Schools or Neighborhoods or Both? Race and Ethnic Segregation and Educational Attainment

Whites, blacks and Latinos in the United States tend to live in different neighborhoods and attend different schools. Does this segregation influence youth in the long run? This study used longitudinal data from the NELS to see whether neighborhoods' or schools' proportion black and/or Latino during the high school years influences educational attainment through age 26. The analyses indicate that concentrations of blacks and Latinos in schools, but not zip code areas, associates with lower attainment in the long run. Students in predominantly black and Latino schools are less likely to earn a high school diploma or equivalent and to earn a bachelor's degree or more than similar students in predominantly white schools.