Students learn in many settings.
Early childhood experiences, family relationships, and home environments affect school performance from kindergarten to college. And, in turn, success at school has pervasive effects on each person's aspirations for the future and success in the job market. Policymakers now rely on this report for information on factors outside of school that influence learning. Information about children's lives across varied settings better prepares policymakers who seek lasting and effective educational change. To understand when, where, and how changes can be made in the educational process, we must examine the larger context in which children live and learn.