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Curriculum Placement, Race, Class and Gender Differences in Wage Growth Amongst Non-College Workers: Evidence from the NELS 1988–2000 Data

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Abstract

This study assessed competing predictions from neoclassical human capital and social reproduction theories regarding the role of students’ gender, class and racial status in determining high school curriculum placement, early post secondary job destination and wage attainment. Our findings support predictions from reproductive theories in that they revealed significant class, race and gender disparities in students’ educational and employment outcomes, even after accounting for workers prior achievement. These findings have important implications for two fields of research: education and labor market inequality, especially within the context of the education literature where institutional processes are often assumed to be neutral. Moreover, our results highlighted the mechanisms underpinning high school curriculum tracking that discriminate against race, class and gender subgroups. We conclude with a discussion on policy recommendations and suggestions for future research.

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Notes

  1. Section 235 of the 1990 Carl Perkins Amendments requires that federal funds be spent on programs that “integrate academic and vocational education….so that students achieve both academic and occupational competencies”.

  2. Current dollar GDP divided by constant dollar GDP. This ratio is used to account for the effects of inflation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Albany State University, 504 College Drive, Albany, GA, 31705, USA

    Ian Sakura-Lemessy

  2. Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, Lynn University, 3601 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA

    Katrina Carter-Tellison

  3. Department of Natural Sciences, Albany State University, 504 College Drive, Albany, GA, 31705, USA

    Donna-May Sakura-Lemessy

Authors
  1. Ian Sakura-Lemessy
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  2. Katrina Carter-Tellison
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  3. Donna-May Sakura-Lemessy
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Correspondence to Ian Sakura-Lemessy.

Additional information

Please direct all correspondence to Ian Sakura-Lemessy, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, 504 College Drive, Albany 31705, GA, USA. (ian.sakura-lemessy@asurams.edu). An earlier version of this article was presented at the 2009 meeting of the Pacific Sociological Association. The authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this article.

Appendix

Appendix

Descriptions, Metrics, Means and Standard Deviations of Variables Used in Study (NELS 1988–2000)

Variable

Description

Metric

Mean

S.D.

Income

Annual income of respondent for years 1993–1999.

Annual income $1,000 = lowest; $89,000 = highest

19000

NA

Non-college student’s race

This variable describe respondents’ race be they “White”, “Black or African American”.

0 = White; 1 = African American

NA

NA

Socioeconomic status

Variable was constructed into quartiles using Seriocomic data computed by NELS.

1 = Lowest quartile; 4 = Highest quartile

2.10

3.00

Single family household

Indicates whether he/she grew up with mother and father or mother only.

0 = grew up in household with mother and father; 1 = mother only

NA

NA

Number of siblings

Number of brothers and/or sisters student has.

0 = no brothers or sisters; 6 = 6 or more

3.00

3.90

Units in Academic Coursework

The number of units in academic courses from 8th to 12th grade for students who complete at least three or more units in social studies, English, science and math.

Number of units in academic education courses

2.50

4.50

Units in Vocational Coursework

The number of units in vocational education from 8th to 12th grade for students for vocational concentrators who earned 3 or more credits in one of the 10 broad vocational areas.

Number of units in vocational vocational education courses

3.10

3.60

Units in Integrated Coursework

The number of units from 8th to 12th grade for students who complete at least three or more units in vocational and academic courses.

Number of units in vocational vocational education courses

2.50

3.60

Agricultural Sector

Worker is employed in one of the following: Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Mining, Quarrying, and Extracting.

0 = does not work in agricultural jobs 1 = works in agricultural job

0.19

NA

Low Service Sector

Employed in one of the following: Retail Trade, Personal Services or Entertainment and Recreation Services

0 = does not work in low service job 1 = works in low service job

1.14

NA

Blue Collar Sector

Worker is employed in one of the following: Construction, Demolition, Building Trades (carpenters, electricians, plumbers, roofers), Manufacturing–Durable Goods or Non-durable Goods.

0 = does not work in blue collar job 1 = works in blue collar job

1.68

NA

8th Grade Educational Expectation

8th grade student level of education aspirations “beyond” current level of education.

1 = high to very high 0 = very low to low

7.50

3.10

Occupational Expectation

Assesses students’ future expectations regarding well-paying jobs.

1 = high to very high 0 = very low to low

NA

NA

8th Grade Math and Reading Score

8th grade reading and math test score composite standardized and broken into quartiles.

1 = Lowest quartile. 4 = Highest quartile

1.90

2.00

Gender

Gender of student

0 = female; 1 = male

NA

NA

Public High School

Classifies the type of school into public or private

0 = private; 1 = public

  

% Received Free Lunch

This variable categorizes the percentage of free or reduced price lunch at the school calculated from the school questionnaire.

0 = no students received free or reduced lunch; 75.7 = highest percentage

32.10

25.60

School % Minority Composition

This variable reflects the percentage of minority students in the eighth grade reported by the school.

0 = no minorities in high school; 74.2 = highest percentage

32.50

29.30

Urban High School

This variable classifies the urbanicity of school.

1 = attended urban school; 0 = did not

NA

NA

Rural High School

This variable classifies the rural location of school.

   

North Central

Indicates US Census region of student’s school.

1 = school is in North Central; 0 = South

NA

NA

North East

Indicates US Census region of student’s school.

1 = school is in North East; 0 = South

NA

NA

West

Indicates US Census region of student’s school.

1 = school is in West; 0 = South

NA

NA

Hours Worked

This variable is based on the average hours per week respondent worked from January 1994 through time of survey in 1999

0 = lowest number of hours worked per week; 79 = highest

39.80

15.10

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Sakura-Lemessy, I., Carter-Tellison, K. & Sakura-Lemessy, DM. Curriculum Placement, Race, Class and Gender Differences in Wage Growth Amongst Non-College Workers: Evidence from the NELS 1988–2000 Data. J Afr Am St 13, 406–430 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-009-9093-6

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