E.g., 04/23/2024
E.g., 04/23/2024
Education

Education

Early Childhood Education and Care
K-12 Education
Adult Education & Language Learning
Postsecondary Education
Workforce & Vocational Training

From early childhood through postsecondary education, immigrants and their children face unique challenges and barriers in educational attainment and access to college compared to their native-born peers. The research here analyzes myriad facets of this topic—from the factors influencing early childhood development through the challenges confronted by students who are not proficient in the host-country language, the gaps that can re-emerge in postsecondary education, and capacity issues and needs for language programs and workforce and vocational training.

Recent Activity

Cover image for El estado de la política migratoria y de integración de Costa Rica
Reports
November 2021
El estado de la política migratoria y de integración de Costa Rica
By  Diego Chaves-González and María Jesús Mora
Cover image for The State of Costa Rican Migration and Immigrant Integration Policy
Reports
November 2021
The State of Costa Rican Migration and Immigrant Integration Policy
By  Diego Chaves-González and María Jesús Mora
Multimedia
November 2, 2021
Effects of the Pandemic on High School English Learners and Ways to Help Them Recover
WoM-episode-5-tile
Multimedia
November 5, 2021
Immigrant Integration: Essential to the Success of Immigration Policy
Merchants sell items on a busy street in San José, Costa Rica.
Articles
November 5, 2021
Costa Rica Has Welcoming Policies for Migrants, but Nicaraguans Face Subtle Barriers
By María Jesús Mora
Photo of woman walking around a school campus.
Commentaries
November 2021
Narrowing the Skills Gap: Equipping Immigrant-Origin Workers with Postsecondary Credentials
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
Cover image for The Impacts on English Learners of Key State High School Policies and Graduation Requirements
Reports
November 2021
The Impacts on English Learners of Key State High School Policies and Graduation Requirements
By  Julie Sugarman
A woman stands onboard the U.S. Navy vessel on which she was born.
Articles
October 15, 2021
Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States
By Laura Harjanto and Jeanne Batalova

Pages

Coverthumb ECEC Trauma Informed Care
Policy Briefs
April 2019
Mitigating the Effects of Trauma among Young Children of Immigrants and Refugees: The Role of Early Childhood Programs
By  Maki Park and Caitlin Katsiaficas
Coverthumb MPIPostsecondaryCredentials FactSheet
Fact Sheets
March 2019
Immigrant-Origin Adults without Postsecondary Credentials: A 50-State Profile
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
Coverthumb_MPI ImmigrantOriginAdultsPSC
Reports
March 2019
Credentials for the Future: Mapping the Potential for Immigrant-Origin Adults in the United States
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
Exploring New Legal Migration Pathways: Lessons from Pilot Projects
Reports
February 2019
Exploring New Legal Migration Pathways: Lessons from Pilot Projects
By  Kate Hooper
Coverthumb MPI StrengtheningRefugeeProtection
Policy Briefs
February 2019
Strengthening Refugee Protection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
By  Susan Fratzke and Camille Le Coz
Integration Futures Final Report
Reports
January 2019
Breaking New Ground: Ten Ideas to Revamp Integration Policy in Europe
By  Meghan Benton and Aliyyah Ahad
Coverthumb ReceptionReintegration
Reports
January 2019
Sustainable Reintegration: Strategies to Support Migrants Returning to Mexico and Central America
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas, Luis Argueta and Randy Capps
Coverthumb TwoGen RefugeeIntegration
Reports
December 2018
Promoting Refugee Integration in Challenging Times: The Potential of Two-Generation Strategies
By  Mark Greenberg, Julia Gelatt, Jessica Bolter, Essey Workie and Isabelle Charo

Pages

ScienceLab MichaelTipton Flickr
Feature
January 4, 2017
To Stay or Not To Stay: The Calculus for International STEM Students in the United States

More than 1 million international students were in the United States in 2015-16, a significant share of them in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields. While countries increasingly are vying for this population, these individuals face a complex choice upon graduation: to stay or leave? This article examines international STEM students in the United States and the motivations underlying their postgraduation plans.

MexicanGirl CurtCarnemark WorldBank
Feature
November 16, 2016
The Impact of Mexican Maternal Migration on Children’s Future Ambitions

While Mexican women account for a significant share of migration flows to the United States, there has been little focus on their movement and effects on children in Mexico. This article, based on survey data of children in Puebla, Mexico, explores the impact of maternal Mexican migration on educational experiences and aspirations of the children left behind.

Students and Reading _JMH5036 (1) US Dept of Ed Flickr
Spotlight
November 11, 2016
Language Diversity and English Proficiency in the United States

Although the number of U.S. residents who speak a language other than English has grown in recent decades, the share of those who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) has fallen: 40 percent in 2015, compared to 44 percent in 1980—even as immigration rose rapidly. This article examines growing linguistic diversity in the country and sketches a profile of the LEP population, including size, location, and socioeconomic characteristics.

HeadStart PascoCountySchools
Feature
September 8, 2016
Dual Language Learners in Head Start: The Promises and Pitfalls of New Reforms

The Head Start program—a model for early childhood education programs nationwide—has served more than 33 million children since its inception half a century ago, many from immigrant families. This article examines the role of Head Start in the education of Dual Language Learners, who now comprise one-third of enrollees, and discusses how recent policy changes may affect this population.

