In this country, research has shown that the greatest single predictor of a child's success at school is the mother's education. If we don't make sure that parents in the home have the proper level of understanding, then the children are not going to be well prepared for school.
Secondly, I think research also shows that of the children at risk, a significant number come from single-parent families. Often the single parent is a mother with less than $30,000 a year at her disposal.