Unfortunately, this news isn't really news. Real learning differences between middle class and poor children regardless of race or ethnicity were shown by Child Development psychologists in the 60s. Head Start, one of the initiatives of LBJ's War on Poverty, was designed to gift poor kids with intensive early education to try to minimize the differences. Unfortunately, when subsequent administrations decided we couldn't have both war and education, the War on Poverty turned into War on the Poor and Head Start along with other child health initiatives was almost wiped out.

The differences discussed in the USA Today article are those that work together to create differences in academic IQ when tested. And a book from the 90s, "The Bell Curve" by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray, suggests that academic intelligence is partially hereditary and that children will tend to have an IQ midway between those of their parents. So, research suggests this:

* People tend to have children with those of similar IQ.

* People with lower IQs tend to have lower incomes than those of higher IQs.

* People with lower incomes (and presumably lower IQs) tend to have a higher birth rate right now.

* IQs of society as a whole are probably dropping.

So, yes, poor children do generally appear to think and behave differently. And, fortunately, environment can counteract the effects of genetics so poor kids (or rich kids) in an intensive, intellectually stimulating early childhood education program will have a good chance at fulfilling more of the intellectual potential given them through genetics.

That said, the last few administrations of both parties have worked hard to destroy the educational gains of the 60s and 70s -- Head Start, small-group teaching, teaching to children's individual learning styles, and more. As with most areas of society, if we gave intellectual advancement or even equalizing the priority of a moon launch, huge changes could be made. Fat Chance.