This paper attempts to assess the potential for educational achievement, especially among children, of recent West Indian immigrants to the United States. Two basic sources have been used: data collected for the author's dissertation, and interviews with high school principals in Brooklyn, New York. After an overview of the history of West Indian immigration, the recent status of the immigrants is discussed in terms of access to jobs, housing, and education. This is followed by a discussion of the settlement patterns and acculturation of the immigrants. Problems faced by parents unfamiliar with the educational process in the United States and children transferring to American schools are delineated. It is concluded that the difficulties faced by students from the West Indies are not the result of the students' inability to profit from education but are the result of the failure of the educational system and the West Indian community to make the process meaningful for the children. (MK)