Everyone in the United States lives in multiple worlds including work, home, community, school, and social and religious groups. Individuals also have a number of identities and behavioral repertoires that shift among contexts. However, some children and families experience more discontinuities between school and home than others. These gaps are exacerbated when children are targets of negative stereotypes and assumptions. Moreover, resources among groups vary enormously; while some parents are able to provide their children with an abundance of material goods and opportunities, others struggle to raise theirs in extreme financial and material deprivation. In this article, the author examined various research and theories on child development. The author divided the research review by specific social divisions, namely, race, economics, culture, gender, and ability differences. As long as these patterns of advantage and disadvantage remain deeply imbedded in the society, efforts to create equity in schools will have a limited effect.