All Wealth Is Not Created Equal: Race, Parental Net Worth, and Children’s Achievement

Using data from the children of National Longitudinal Survey Youth 1979 cohort, spanning 1986 to 2014, we investigated whether White, Black, and Hispanic whose parents had same wealth, measured as net worth, have equal math reading achievement trajectories age five through fourteen. Black often significantly worse scores than same-wealth Whites. We also found racial variation, disadvantage Blacks Hispanics relative Whites, in measures family demographic context financial portfolio composition, both which research has linked children’s achievement. Whereas previous that structural inequality contributes differences find evidence similar processes comparisons potential implications for academic success.