Maintained and Increasing Inequality in High School Curricular Intensity

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Sociology of Education Roundtable

Abstract

Since the early 1980s, high school course taking has been a major focus of policy and research. Despite the attention, few studies have assessed how inequalities in the intensity of students’ high school curricula have changed. I use three nationally representative datasets following 1980, 1990, and 2002 sophomores.Using regressions and decompositions, I examine changes from 1982 to 2004 in (1) the association between students’ SES and high school curricular intensity; and (2) socioeconomic gaps in curricular intensity. Some evidence shows the association between student background and curricular intensity declined by 2004. However, advantaged students maintained a course taking advantage, net of achievement, expectations, and controls. Curricular intensity advantages increased for students at the top of the income and education distributions.

Author

• Megan Austin, American Institutes for Research