ABSTRACT
The 1984 Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Survey reported an Asian American student population of just about one million. An important variable when dealing with Asian American population is place of birth, American born or immigrant. Many from Asian countries have migrated to the United States in search of economic stability. Many Asian Americans have found themselves with increasing feelings of marginality, as the pressure of cultural assimilation can produce ambivalent feelings about ethnic group membership. Parental attitudes and child rearing practices definitely impact the development of children. The Vietnamese-American community, in particular, seemed to have much more strict control over their children than Khmer and Lao parents, regardless of social class. Parents will sacrifice material comfort in order to provide the best educational experience for their children. Research on academic achievement of Asian American students has typically indicated high levels of scholarship, and, in fact, the popular press often labels them "whiz kids".
