This article examines the persistent gaps in academic achievement among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The magnitude of the gaps is documented and potential causes summarized. One of the causes, and potential solution, is social capital. Research documenting the strong correlations between social capital and academic achievement is examined. Finally, the paper reports on a service-learning project in an urban middle school that sought to increase social capital. Pre/post data indicate that the number of service learning projects in which a student participated was significantly correlated with a decline in the number of hours spent watching television, the biggest contributor to a decades-long decline in social capital. (Contains 5 tables.)