I don't have time to give a proper answer, but I would be careful to keep current Asian "model minority" separate from the historical 19th century wave of immigrants. Most were poor and uneducated, and did face severe discrimination. Many states in the west had systems of school segregation similar to the South.

According to census data, The children of these immigrants did see substantial upward mobility, but only to a level similar to that of whites and at least in part because of declining racism against Asians.

As far as the current wave of model minority is concern, I think a lot of it is simply the fact our parents are highly educated. For example immigrants from India are much more likely to have graduate degree than people born in the US. Those groups such as Burmese or Cambodian who do not come with the same educational advantages often struggle like other poor minority groups.

In general, I would caution the relationship between discrimination and the effect it has on the discrimated groups economic and educational advantages are complex and more discrimation often leads to more poverty but not always.

I'll have to go dig up my old education text books, but...

Being a model minority IS being discriminated against. In many ways the success of the various Asian-American groups was used as a way to keep the various groups separated. Think less "a credit to your race", and more of "you overcame your racial handicap". These groups were being praised for excelling despite being non-white, rather than for excelling despite the hardships society forced on them. Keep in mind too that while African Americans were protesting, Asian Americans were studying. So in many ways this was a way to say they weren't rocking the boat in the same way as other groups.

I believe my source is "Multicultural Education" by Banks but I have to check.