing.

But the report does point out a significant performance deficit among minorities and students from low-income families.

The report is from the American Association of University Women, a nonprofit that focuses on education and equality for women, and suggests that emphasis should be placed on closing gaps where they do exist.

Researchers should stop spending resources and time studying gender gaps that are no longer relevant, and instead should emphasize the many obstacles facing socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

UCLA has been criticized for lacking a diverse student population, and, though affirmative action is not an option, perhaps more focus on minimizing educational achievement gaps in the K-12 school system would reduce the stress placed on higher education institutes to foster a diverse student body.