1. Immigration and Education: An Overview of Key Trends Lee Mizell May 2001

2. Elementary and secondary school enrollment approximating the high set in 1970 Increasing enrollment driven by: –Immigration and Children of immigrants 20% of elementary and high school students had at least one foreign-born parent in 1999. In California this figure was almost 50%. Only 10% of foreign-born individuals are under 18 yrs –Increased births to baby boomers between 1981 and 1994 (Source: School Enrollment in the United States Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 1999, U.S. Census Bureau) Immigration is a primary driver of increasing demand for education.

3. Immigrant children are an increasing share of all students.

4. Most immigrant students now come from Mexico and Latin America. Country of Origin of Immigrant Children, 1970 and 1995 Sources: 1970 1% PUMS, 1995 October CPS

5. Immigrant children are more likely to live in urban areas than native children.

6. Immigrants and natives have similar primary school enrollment rates. Immigrants and natives are as likely to enroll in U.S. primary and middle schools. Immigrants less likely to enroll in U.S. high schools. –This difference is due to immigrants of Hispanic origin. –Older Hispanic youth less likely to “drop-in” to school system. In 1990, 25% of immigrant Mexican youth 15-17 yrs were not in school. By age 15, Mexican immigrants had been out of school in Mexico for 2 yrs on average. Of those that do enroll, there is a higher proportion of foreign- born in upper grades because they enter U.S. schools laterally and at a higher age than natives.

7. Immigrants fare well on average. Conditional on having been enrolled in a U.S. high school by grade 10: –Immigrant high school sophomores are just as likely as natives to graduate from high school within four years from their sophomore year. –Immigrant high school graduates are more likely than their native counterparts to: have enrolled in the college-bound track in high school enroll in postsecondary education, and stay continuously through four years of college. (Source: Vernez, G., Abrahamse, A, and Quigley, D. (1996). How Immigrants Fare in U.S. Education. RAND MR-718-AMF)

8. Immigrant high school students more likely to be on “academic track.”

9. Higher % of immigrant hs seniors plan to go to college than natives.

10. Dropout rates are the lowest in the second generation.

11. LEP students dropout at higher rate than non-LEP students.

12. Percentage of LEP K-12 students declines across generations.

13. Factors affecting college-going and retention of immigrants include: Parents’ education –Immigrants with a father who went to college are more likely to go to college themselves. Geography –Urban immigrants are more likely to enroll in college than those in rural schools. Work status of mother –College-going is positively affected by a mother working outside the home Presence of siblings –Immigrant college-going is negatively affected by the presence of three or more siblings. Aspirations* –Holding income, education of parents, and other individual and family factors constant, immigrants are more likely to go to college because they hold higher educational aspirations. Sources: Vernez, G. and Abrahamse, A. (1996), Schwartz, W. (1996)

14. Educational attainment varies greatly between regions of origin.... * This graph includes all foreign-born, not just those who enrolled in U.S. schools

15. ...and within region of origin.

16. Thinking forward..... Hispanic immigrants their children lag behind their counterparts in: –enrollment rates in higher grades; –LEP status; –participation in college-bound track; –aspirations for higher education; and –overall educational attainment. As Hispanics constitute an increasingly proportion of the population, the educational attainment of this group will determine their economic well-being and will in large measure determine the quality of the future labor force. What are the appropriate interventions for increasing educational outcomes for this population?

17. Sources Fix, M. and Passel, J. (1994). Immigration and Immigrants: Setting the Record Straight. The Urban Institute. Gray, M., Rolph, E., and Melamid, E. (1996). Immigration and Higher Education. Institutional Responses to Changing Demographics. MR-751-AMF Ruiz-de-Velasco, J. and Fix, M. (2000). Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools. Urban Institute. Schwartz, W. (1996). Immigrants and Their Educational Attainment: Some Facts and Findings. ERIC Digest, Number 116. ED402398 U.S. Bureau of the Census. (1999). School Enrollment in the U.S. – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students. Current Population Reports, October 1999 Vernez, G., Abrahamse, A, and Quigley, D. (1996). How Immigrants Fare in U.S. Education. RAND MR-718-AMF)