Race, poverty, family structure, and the inequality of schools

This study examined how three major background characteristics of students—race, poverty, and family structure—can produce inequalities in school outcomes, as measured by standardized tests. It found that the percentage of students from families headed by single women is an extremely powerful predictor of levels of achievement in schools. Moreover, it indicates that neither racial composition nor percentage of students below poverty level can account for the association of family structure with school achievement. On the contrary, the study provided strong evidence that low‐income, minority‐dominated schools exhibited lower test scores largely because of their high proportions of mother‐only families.