Predominantly Black urban public schools have long been regarded as ghetto wastelands, seriously remiss in their capability of providing more than minimal education. This Minority Research Initiation Planning Grant examines the effects on Black student competitiveness in higher education and the labor market of attendance at an historically Black public high school. A two-case comparative study of an historically Black and an historically White public high school both before and after desegregation will provide data to assess what factors aid and what factors impede post-secondary achievement in these school settings. This project will enhance our understanding of the factors contributing to long term achievement in education and the labor force. This project also provides an excellent opportunity for a promising young scholar to lay the foundation for more extensive research that will provide valuable information on the nature of pre-college school environments.
