NCES

National Center for

Education Statistics

the
condition
of education 2003

INDICATOR 2

Family Characteristics of 5- to
17-Year-Olds
The indicator and corresponding tables are taken directly from The Condition of Education 2003.
Therefore, the page numbers may not be sequential.

Additional information about the survey data and supplementary notes can be found in the full
report. For a copy of The Condition of Education 2003, visit the NCES web site
(http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2003067) or contact ED PUBs at 1-877-4ED-PUBS.

Suggested Citation:
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education
2003, NCES 2003-067, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2003.

U.S. Department of Education

Institute of Education Sciences
NCES 2003-067
 Indicator 2 Section 1—Participation in Education

Elementary/Secondary Education
Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds
The level of parental education has increased for children in the past 20 years, though
the parents of Black and Hispanic children continue to have less education than their
White peers.

A child’s family environment affects many as- level or more) increased and the percentage clas-
pects of that child’s life, including achievement in sified as “near-poor” (100–199 percent of the pov-
school. From 1979 to 2001, the educational at- erty level) decreased from 1976 to 2001. There
tainment of children’s parents increased. The per- were smaller percentages of Black and White
centage of 5- to 17-year-olds whose parents had children in poverty in 2001 than in 1976. Black
at least completed high school increased from 76 children experienced the largest decline in pov-
percent in 1979 to 88 percent in 2001, and the erty, from 50 percent in 1976 to 31 percent in
percentage of children whose parents had a 2001. Black and Hispanic children in 2001 were
bachelor’s degree or higher increased from 19 more likely than White children to be impover-
percent to 31 percent. The parents of Black chil- ished.
dren had the largest increase in the percentage
completing high school or higher, and the par- The past 25 years have seen a decrease in the
ents of White children had the largest increase in percentage of two-parent households, from 83
the percentage attaining a bachelor’s degree or percent in 1976 to 68 percent in 2001. White and
higher. In 2001, the parents of White children Hispanic children ages 5–17 in 2001 were more
were more likely to have completed high school likely than their Black peers to be living in a two-
or higher than their Black and Hispanic peers, parent household. The percentage of children
and the parents of Black children were more likely speaking a language other than English at home
to have completed high school or higher than the increased from 8 percent in 1979 to 17 percent in
parents of Hispanic children. 1999 (the last year for which data are available).
This increase is due in part to the increased His-
The poverty rate of school-aged children in 2001 panic population in the United States: 71 percent
NOTE: The Current Population Survey (CPS) was about 17 percent, not statistically different of Hispanic children ages 5–17 spoke a language
questions used to obtain educational attain- from the percentage in 1976, despite changes other than English at home in 1999, compared
ment were changed in 1992. In 1994, the survey throughout the period. The percentage of chil- with 4 percent of White and Black children (see
methodology for the CPS was changed and
dren classified as “nonpoor” (twice the poverty supplemental table 2-1).
weights were adjusted. Information on parents’
educational attainment is available only for
those parents who lived in the same household FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS: Percentage of 5- to 17-year-olds whose parents had at least completed high school or attained
with their child. See supplemental note 2 for a bachelor’s degree or higher, by race/ethnicity: Selected years 1979–2001
more information. Black includes African Ameri-
can and Hispanic includes Latino. Race catego- Percent
100
ries exclude Hispanic origin unless specified. High school completion or higher
Other race/ethnicities are included in the total
but are not shown separately.
80
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bu-
reau of the Census, Current Population Survey
(CPS), March Supplement, various years, pre- 60
viously unpublished tabulation (January
White
2003).
40 Total
Bachelor’s degree or higher
Black
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Hispanic
20
Supplemental Notes 1, 2
Supplemental Table 2-1
NCES 93–699 0
1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001
Grissmer et al. 1994 Year

The Condition of Education 2003 | Page 19

 Indicator 2 Appendix 1 Supplemental Tables

Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds

Table 2-1. Percentage distribution of 5- to 17-year-olds, by race/ethnicity and selected family characteristics: Selected years 1976–2001

