1. Addressing Immigrant Student Achievement Gaps across Canada
Louis Volante
Professor, Brock University
Affiliated Researcher, UNU-MERIT / Maastricht University
President-Elect, Canadian Educational Researchers’ Association

2. International Context
60% of migrants are found in developed countries and are themselves originally from developing countries
Popular destinations: US, Germany, UK, Canada, France, Australia, Spain, and Italy
Immigrant students underperform relative to their non-immigrant peers – performance disadvantage
In some cases, immigrant students are more than two grade levels behind, even after accounting for SES
Double and triple disadvantage(s)

3. Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX)
The Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) is a unique tool which measures policies to integrate migrants in all EU Member States, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA.
167 policy indicators have been developed to create a multi-dimensional picture of migrants’ opportunities to participate in society. The index is a useful tool to evaluate and compare what governments are doing to promote the integration of migrants in all the countries analysed.
The project informs and engages key policy actors about how to use indicators to improve integration governance and policy effectiveness. Source:

4. MIPEX: Key Findings
Immigrants generally face greater obstacles in emerging destination countries with small numbers of immigrants and high levels of anti-immigrant sentiment (the Baltics, Central and Southeast Europe).
Immigrants usually benefit from more equal rights and opportunities in wealthier, older, and larger countries of immigration (i.e., Western Europe and traditional countries of immigration such as CA, US, AU, & NZ).
The greatest obstacles are to become citizens or politically active and for mainstream services to guarantee equal access and opportunities (targeted employment, education and health support).
Education includes the following dimensions: access; targeted needs; new opportunities; and intercultural education.

5. MIPEX: Canadian Rankings
MIPEX: Sweden = 78 (Rank: 1/38) / Canada = 68 (Rank: 6/38)
Labour Market Mobility: Score = 81 (5/38) [Sweden = 98]
Family Reunion: Score = 79 (4/38) [Spain = 90]
Education: Score = 65 (4/38) [Sweden = 77]
Health: Score = 49 (18/38) [New Zealand = 75]
Political Participation: Score = 48 (20/38) [Norway = 82]
Permanent Residence: Score = 62 (16/38) [Belgium = 86]
Access to Nationality: Score = 67 (8/38) [Portugal = 86]
Anti-Discrimination: Score = 92 (1/38)

6. PISA 2015: International Results
Rank
Science
Reading
Mathematics 1
Singapore (556)
Singapore (535)
Singapore (564) 2
Japan (538)
Canada (527)
Hong Kong, China (548) 3
Estonia (534)
Hong Kong, China (527)
Macau, China (544) 4
Chinese Taipei (532)
Finland (526)
Chinese Taipei (542) 5
Finland (531)
Ireland (521)
Japan (532) 6
Macau, China (529)
Estonia (519)
B-S-J-G, China (531) 7
Canada (528)
Korea (517)
Korea (524) 8
Vietnam (525)
Japan (516)
Switzerland (521) 9
Hong Kong, China (523)
Norway (513)
Estonia (520) 10
Beijing/Shanghai/Jiangsu/
Guangdong -Shanghai
B-S-J-G, China (518)
Macau, China (509)
New Zealand (509)
Germany (509)
Canada (516)
OECD
493
490

7. PISA 2015: Provincial Results
Rank
Science (S.E.)
Reading (S.E.)
Mathematics (S.E.) 1
AL = 541 (4.0)
BC = 536 (5.6)
QC = 544 (4.8) 2
BC = 539 (4.3)
AL = 533 (5.2)
BC = 522 (5.0) 3
QC = 537 (4.7)
QC = 532 (4.7)
AL = 511 (4.7) 4
ON = 524 (3.9)
ON = 527 (4.4)
ON = 509 (4.2) 5
NS = 517 (4.5)
NS = 517 (4.9)
PEI = 499 (6.4) 6
PEI = 515 (5.4)
PEI = 515 (6.1)
NS = 497 (4.6) 7
NB = 506 (4.5)
NB = 505 (5.2)
NB = 493 (5.1) 8
NL = 506 (3.2)
NL = 505 (5.2)
MB = 489 (4.2) 9
MB = 499 (4.7)
MB = 498 (5.0)
NL = 486 (3.2) 10
SK = 496 (3.1)
SK = 496 (3.6)
SK = 484 (2.9)
CANADA
528 (2.1)
527 (2.3)
516 (2.3)
OECD
493 (0.4)
493 (0.5)
490 (0.4)

