Neighborhoods vary in the extent to which they are socially and culturally
diverse and whether there is little or much economic inequality. They also
vary in the extent to which racial differences are confounded with economic
ones. This study included measures of these neighborhood characteristics,
along with a measure of school problems, to predict students' gains on achi
evement tests between the 10th and 12th grades, The results from a multilev
el analysis show that students who attend schools in neighborhoods in which
there are no pronounced racial inequalities are likely to make gains in so
cial studies. The authors conclude that opportunities for social learning a
re? superior when there are few racially confounded economic barriers. The
results also show that students with low scores on a mathematics-reading co
mposite test in the 10th grade make greater gains than do other students in
social studies, mathematics, and reading, suggesting a catch-up effect dur
ing the last two years of high school.