Controversial Report Says Rich Kids Do Better Because Their Parents Are Smarter

GettyPoor Annie.The Productivity Commission released a report today which says rich kids do better at school as they luck into their parents’ “cognitive abilities and inherited genes”.

It lists being genetically smarter alongside access to books and computers, parental attention and aspirations, and schools as a reason why one-in-five poor kids lag behind ones from rich homes.

“One explanation for differences in educational attainment between children of low and high socio-economic backgrounds is parents’ cognitive abilities and inherited genes,” the report, titled Deep and Persistent Disadvantage in Australia, says.

It cited a British study, which says gaps in test scores can be explained by household wealth once environmental factors are taken into account.

The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government’s independent research and advisory body on a range of economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of Australians.

You can read the full report at the Productivity Commission’s website.

Now read: Almost Half Of Australian Employers Say Their Staff Work For More Than 40 Hours A Week

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