The study -- which was conducted between 1999 and 2001 in East Kelby in Teeside, Northeast England -- focused on a community of 30,000 people who lived in council housing estates originally constructed to house the families of workers employed in nearby chemical and steel plants. Following a period of economic progress, global economic competition led to persistent unemployment and long-term, concentrated poverty. East Kelby schools struggle to raise educational standards and outcomes in a community of poor families. The major component of the fieldwork for this study consisted of qualitative, biographically focused interviews with 88 youth between 15 and 25 years old (45 females and 43 males). Virtually all were from White, working-class families that were broadly typical of the local youth population. Two interviews were completed within a year of one another. The interview focused on attitudes toward school and the value of education. In general, the youth acknowledged persistent truancy and an attitude among their peers that the school curriculum held little value in determining their futures. The employment opportunities that were realistically available had few educational requirements, and the subculture of the community provided little support for the cultural and developmental value of an education. The authors conclude that shifting orientations toward the value of schooling reflect the structures of employment and economic opportunities that are accessible for youth within localized, class-cultural milieus. 5 notes and 30 references