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Policymakers and influencers from across the political spectrum spend a great deal of time thinking, talking and writing about how to close the wealth, opportunity and other gaps that are both markers and drivers of growing income inequality. But there is another gap they would do well to pay special attention to if they are truly interested in reducing inequality and bringing about greater economic and social mobility.

It鈥檚 the social capital gap 鈥� the yawning differences between rich and poor in access to the relationships, networks and institutions that are key to successfully navigating through life. Indeed, a landmark 2022 led by the Harvard economist Raj Chetty demonstrated that a form of social capital 鈥� what he called 鈥渆conomic connectedness鈥� 鈥� is the single strongest predictor of a child鈥檚 ability to rise out of poverty. 

My 35 years of experience as CEO of a nonprofit education organization working with schools across New York City, most serving students from high-poverty neighborhoods, underscored just how profound is the social capital gap they face and how significant a barrier it poses to their success. 

I will never forget, for example, how a bright and capable young woman 鈥� the valedictorian of her Bronx high school 鈥� could not find her way to Manhattan by subway to meet with me about a scholarship to a summer preparatory program at an Ivy League college. After several attempts, I eventually had to go get her. When I did, I learned that her travel difficulties stemmed from the fact that she had never been to Manhattan. She had almost never even ventured out of her immediate neighborhood. Nor had she ever been to a restaurant, like the one where we met, that required placing orders with a waiter.  

What makes this story noteworthy is that it is hardly unique. This student is one of millions of young people who live in social capital deserts, where opportunities to engage with the wider world are extremely limited. This stands in sharp contrast to the experience of wealthier students, whose circumstances give them a deep reservoir of social capital to draw from and provide significant advantages.

What is perhaps the most critical takeaway from this young woman鈥檚 story is that it is not preordained. It is possible to change the narrative for future students who grow up in circumstances similar to hers, so they can possess the social capital they will need to succeed in the workplace and in other aspects of their lives.

Accomplishing that would require some reimagining of the school experience to make sure that the building of social capital is seen as an essential element of a formal education. Schools would be held accountable for ensuring that their students have access to a range of people, resources and experiences aimed at broadening their horizons and opening them up to new possibilities.

For high school-aged students, this would include participation in internships that would expose them to potential career paths, along with the norms and rhythms of work. It would also include visits to a variety of colleges, so they can see firsthand what each has to offer and how good a fit each would be. And wherever possible, it would include mentorship programs that would connect them with people who could offer support and guidance, as well as to networks that would otherwise be unavailable to them. 

For students of all ages, this focus on the cultivation of social capital would involve placing a premium on real-world experiences that extend beyond the classroom, utilizing cultural institutions, parks and other community assets as sources of learning. Students would have a chance to engage with the world around them and, in the process, acquire knowledge and learn valuable skills that can鈥檛 be imparted only through the classroom. 

About 10 years ago, a colleague and I were invited to one of New York City鈥檚 most prestigious private schools to see a new virtual reality program developed for a sixth-grade unit on ancient Egypt. The program was quite impressive, and when it was completed, its developer turned to us expectantly for our reaction. My colleague’s response: It was really well done, but it would be so much better if the students were actually able to go to Egypt.

That comment was partially tongue-in-cheek, but it speaks to a powerful truth: There is no substitute for direct experience. This feels especially relevant right now, when so much of young people鈥檚 time is spent engaged with their phones or computer screens, divorced from real life. While not all students can visit Egypt, it is possible to provide them with an education that is filled with experiences 鈥� in and out of the classroom 鈥� that allow them to learn about, connect to and successfully make their way through the world in which they live.

To be sure, even a guarantee of such an experience-rich education would probably not entirely eliminate the social capital gap. But schools can play an important role in narrowing it and making it possible for rich, poor and everyone in-between to find a place on the ladder of opportunity that is part and parcel of the American dream. That鈥檚 a role that everyone who seeks a fairer, more equitable society should insist they take on. 

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