This chapter explores some of the most persistent obstacles faced by impoverished students attending American schools. In particular, it considers a variety of myths surrounding students and families in poverty and how research has debunked these misperceptions. The chapter subsequently considers how, with the emergence of new social science understandings, educators and activists are in a better position to recommend and implement measures of success which would more appropriately assess student achievement than the currently widely preferred methods. The chapter ends with several recommendations for minimizing the opportunity gap between impoverished students and their financially stable peers, culminating in an assessment of necessary legal reform and legislative action.