Black-White Differences in Educational Attainment

Main and interactive effects of racial differences in educational attainment are examined on the basis of a recent longitudinal sample of the U.S. high school population. Availability of aprpopriate measures permits comparison between comprehensive models of the attainment sequence between blacks and whites. In agreement with past results, it is found that blacks have higher educational attainment than whites of similar parental status and ability. This additive race effect disappears, however, when the full set of intervening variables is considered. Race interactions are found to affect all endogenous variables. Differences in the process of educational attainment point to the stronger relative role of parental status, measured ability, and school grades among whites, and of self-esteem and educational aspirations among blacks. Implications of these findings, as they suggest differences between insiders and outsiders to institutional channels for attainment, are examined. Limitations of the data and lines for future research are discussed.