The demographic landscape of the United States has shifted dramatically in the last decade or so. The proportion of the population that is at a school and college-going age is at the highest it has been in a long time. In addition, the ethnic background of students has also changed significantly. Because of this, the educational gap today is more pronounced than it has ever been.

In 1990, Hispanics represented about 10 per cent of the total high school and college student population. By 2015 this figure is expected to have risen to a massive 21 per cent. In the same time-frame, the Asians student population is expected to increase from three percent to six percent.

Statistics also show that Asians are more likely to advance to third level education than students from any other ethnic background. However, Hispanic students do not fare well in this regard. So, it can be seen that the extent of the education achievement gap isn't just about what is happening in our schools, but what is happening in society in general.