Bodovski & Farkas do instructional practices contribute to inequality 301 do instructional practices contribute to inequality in achievement? the case of mathematics instruction in kindergarten Katerina Bodovski and George Farkas The Pennsylvania State University, USA ABSTRACT We use multilevel modeling of ECLS-K data (a nationally representative sample of American kindergarteners) to describe the process and content of kindergarten mathematics instruction, as well as the associations of such instruction with achievement gaps by social class and race/ethnicity. Where instructional effectiveness is concerned, time spent on two of the process characteristics – traditional math and group/interactive activities – was significantly and positively associated with achievement gains. Time spent on three of the content variables – advanced counting, practical math, and single-digit operations – was associated with increased achievement. Time spent on basic numbers/shapes significantly decreased achievement. Classes with a high percentage of African American students were particularly likely to receive full-day kindergarten, which increased total instructional time, and this may have modestly decreased the achievement growth gap for these classes. Overall, kindergarten instructional practices were found to modestly reduce the mathematics achievement growth gap of African American students, but have no significant effects on the achievement growth gaps of lower social class or Hispanic students. KEYWORDS achievement, educational inequality, kindergarten instruction, mathematics instruction Researchers and policy-makers continue to be concerned about achievement gaps across social class and race/ethnicity groups, and search for ways to close these gaps. Three types of studies have emerged from these efforts. One set focuses on measuring the gaps and decomposing them into their sources journal of early childhood research Copyright © 2007, SAGE Publications (www.sagepublications.com) Vol 5(2) 301–322 [ISSN 1476-718X DOI: 10.1177/1476718X07080476]