A strong ideology of meritocracy is pervasive in the U.S., and schools are often idealized as "great equalizers," providing equal educational opportunities to all, regardless of race or family background. Yet, an abundance of evidence demonstrates that schools in the U.S. are not equal, particularly in terms of the resources and learning opportunities they afford. To date, however, educational researchers have yet to develop a detailed model of the processes through which families choose, or are "stuck" with, different schools. Drawing on important theoretical developments in stratification and education, as well as critical theories of race, this dissertation explores the impact of race, family resources, and state educational contexts on children's school options (or lack thereof), including public vs. private schooling and residential moves across neighborhoods with varying racial and socioeconomic compositions prior to public school entry. The analyses are based on a national sample of black and white children and their families, as well as state educational data and decennial U.S. census data.

The results indicate that family background characteristics fully explain black-white differences in private school attendance. Both parental and grandparental wealth are particularly important for older children’s private school attendance, while more traditional measures of socioeconomic status, including parental income, education, and occupational prestige, are less so. Additionally, the findings suggest that state educational contexts of public school racial segregation and school resource inequality shape the effects of race and family resources on school decisions. In terms of public school decisions through neighborhood choice, the analyses reveal stark racial differences in the mobility patterns of black and white children prior to public school entry, even after considering family resources and neighborhood of origin characteristics. Black children are much less likely than white children to move to neighborhoods with lower poverty levels or to whiter neighborhoods. Given the links among neighborhoods, school resources, and opportunities in the U.S., this finding may be particularly relevant for understanding racial inequalities in education. The dissertation results have important implications for theories of stratification and racial inequality, as well as key policy implications in the areas of wealth, education, and housing.