Race, class, and educational opportunity: Trends in the sociology of education

This essay examines some of the trends in educational, sociological, and social psychological research on inequality of educational opportunity for African Americans in the United States. A review of theoretical approaches and methodological developments is followed by an overview of research and theory in selected substantive areas; social allocation processes in schools (ability grouping, tracking etc.), the relationship of poverty to academic achievement, and educational attainment. The article concludes with recommendations for future research.