Final answer:
Parents with higher incomes and social status have 'social capital' and 'cultural capital,' which allow them to provide their children with educational advantages through networks, support, and culturally aligned predispositions towards education.
Step-by-step explanation:
Parents who have higher levels of income, occupational status, and other qualities favored in society have social capital and cultural capital, which are forms of power that can be used to improve a child's education. Social capital refers to the non-monetary resources that improve social status, like networks and relationships, whereas cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviors, and skills that one can tap into to gain educational advantages.
In this context, social capital and cultural capital can provide children with access to better educational opportunities, support from networks that value education, and a cultural predisposition that aligns with the expectations of the education system. These forms of capital are important because they often facilitate educational success and help children navigate through the educational landscape more effectively, reflecting the entrenched advantages that parents with higher levels of income and status may confer to their children.