We often discuss the achievement gap in education, and for good reason. It’s the data we see: test scores, graduation rates, and college enrollment. It’s how we measure whether the system is working.
Ed Post has spent years amplifying the voices of students, families, and educators who are working to close the achievement gap separating Black and brown students from their white peers. And along the way, one truth keeps coming up: it’s the belief gap that stands as the first formidable obstacle for students and teachers.
The belief gap is what happens when educators, policymakers, or entire systems believe that certain kids—often Black, brown, or low-income—can’t achieve at high levels. It’s the assumption, sometimes unconscious, that those students won’t succeed because of where they come from, their skin color, or what challenges they face.
We see it when advanced classes are quietly segregated from students of color by the expectations of educators, or when teachers “dumb down” their expectations for a special needs student.
We hear it when teachers think some kids are “cooked” when they’re still growing—a disheartening number of teachers take to TikTok and Instagram to complain about student behavior. Spouting off like that isn’t harmless venting; the students see it and internalize those words as a reality they shouldn’t bother trying to change. If the teacher has given up on me, why should I care?
I’ve witnessed how a student reacts when they know a school is allowing them to coast to the finish line. As a long-term substitute teacher in the Bay Area, I’ve spoken with kids one-on-one in chaotic classrooms, and they’re honest about wanting discipline and engaging lessons. However, they will fall short of meeting low expectations when their school leaders fail to hold them and their teachers accountable.
They’re as capable of rising to meet challenges when they’re properly led and equipped. In those same schools where students ran amok Lord of the Flies-style in one class, I’ve seen them attentive in another. Same kids, but they’re led by a capable teacher who believes in their potential as young learners.
Although it should be self-evident, a fundamental characteristic of a good teacher is the belief that all students are capable of learning. It’s the teacher’s job to meet a student where they are and journey together to reach their potential. That’s why the job is often incredibly difficult and draining, and it’s not for the meek.
Belief alone, though, doesn’t get students across the finish line.
Even when a student has teachers and mentors who believe in their potential, they still need access to the tools and experiences that make success possible. That’s the opportunity gap: the difference in access to high-quality teachers, culturally relevant curriculum, safe schools, and enrichment experiences.
We need to highlight more examples of what happens when the opportunity gap gets addressed. In Gary, Indiana, we met Kevin Teasley, who’s building schools where students earn college credit before finishing high school. If you don’t already know, there are many reasons why success in Gary is a remarkable achievement.
The achievement gap—those persistent disparities in test scores, GPA, and graduation rates—isn’t the starting point of inequity. It’s the result of everything that came before it: a lack of belief in students’ potential and a lack of opportunity to prove it.
Closing the achievement gap means closing the opportunity gap. And closing the opportunity gap means we must first confront the belief gap.
It’s not easy. Belief must extend far beyond the campus to be effective. Legislators must act on the belief that all students can achieve at a high level, which means schools that fail in pursuit of that standard must be held accountable. Funding and teacher training should reflect that belief.
Educators: Reflect on your expectations. Are you providing all students with access to challenging work and genuine feedback?
School leaders: Examine your data and practices. Who gets into advanced classes? Who gets called on? Who gets suspended?
Policymakers: Fund what works. Prioritize schools that serve Black and brown students. Incentivize innovation. Expand access to strong teachers and curriculum. There are many inspiring examples nationwide of school communities doing things the right way.
The first thing my ADD brain thought of when I heard “belief gap” and “kids” together was Peter Pan and Neverland. It sounds like something that stops adults from reaching Neverland, because they can’t believe in the impossible, but kids need only a nudge of encouragement, a sprinkle of magic, and they’re ready to fly.
I bet you’ve seen what I’m talking about: there’s a look in the eyes of a student who has been empowered like that, a change in their body language, a determination to push through challenges. Instead of Peter Pan and magic, every student needs a teacher who believes that together they can make progress every day.
The belief gap is the first gate we need to unlock. Let’s stop asking if our kids are ready and start asking if we are ready to meet them with the belief, resources, and respect they deserve.