Explaining ethnic, racial, and immigrant differences in private school attendance

Using 1990 Census microdata, we explore ethnic, racial, and immigrant diffe rences in private school attendance. We find high rates of private school a ttendance among white natives, white immigrants, and Asian natives, In cont rast, we find low private school rates among black and Hispanic natives and immigrants. Asian immigrants, and other natives. Variations in income per capita and especially parental education account for over 70% of the gap in private school attendance rates between white natives and all other groups . We discuss ramifications for racial, language, and socioeconomic segregat ion in America's schools and possible effects of school vouchers on segrega tion. (C) 2001 Academic Press.