1992 - The Effects of Educational Tracking on the Social Mobility of African Americans

Attribution: Kershaw, Terry
Researchers: Terry Kershaw
University Affiliation: University of Cincinnati
Email: terry.kershaw@uc.edu
Research Question:
Studies the long term effects of tracking on opportunities for upward social mobility by race.
Published: 1
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Journal of Black Studies
Journal Entry: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 152-169
Year: 1992
Findings:
  • The article provides a historical analysis of African Americans’ relations with the education system.
  • Census data show that there has not been much upward social mobility for Blacks.
  • The education gap between Blacks and Whites has narrowed but the income gap has widened from 1960-1983.
  • The author examines the long term effects of school tracking for African Americans and argues that school tracking is a structural factor which explains this contradiction. Different tracks have different effects for social mobility.
  • The disproportionate tracking of African Americans into non-college prep classes negatively influences economic outcomes, and results in fewer opportunities for Black social mobility.
Keywords: Achievement GapLong Term OutcomesSESTrackingRegions: NationalMethodologies: MixedAnalysis Methods: Qualitative Techniques Sampling Frame:National
Sampling Types: PopulationAnalysis Units: IndividualData Types: Mixed-Longitudinal
Data Description:
  • Performs a review of the relevant historical relations, as well as an analysis of the current status of African Americans.
  • Uses critical and historical analysis to identify contradictions between education and opportunities for income among Black Americans
  • Uses US Census Data.
  • DV: Black social mobility
  • IV: School tracking
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:
Archives: K-12 Integration, Desegregation, and Segregation Abstracts