Karl Alexander is a professor of sociology at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.  He has studied the same group of almost 800 people over a span of 27 years.  His research has concluded that children from less affluent, less educated backgrounds fare worse later in life than those who come from more privileged backgrounds.  But his research also shows that what children do over the summer as far as educational activities can close this achievement gap.  He has concluded that education outside the classroom, through summertime activities rooted in family life, can boost a child’s prospects for the future. (Source: www.cslspreads.org). A Lack of Resources: The problem is that many of these less affluent…