--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Inequality in education starts early, and…" description: "\"“Inequality in education starts early, and it starts at home. A study by the University of Kansas found that by the time she is three years old, a chil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png" --- # Inequality in education starts early, and it starts at… ![“Inequality in education starts early, and it starts at home. A study by the University of Kansas found that by the time she is three years old, a child who grows up in a home on welfare will hear thirty million fewer words than a child who grows up in the home of a professional family.* Words like…” quote by Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png) > ““Inequality in education starts early, and it starts at home. A study by the University of Kansas found that by the time she is three years old, a child who grows up in a home on welfare will hear thirty million fewer words than a child who grows up in the home of a professional family.\* Words like “portfolio” and “equestrian.” We know that kids who have had a quality early childhood education are less likely to be placed in special education, less likely to be left back a grade,”” [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early childhood language exposure is vastly unequal, affecting later educational outcomes. **In simple terms:** Kids hear fewer words at home, hurting learning. Key Takeaway Address early language gaps to improve equity. Themes education inequality early childhood language exposure Mood concerned determined Type social policy When to use this quote - preschool programs - parent workshops - policy advocacy Key Concepts socioeconomic disparity developmental psychology Questions to Reflect On - What policies can ensure richer language environments for low‑income families? - How can communities support early literacy? A Different Perspective Changing home environments is challenging and requires systemic support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-education/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Early childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-childhood/) [Early childhood education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-childhood-education/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Special education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-education/) ## Related quotes > [The best way to improve the American workforce in the 21st century is to invest in early childhood education, to ensure that even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-heckman/the-best-way-to-improve-the-american-workforce-in-the-21st-century-is/) [James Heckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-heckman/) > [I'm hoping someday that we'll be able to start a consortium with places like Carnegie Hall to work on early childhood education. I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-gund/i-m-hoping-someday-that-we-ll-be-able-to-start-a-consortium-with/) [Agnes Gund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-gund/) > [Early childhood education is the key to the betterment of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/early-childhood-education-is-the-key-to-the-betterment-of-society/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Our nearly century-long experiment in banning marijuana has failed as abysmally as Prohibition did... In contrast, legalizing and taxing marijuana would bring in substantial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/our-nearly-century-long-experiment-in-banning-marijuana-has-failed-as/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [“Early childhood education”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-garhart-mooney/early-childhood-education/) Carol Garhart Mooney > [“The national curriculum for the Swedish preschool is twenty pages long and goes on at length about things like fostering respect for one another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-akeson-mcgurk/the-national-curriculum-for-the-swedish-preschool-is-twenty-pages/) Linda Akeson McGurk > [My mom and dad were 'helicopter parents,' literally. Meaning, I didn't have a nanny, so I went up in the helicopter. My entire early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/my-mom-and-dad-were-helicopter-parents-literally-meaning-i-didn-t/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [We invest in early childhood education. We invest additional job training dollars. We make sure that we've got a strong research and development strategy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-invest-in-early-childhood-education-we-invest-additional-job/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Imagine if you had genuine, high-quality early-childhood education for every child, and suddenly every black child in America - but also every poor white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/imagine-if-you-had-genuine-high-quality-early-childhood-education-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Care work produces public goods, and should be supported in families by policies such as paid parental leave and caregiver tax credits, and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/care-work-produces-public-goods-and-should-be-supported-in-families/) [Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/) > [I was going to be a writer, and that turned into journalist. And then that turned into a career in children's literature, which turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damaris-phillips/i-was-going-to-be-a-writer-and-that-turned-into-journalist-and-then/) [Damaris Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damaris-phillips/) > [Early childhood education remains one of the strongest investments we can make in the long-term success of our students and the long-term economic strength…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-spanberger/early-childhood-education-remains-one-of-the-strongest-investments-we/) [Abigail Spanberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-spanberger/) > [I think that's something that all mothers have to deal with, especially single mothers. We work, and we have to leave the kids behind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/i-think-that-s-something-that-all-mothers-have-to-deal-with/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Only one in five children in the U.S. lives within walking distance of a park. Many more lack access to a quality early childhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darell-hammond/only-one-in-five-children-in-the-u-s-lives-within-walking-distance-of/) [Darell Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darell-hammond/) > [Making smart investments in early childhood education could not only generate more than $7 of economic benefits over a child's lifetime for every dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/making-smart-investments-in-early-childhood-education-could-not-only/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) ## More by Al Franken > [I want to reclaim 'liberal.' I'm a liberal, and I think most Americans are liberals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-want-to-reclaim-liberal-i-m-a-liberal-and-i-think-most-americans/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“The Democratic Senator’s Serenity Prayer God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Legislate The Courage to Legislate the Things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-democratic-senator-s-serenity-prayer-god-grant-me-the-serenity-to/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I'm for Israel's right to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-for-israel-s-right-to-exist/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [You have to love your country like an adult loves somebody, not like a child loves its mommy. And right-wing Republicans tend to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/you-have-to-love-your-country-like-an-adult-loves-somebody-not-like-a/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Antitrust law isn't about protecting competing businesses from each other, it's about protecting competition itself on behalf of the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/antitrust-law-isn-t-about-protecting-competing-businesses-from-each/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Putin has had many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/putin-has-had-many-positive-experiences-working-with-western/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I'm crushed by the responsibility of writing a satirical book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-crushed-by-the-responsibility-of-writing-a-satirical-book/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“right wing’s most common techniques—including the deceptive use of statistics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/right-wing-s-most-common-techniques-including-the-deceptive-use-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I know I have an awful lot to learn from the people of Minnesota.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-know-i-have-an-awful-lot-to-learn-from-the-people-of-minnesota/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Apple has long been a leading innovator of mobile technology; I myself own an iPhone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/apple-has-long-been-a-leading-innovator-of-mobile-technology-i-myself/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I am a Minnesotan, and not just because I root for the Vikings and the Twins. I like the Minnesota-nice sensibility. I like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-am-a-minnesotan-and-not-just-because-i-root-for-the-vikings-and-the/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [My dad didn't graduate from high school, ended up being a printing salesman, probably never made more than $8,000 a year. My mom sold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/my-dad-didn-t-graduate-from-high-school-ended-up-being-a-printing/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“As the polls began closing in the East, with states like New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Virginia going for Barack Obama, it was quickly becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/as-the-polls-began-closing-in-the-east-with-states-like-new-hampshire/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Net neutrality isn't a government takeover of the Internet, as many of my Republican colleagues have alleged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/net-neutrality-isn-t-a-government-takeover-of-the-internet-as-many-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Demagoguery sells. And therefore, radio stations will put it on. But that doesn't mean that you can't do something else and also make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/demagoguery-sells-and-therefore-radio-stations-will-put-it-on-but/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) [Explore all 245 Al Franken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Inequality in education starts early, and it starts at home. A study by the University of Kansas found that by the time she is three years old, a child who grows up in a home on welfare will hear thirty million fewer words than a child who grows up in the home of a professional family.* Words like “portfolio” and “equestrian.” We know that kids who have had a quality early childhood education are less likely to be placed in special education, less likely to be left back a grade,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Franken" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/inequality-in-education-starts-early-and-it-starts-at-home-a-study-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/inequality-in-education-starts-early-and-it-starts-at-home-a-study-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/al-franken-1407_children_inequality-in-education-starts-early-and_999403.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Inequality in education starts early, and it starts at home. A study by the University of Kansas found that…” — Al Franken", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Franken", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Inequality in education starts early, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/inequality-in-education-starts-early-and-it-starts-at-home-a-study-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/inequality-in-education-starts-early-and-it-starts-at-home-a-study-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```