This digest examines the interdependence of schooling, work, and family in the lives of Mexican American women. Mexican Americans have lower educational achievement than other Hispanic subgroups and the total U.S. population, although females do somewhat better than males. Hispanic students are overrepresented in classes for special education, English as a Second Language, and bilingual education, and underrepresented in gifted classes. However, Hispanic students' representation in such classes and the nature of their school experiences in general have been shown to be influenced by the relative proportions of ethnic groups in the school, by Hispanics' relative socioeconomic status (SES), and by Hispanic representation on school board and faculty. Since most Mexican American women live in low-SES communities, their school experiences are likely to be negative. Nevertheless, Chicanas have recently shown some improvement in rates of higher education enrollment and completion. In 1993, about half of Mexican American females were in the labor force, located primarily in low-paying jobs with poor or inadequate working conditions and little job security. Mexican American culture does not value women's success in the labor market; working-class women are more likely than professionals to accept such cultural values. Many Chicanas describe high levels of ambivalence and stress over conflicts between motherhood and employment, and inadequate income and cycles of unemployment add to psychological distress. (SV)