This study examines urban/suburban differences in educational outcomes in
light of Tilly's conception of "opportunity hoarding." Data from the U.S. Census
reveal the changing circumstances of 17-year-olds in central city and suburban
settings across the post-World War II period. Focusing on the metropolitan
Northeast and Eastern Midwest, we consider a range of factors associated with
differences in educational attainment. Using a multilevel analytic strategy, we
find evidence that clear distinctions emerged in this period, marking the educational
status of youth in central city and suburban settings. While there were
signs of urban/suburban inequality in certain metropolitan contexts and for
specific types of suburbs in 1940, 40 years later the urban-suburban divide was
clearly evident across all metropolitan settings. A wide range of factors became
associated with this form of spatial differentiation in school experiences during
the postwar era, suggesting that a prolonged process of systematic exclusion
characterized this dimension of metropolitan development. We close with a brief
discussion of policy implications for addressing school-related factors that may
contribute to these differences.