IntlStudents SouthernArkansasU Flickr
Spotlight
May 12, 2016
International Students in the United States

The number of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities has risen steadily since the mid-20th century. Today, the United States represents the top destination for international students worldwide. Learn more about where these students come from, which universities they attend, and the subjects they study in this Spotlight article.

Pages

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2016.3.23 Integration Young Refugee Children Webinar flickr Megenei and Hamza by Kristen341737653_c33a1ec925_z
Video, Audio
March 23, 2016

How Well Are Young Children of Refugees Integrating into the United States?

MPI analysts discuss the findings of a report comparing young children of refugees to other U.S. children on several key indicators of well-being. 

Event PH 2016.1.21 ESSA Webinar flickr Penn State alumnus Sergio Santiago reads a book to students as a Teach For America teacher
Video, Audio
January 21, 2016

Taking Stock of ESSA’s Potential Impact on Immigrant and English-Learner Students

Experts Delia Pompa and Margie McHugh examine provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) related to the success of immigrant and English-learner students during this webinar, answering questions about the new law's implementation and possible impacts.

Event PH 2016.1.13 Unauthorized Parent Children Profile flickr American Dream BushBollay
Video, Audio
January 13, 2016

A Profile of Children with Unauthorized Immigrant Parents in the United States

This webinar offers a discussion of the economic, linguistic and educational disadvantage experienced by U.S. children with unauthorized immigrant parents. The MPI researchers discuss their finding that 86 percent of the 5.1 million such children in the United States have a parent who could potentially benefit from the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program.

Event PH 2015.12.17 WIOA signing
Video, Audio
December 17, 2015

Using Data to Improve Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Services for Immigrants and Refugees

A webinar discussing fact sheets that compare the characteristics of immigrant and native-born residents that are relevant to understanding needs for adult education and workforce training services in the United States and the ten states with the largest immigrant populations.

Event PH 2015.12.16 Emigration and Human Capital Development in the Philippines
Audio
December 16, 2015

Shortage Amid Surplus: Emigration and Human Capital Development in the Philippines

This briefing in Bangkok launches the MPI-IOM Issue in Brief, Shortage amid Surplus: Emigration and Human Capital Development in the Philippines, which reviews the impacts of the Philippines' successful labor export policy on skills development and human capital growth within the country. While Filipino migrant workers contribute significantly to the national economy with the remittances they send home (over US $27 billion in 2014), this reliance on exporting labor raises an important question: Has the nation’s focus on preparing workers to leave compromised human capital development at home?

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Recent Activity

Commentaries
June 2022

How State Assessments Became and Remain a Driver for Equity for English Learners

While the pandemic has given a boost to efforts to water down or limit end-of-year state assessments of students in K-12, this commentary notes the importance of testing to drive equity for the nation's 5 million English Learners and ensure that they are not overlooked or that resources and support services are misdirected from where they are needed.

Articles
June 22, 2022

Ukrainian Immigrants in the United States

Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 displaced millions, the United States was home to nearly 355,000 Ukrainians. While most displaced Ukrainians have remained in neighboring countries, small numbers have come to the United States. This article examines the pre-invasion Ukrainian immigrant population in the United States—its history, sociodemographic characteristics, modes of arrival, and more.

Articles
June 9, 2022

At Its 10th Anniversary, DACA Faces a Tenuous Future Despite Societal Benefits

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program reached its 10th anniversary in June 2022. This article reviews the evidence on DACA’s impacts for Dreamers and the broader society, looks at the increased reliance on similar limited legal statuses to help segments of the unauthorized immigrant population, and examines the legal challenges the program has and is continuing to face.

Video, Audio, Webinars
May 17, 2022

Testing Disrupted: Assessment of English Learners Complicated by Pandemic

Marking the release of a report examining the assessment of English Learner (EL) students after pandemic-induced disruptions, this webinar examines ELs’ learning experiences during the 2020-21 academic year and their performance and participation in statewide testing, and how schools are using data to inform interventions and instruction this year. 

Articles
May 11, 2022

Sub-Saharan African Immigrants in the United States

The population of sub-Saharan African immigrants in the United States is relatively small, but it has grown substantially over the last four decades and is likely to continue to increase. This group of 2.1 million people is highly diverse, including individuals with a range of ethnic, linguistic, and other backgrounds, as this article explains.

Reports
May 2022

English Learner Testing during the Pandemic: An Early Readout and Look Ahead

In addition to upending daily life in the classroom, the pandemic has affected how states administer annual assessments to their students—disrupting a key means of collecting data on new or growing learning gaps that demand attention. This report explores how states have approached testing English Learners during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what 2020-21 assessment data can and cannot tell us.

Policy Briefs
May 2022

Growing Language Skills with Immigrant and Refugee Families: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Working Practices

Language barriers can hinder immigrant families’ access to services and make it challenging for immigrant parents to find family-sustaining jobs and actively participate in their children’s education. This brief explores approaches service providers are using to make their offerings more culturally and linguistically responsive, and to support language learning among children and their parents.

Commentaries
May 2022

Schools Should Engage Diverse Community Stakeholders to Promoting Equitable Allocation of Historic Funding to Reimagine Education

As school districts across the United States move to allocate their federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, it is essential that they engage with multilingual and diverse community stakeholders, in part given English Learners have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The track record suggests many districts are struggling to effectively engage these communities.

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