Families across the country are confronting a persistent barrier to education that forces some individuals to miss out on learning opportunities for years—sometimes even decades. While one person was excluded from traditional schooling until high school, another faced a 17-year delay before enrollment, highlighting systemic gaps in access to education. Advocates say these delays stem from a mix of bureaucratic hurdles, family circumstances, and unaddressed disabilities that prevent children from entering classrooms when they should. The experiences underscore broader questions about equity in education and the long-term consequences of delayed learning.
Susan Popkin has a brother-in-law who was kept out of traditional education until high school. David Bateman has a brother-in-law who couldn’t enroll for the first 17 years of his life. These stories ...