8. PISA 2015 Science Results: Percentage of Immigrant Students (IS) Non-Immigrant (NI) / First-Generation (FG) / Second-Generation (SG)
Province
IS % (S.E.)
NI Scores (S.E.)
FG Scores (S.E.)
SG Scores (S.E.)
Alberta
28.0 (1.8)
543 (4.1)
535 (6.3)
548 (6.6)
British Columbia
39.4 (2.7)
540 (4.6)
548 (7.7)
541 (6.9)
Manitoba
23.9 (1.2)
506 (5.7)
490 (6.5)
502 (8.2)
New Brunswick
5.6 (0.8)
507 (4.7)
535 (13.1)
c (c)
Newfoundland Labrador
2.5 (1.2)
508 (3.3)
Nova Scotia
8.3 (1.2)
520 (4.4)
522 (15.4)
Ontario
37.1 (2.4)
526 (4.2)
531 (6.5)
529 (5.3)
P.E.I.
5.2 (1.2)
513 (5.2)
Quebec
23.3 (3.9)
541 (4.3)
527 (11.2)
535 (10.0)
Saskatchewan
13.8 (1.0)
500 (3.4)
468 (8.1)
526 (13.3)

9. Individual/Family Characteristics
First- versus second-generation status
Socio-economic status (SES)
Gender
Country of origin
Age of arrival
Language background

10. School System/Community Characteristics
School tracking policies and segregation issues
Language supports and school resources
Teacher quality
Community demographics and programs

11. Exemplary School Programs: Toronto District School Board – Diagnostic Assessment
Toronto District School Board has two Newcomer Reception Centres. All students eligible for secondary school (ages ) will visit one of these two Reception Centres before registration at their local secondary school.   During the day students spend at the Newcomer Reception Centre, their English language skills and mathematics skills are assessed. These assessments will help the local secondary school support the new student with the most appropriate courses.   Each Reception Centre has multilingual staff to assist students and families. Newcomer families can also connect with a Settlement Worker, to learn more about topics such as finding housing, looking for employment, accessing health care in Ontario, and a variety of support agencies.

12. Exemplary School Programs: TDSB – LEAP Program
LEAP (Literacy Enrichment Academic Program) is a special program for students aged who did not have the opportunity to attend school regularly before arriving in Canada.  LEAP offers these students a chance to gain English language, literacy, and mathematics skills so that they can participate fully in their classes.
Students are expected to make two academic years of progress each year so they can catch up with their English-speaking peers quickly and be in mainstream classes full time within three years
LEAP is offered in 40 elementary schools and 13 secondary schools. Application to a LEAP class is made through the student's home school. 

13. Host Society Characteristics
Immigration and integration policies
Social protection and welfare policies
Income inequality and social stratification

14. Addressing the Performance Disadvantage: European Commission Recommendations
Encourage the integrated approach with the involvement of parents and the local community. Policy makers should pay more attention to the overall structure of the education system and its effects on the inclusion of migrant students rather than the individual support measures.
Provide opportunities for migrant students to develop within mainstream education systems and guarantee additional or remedial support in all areas, not only host language teaching.
Schools and municipalities need a reasonable level of autonomy – so that they can better address the specificities of local needs in regard to migrant children – while at the same time being accountable for their performance.

15. Multilevel Framework Geopolitical Context Geopolitical Context
Geopolitical Context Geopolitical Context
Host Society
Community
Individual Student
School
(Teachers/Peers)
Family