Earlier this month, McKinsey & Company published “The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America’s Schools.”

The report finds that the educational gaps between black and Latino students and white students impose on the U.S. the economic equivalent of a permanent national recession.

Because U.S. school districts rely heavily on local taxes, McKinsey concludes that less experienced, less qualified, and probably less effective teachers are more likely to work in schools teaching to poorer students of color.

The report notes that teacher salaries are a large part of school districts’ budgets and that affluent districts routinely outbid poorer ones for the best teaching talent.

Another conclusion is that changing system-wide strategies, building-level leadership techniques, or teaching practices can significantly improve student outcomes.

As early as fourth grade, McKinsey says, lagging student achievement is often a powerful indicator of high school and college graduation rates, as well as lifetime earnings.

Students who are able to improve their performance between third and eighth grade are much more likely to graduate and benefit from higher earnings over time.

In our view one of the most practical ways to narrow the achievement gap is to give teachers the tools required to develop their students’ reading, writing, and thinking skills.

Based on research with upper elementary and middle school teachers and students, using Merit reading and writing software in the classroom can have a big effect on student achievement.

Merit works because it is easy to use, scaffolds instruction, and provides personalized instruction to students. It breaks core concepts down into understandable parts for students, helping them grasp ideas that they might have missed.

Merit also frees up teachers’ time to work one-on-one with struggling students. With Merit, all students are engaged in the classroom and have greater odds to experience success.

Despite the high economic costs of chronic black and Latino student failure, the U.S. has only a limited amount of financial resources.

Affordable, easy-to-use tools that personalize instruction, enhance teacher efficiency, and raise student academic performance are the keys to narrowing the achievement gap in America’s schools.