Selected family characteristics 1976 1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001
Total U.S. population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 75.6 81.2 85.1 86.0 87.2 87.4 88.4
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 19.0 22.2 25.8 25.7 28.2 30.0 31.3
Family type1
Two-parent household 83.2 74.8 71.0 71.8 70.1 68.5 67.2 68.3
Father-only household 1.1 2.2 3.0 3.0 3.2 3.5 4.3 4.2
Mother-only household 13.3 17.8 20.5 21.8 23.1 23.0 23.5 22.1
Poverty status2
Poor 16.1 14.7 19.7 18.5 20.6 20.8 18.8 16.7
Near-poor 27.3 19.3 21.3 20.9 22.0 21.8 20.7 20.7
Nonpoor 56.6 66.0 59.0 60.7 57.4 57.4 60.5 62.7
Language spoken in the home
English only — 91.5 — 87.6 85.7 85.9 83.3 —
Language other than English — 8.3 — 12.4 14.3 14.1 16.7 —
Total Black population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 49.9 64.5 76.4 77.5 80.7 83.3 87.7
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 4.9 9.1 12.3 12.7 12.9 15.5 16.4
Family type1
Two-parent household 49.0 43.8 42.0 38.8 37.5 34.2 35.5 38.0
Father-only household 1.4! 2.4 3.8 3.3 2.9 3.8 3.8 4.6
Mother-only household 38.5 43.7 42.9 48.3 50.5 49.7 49.7 46.2
Poverty status2
Poor 49.7 40.6 45.8 41.9 43.8 41.9 36.0 30.5
Near-poor 26.4 28.4 26.4 22.7 24.1 25.5 27.9 28.1
Nonpoor 24.0 31.1 27.9 35.4 32.1 32.5 36.0 41.3
Language spoken in the home
English only — — — — 95.7 97.0 95.5 —
Language other than English — — — — 4.3 3.0 4.5 —
See notes at end of table.

The Condition of Education 2003 | Page 95

Appendix 1 Supplemental Tables Indicator 2

Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds

Table 2-1. Percentage distribution of 5- to 17-year-olds, by race/ethnicity and selected family characteristics: Selected years 1976–2001—Continued

Selected family characteristics 1976 1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001
Total White population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 82.8 87.7 92.4 93.1 94.5 94.8 95.7
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 22.3 25.6 30.7 30.6 34.5 36.8 39.0
Family type1
Two-parent household 86.7 80.7 77.7 79.9 78.3 77.2 75.3 76.4
Father-only household 1.1! 2.2 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4 4.5 4.4
Mother-only household 10.7 13.2 15.6 15.1 16.4 16.3 17.0 16.0
Poverty status2
Poor 11.1 8.9 12.7 10.3 12.4 12.1 10.8 9.7
Near-poor 26.5 16.6 19.3 19.1 19.6 19.3 16.4 15.4
Nonpoor 62.4 74.5 68.1 70.5 68.0 68.6 72.7 74.9
Language spoken in the home
English only — — — — 96.2 96.4 96.1 —
Language other than English — — — — 3.8 3.6 3.9 —
Total Hispanic population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 45.0 47.6 52.2 51.8 56.5 59.2 60.6
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 7.2 7.8 8.8 8.8 8.9 11.9 10.9
Family type1
Two-parent household 87.2 71.6 60.4 64.9 63.5 63.0 63.4 64.6
Father-only household 0.4! 2.1! 3.1! 2.8 3.3 4.3 3.8 3.6
Mother-only household 10.9 17.2 28.3 28.9 28.2 26.9 26.2 23.6
Poverty status2
Poor 24.0 26.9 34.9 34.5 38.3 39.8 33.6 28.2
Near-poor 35.7 31.9 33.0 29.4 33.0 30.7 31.8 33.5
Nonpoor 40.2 41.2 32.1 36.2 28.7 29.5 34.6 38.2
Language spoken in the home
English only — — — — 23.4 26.1 29.1 —
Language other than English — — — — 76.6 73.9 70.9 —
—Not available.
!Interpret data with caution (estimates are unstable).
1
Detail does not sum to total because a small percentage of respondents were not in the survey universe or had no parents present in the home.
2
“Near-poor” is defined as 100–199 percent of the poverty level, and “nonpoor” is defined as twice the poverty level or more. See supplemental note 1 for more information on poverty.
NOTE: Black includes African American and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categories exclude Hispanic origin unless specified. Other race/ethnicities are included in the total but are not shown separately.
Information on parents’ highest level of education is available only for those parents who lived in the same household with their child. The Current Population Survey (CPS) questions used to obtain educational
attainment were changed in 1992. In 1994, the survey methodology for the CPS was changed and weights adjusted. See supplemental note 2 for more information. Detail may not sum to totals because of
rounding.
SOURCE: McArthur, E.K. (1993). Language Characteristics and Schooling in the United States, A Changing Picture: 1979 and 1989 (NCES 93–699), figure 2, and U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March, October, and November Supplements, various years, previously unpublished tabulation (January 2003).

Page 96 | The Condition of Education 2003

Appendix 3 Standard Error Tables Indicator 2

Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds

Table S2. Standard errors for the percentage of 5- to 17-year-olds whose parents had at least completed high school or attained a bachelor’s degree or
higher, by race/ethnicity: Selected years 1979–2001
Parents’ education 1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001
Total
High school completion or higher 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
Bachelor’s degree or higher 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4
Black
High school completion or higher 1.4 1.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7
Bachelor’s degree or higher 0.6 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.9
White
High school completion or higher 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Bachelor’s degree or higher 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5
Hispanic
High school completion or higher 2.1 2.1 1.4 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0
Bachelor’s degree or higher 1.1 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March Supplement, various years, previously unpublished tabulation (January 2003).

