The Coleman Report, formally titled Equality of Educational Opportunity, was a 1966 study commissioned by the National Center for Education Statistics. It surveyed more than 650,000 students and 60,000 teachers and found that family background and socioeconomic status mattered more than school quality in determining student achievement. Physical facilities and curricula showed little difference between Black and white schools, yet an achievement gap existed by first grade and widened through elementary school.
Who was James Samuel Coleman and what was he known for?
James Samuel Coleman, born on the 12th of May, 1926, was an American sociologist based at the University of Chicago. He was known for the Coleman Report on educational equality, for pioneering mathematical approaches in sociology, and for developing influential theories of social capital. He served as the eighty-third president of the American Sociological Association in 1991-1992.
What did James Coleman conclude about school desegregation and busing?
Coleman's later research led him to conclude that busing programs aimed at school desegregation failed because they triggered white flight from the areas where students were being bused. This finding was controversial, particularly among those who had relied on Coleman's earlier work to support integration efforts.
What is social capital according to James Coleman?
According to Coleman's 1990 book Foundations of Social Theory, social capital is the set of resources found in family relations and in a community's social organization. He identified it as one of three main types of capital alongside human capital and physical capital. He argued that functional communities serve as essential sources of social capital that support families in raising and educating children.
What was James Coleman's educational background?
Coleman earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University in 1949, then pursued sociology at Columbia University, where he received his doctorate in 1955. He was influenced at Columbia by Paul Lazarsfeld, Ernest Nagel, and Robert Merton, all of whom shaped his interest in mathematical sociology.
How large was the study behind the Coleman Report?
The study behind the Coleman Report was one of the largest social research efforts in history. It involved more than 650,000 students and 60,000 teachers across the United States, produced a final report of over 700 pages, and cost approximately 1.5 million dollars.