Case studies of a Southern Appalachian urban middle-class family, a rural lower-class family, and a rural middle-class family illustrate the nature of Appalachian ethnicity and its relationship to school experience. The variables of ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and rural/urban residence are investigated through structured interviews with parents and their children who are either high school students or recent dropouts. The interviews gather data on attitudes about and experiences of schooling and education, life history, social network, ethnicity, and family and kinship. The case studies indicate that while cultural, symbolic, and structural Appalachian ethnicity is related to a more negative school experience, residence and socioeconomic class are strong mediating factors. Urban, middle-class Appalachians have a more positive school experience. Teachers and school administrators are advised to be sensitive to these factors in terms of understanding the school experience of Appalachian students. The document includes 20 references. (CS)