Page 226 | The Condition of Education 2003

 Indicator 2 Standard Error Tables for Supplemental Tables

Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds

Table S2-1. Standard errors for the percentage distribution of 5- to 17-year-olds, by race/ethnicity and selected family characteristics: Selected years 1976–
2001
Selected family characteristics 1976 1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001
Total U.S. population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 0.44 0.46 0.28 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 0.40 0.48 0.32 0.30 0.31 0.33 0.36
Family type
Two-parent household 0.65 0.44 0.51 0.33 0.31 0.33 0.34 0.35
Father-only household 0.18 0.15 0.19 0.12 0.12 0.13 0.14 0.15
Mother-only household 0.59 0.39 0.46 0.30 0.29 0.29 0.31 0.32
Poverty status
Poor 0.61 0.36 0.45 0.28 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29
Near-poor 0.76 0.40 0.47 0.29 0.28 0.29 0.29 0.31
Nonpoor 0.85 0.48 0.56 0.35 0.34 0.34 0.35 0.37
Language spoken in the home
English only — 0.31 — 0.39 0.24 0.26 0.28 —
Language other than English — 0.31 — 0.39 0.24 0.26 0.28 —
Total Black population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 1.38 1.60 0.81 0.80 0.76 0.76 0.70
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 0.59 0.94 0.68 0.62 0.64 0.73 0.85
Family type
Two-parent household 2.78 1.34 1.56 0.92 0.87 0.87 0.92 1.01
Father-only household 0.57 0.42 0.60 0.33 0.31 0.34 0.37 0.41
Mother-only household 2.73 1.34 1.54 0.94 0.90 0.92 0.96 1.02
Poverty status
Poor 2.79 1.33 1.56 0.92 0.89 0.90 0.92 0.93
Near-poor 2.45 1.21 1.36 0.78 0.77 0.80 0.86 0.92
Nonpoor 2.37 1.26 1.40 0.92 0.84 0.86 0.93 1.02
Language spoken in the home
English only — — — — 0.36 0.32 0.41 —
Language other than English — — — — 0.36 0.32 0.41 —
See notes at end of table.

The Condition of Education 2003 | Page 9

Standard Error Tables for Supplemental Tables Indicator 2

Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds

Table S2-1. Standard errors for the percentage distribution of 5- to 17-year-olds, by race/ethnicity and selected family characteristics: Selected years 1976–
2001—Continued
Selected family characteristics 1976 1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001
Total White population
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 0.44 0.44 0.22 0.21 0.19 0.20 0.19
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 0.49 0.58 0.39 0.37 0.40 0.42 0.46
Family type
Two-parent household 0.67 0.46 0.54 0.33 0.33 0.35 0.37 0.39
Father-only household 0.21 0.17 0.21 0.14 0.14 0.15 0.18 0.19
Mother-only household 0.61 0.39 0.47 0.30 0.30 0.31 0.33 0.34
Poverty status
Poor 0.57 0.33 0.43 0.25 0.26 0.27 0.27 0.28
Near-poor 0.86 0.42 0.51 0.32 0.32 0.33 0.32 0.33
Nonpoor 0.94 0.50 0.61 0.37 0.37 0.38 0.38 0.40
Language spoken in the home
English only — — — — 0.15 0.16 0.17 —
Language other than English — — — — 0.15 0.16 0.17 —
Total Hispanic p opula
popula tion
opulation
Parents’ education
High school completion or higher — 2.05 2.10 1.36 1.08 1.08 1.01 0.97
Bachelor’s degree or higher — 1.06 1.10 0.74 0.61 0.62 0.67 0.62
Family type
Two-parent household 1.73 1.79 1.97 1.27 1.01 1.01 0.96 0.91
Father-only household 0.19 0.56 0.70 0.42 0.37 0.40 0.37 0.34
Mother-only household 1.65 1.49 1.80 1.21 0.94 0.92 0.87 0.81
Poverty status
Poor 2.21 1.77 1.91 1.25 1.02 1.04 0.94 0.86
Near-poor 2.48 1.89 1.95 1.22 1.01 0.99 0.93 0.90
Nonpoor 2.56 1.98 1.87 1.29 0.96 0.96 0.94 0.93
Language spoken in the home
English only — — — — 0.91 0.98 0.88 —
Language other than English — — — — 0.91 0.98 0.88 —
—Not available.
SOURCE: McArthur, E.K. (1993). Language Characteristics and Schooling in the United States, A Changing Picture: 1979 and 1989 (NCES 93–699), figure 2, and U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March, October, and November Supplements, various years, previously unpublished tabulation (January 2003).

Page 10 | The Condition of Education 2003