The term “Harry Potter divide”

The term “Harry Potter divide” is apparently being used to describe the difference between poor and well-off secondary school students. This term originated from the New York Times last August.

Yet, educators are aware of the so-called “Harry Potter divide,” which was described in a New York Times report as “The depressed level of academic engagement in poor households when school is out is responsible for a major portion of the gap in achievement between low- and high-income students.” In other words, reading books over the summer helps a child keep academic skills sharp and ready for the fall. The problem is that children in low-income households are less likely to have access to, and to read, books during the break. So, last summer, many children in poor families never got to read the latest Harry Potter book that was so popular with children who had money to buy a copy.