摘要：Educational inequality is a major reason why income disparities persist across generations. With our analysis of panel data on school children in Germany, we show tha t performance differences by socioeconomic Background are already present before children start formal schooling. These gaps then persist throughout children’s school careers. We find differences in important family characteristics by socioeconomic Background , which might contribute to the early and persistent gap in cognitive abilities. These results are relevant for policy measures aimed at increasing intergenerational income mobility and creating equal opportunities. Combining our results with prior research suggests that policy interventions should target early childhood to minimise performance gaps at school entry age.
