ETHNICITY, DRUG-USER STATUS AND ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE

The impact of drug use and race on school performance was investigated . Data were collected retrospectively from a sample of 100 students in Grades 9 through 12, using a questionnaire devised by the authors. Mo st recent grades in English, mathematics, social studies, and science, and percentile scores on the mathematics portion of a recent Metropol itan Achievement Test, constituted achievement. Sufficient data were o btained for 38 students (11 black, 18 white, and 9 Latino), Results in cluded significant main effects for both race (p <.05) and user status (p <.05). An interaction of race and user status was suggested. While black users and nonusers did not differ across academic areas, large differences for the two other ethnic groups emerged.