The Coleman Report, by University of Chicago sociology professor James Coleman proved especially controversial in 1966.

A more precise reading of the Coleman Report is that student background and socioeconomic status are much more important in determining educational outcomes than are measured differences in school resources (i.e. per pupil spending).

His The Adolescent Society (1961) and "Coleman Report" (Equality of Educational Opportunity, 1966) were two of the most heavily cited books in educational sociology.

That 1966 report - titled "Equality of Educational Opportunity" (or often simply called the "Coleman Report") - fueled debate about "school effects" that has continued since.

It takes note of the Coleman Report (1989), which recommends removing Home Office sponsorship from sub-standard courses.

Indeed, the Coleman Report claimed this to be true in 1966, and subsequent studies have reported this research.

Sociologist James Samuel Coleman, author of the seminal Coleman Report on school integration, called Is There Life After High School?

He analyzed the results of 187 studies of the last two decades, many inspired by the Coleman Report, and found little confirmation that teacher credentials or class size influenced test scores.

That 1966 report - titled "Equality of Educational Opportunity" (or often simply called the "Coleman Report" after its author James Coleman) - the study contained many controversial findings.

The Coleman Report, published in 1966, concluded that the marginal effect of various school inputs on student achievement was small compared to the impact of families and friends.