K-12 Education

Immigrants and second-generation students who are children of immigrants confront a number of unique academic challenges, including limited proficiency in the host-country language and greater barriers in preparing for college and careers. Research here focuses on student educational attainment and in particular on English Learners (ELs), who have persistent and wide achievement gaps with native English speakers. Adolescent ELs face a greater workload, learning English at the same time they are studying core content areas in English.

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Commentaries June 2020 COVID-19 Spotlights the Inequities Facing English Learner Students, as Nonprofit Organizations Seek to Mitigate Challenges By Melissa Lazarin	Fact Sheets June 2020 COVID-19 and Unemployment: Assessing the Early Fallout for Immigrants and Other U.S. Workers By Randy Capps, Jeanne Batalova and Julia Gelatt
Reports May 2020 European Cities on the Front Line: New and Emerging Governance Models for Migrant Inclusion By Liam Patuzzi	Multimedia March 11, 2020 Expert Podcast: Understanding How English Learners Count in ESSA Reporting
Policy Briefs March 2020 Which English Learners Count When? Understanding State EL Subgroup Definitions in ESSA Reporting By Julie Sugarman	Multimedia February 12, 2020 An Uneven Landscape: The Differing State Approaches to English Learner Policies under ESSA
Reports February 2020 The Patchy Landscape of State English Learner Policies under ESSA By Leslie Villegas and Delia Pompa	Reports February 2020 Bienvenidas asimétricas: Respuestas de América Latina y el Caribe a la migración venezolana y nicaragüense By Andrew Selee and Jessica Bolter

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Reports November 2017 Beyond Teaching English: Supporting High School Completion by Immigrant and Refugee Students By Julie Sugarman	Fact Sheets October 2017 Protecting the DREAM: The Potential Impact of Different Legislative Scenarios for Unauthorized Youth By Jeanne Batalova, Ariel G. Ruiz Soto and Michelle Mittelstadt
Policy Briefs August 2017 Analyzing State ESSA Plans for English Learner Accountability: A Framework for Community Stakeholders By Delia Pompa and Leslie Villegas	Policy Briefs August 2017 The Education and Work Profiles of the DACA Population By Randy Capps, Michael Fix and Jie Zong
Reports June 2017 Weathering Crisis, Forging Ahead: Swedish Asylum and Integration Policy By Susan Fratzke	Fact Sheets March 2017 Facts about English Learners and the NCLB/ESSA Transition in Select States By Julie Sugarman and Kevin Lee
Reports March 2017 Strengthening Local Education Systems for Newly Arrived Adults and Children: Empowering Cities through Better Use of EU Instruments By Brian Salant and Meghan Benton	Reports November 2016 Serving Immigrant Families Through Two-Generation Programs: Identifying Family Needs and Responsive Program Approaches By Maki Park, Margie McHugh and Caitlin Katsiaficas

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Video, Audio

October 22, 2015

Serving Newcomer Immigrant and Refugee Students in Secondary Schools: Comparing U.S. and European Practices

This webinar examines the challenges facing educators and policymakers in Europe and the United States as they attempt to meet the needs of immigrant and refugee students who arrive during their middle and high school years.

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Video, Audio

October 15, 2015

Unaccompanied Child Migrants in the United States: How Are They Faring?

Marking the release of an MPI brief, this webinar examines data on where unaccompanied child migrants are being placed in the United States, how they are faring in immigration courts, what services are available to them, and how U.S. communities are adapting to their arrival.

EventPH 2015.9.21 LeftBehind HowtheWellBeingof ChildrenisAffectedbyParentalDeportation

Video, Audio

September 21, 2015

Left Behind: How the Well-Being of Children Is Affected by Parental Deportation

A report release where authors discuss the effects of parental deportation on the children of immigrants, the related needs for health and social services, and U.S. policy responses to protect these children.

Video, Audio

September 11, 2015

Growing Up in America: The Extent and Impacts of Discrimination on Young Children from Immigrant Families

On this webinar, researchers explore the types of discrimination that young children of immigrants may experience, the related educational, psychological, and social impacts, and recommendations for addressing discrimination.

EventPH 2015.3.31 Unaccompanied Child Migration to the United States Flickr CBP Processing Unaccompanied Children

Video, Audio

March 31, 2015

Child and Family Migration to the United States: Continuing Flows and Evolving Responses

A webinar examining the shifting pattern of Central American child and family migration between 2011 and 2014 and expectations for 2015, the policy challenges presented by the rising inflow, and how states, localities, the U.S. government, and other countries in the region are responding to this recent trend.

Recent Activity

Commentaries

December 2020

How the Fear of Immigration Enforcement Affects the Mental Health of Latino Youth

The prevalence of mental-health symptoms among Latino high school students, immigrant and U.S. born alike, is closely related to their fears of immigration enforcement. And the situation may have worsened since the researchers sampled this population, given the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic hardship have increased the stress on Latino communities that have been hit disproportionately hard, as this commentary explores.

Video, Audio, Webinars

October 21, 2020

Lessons from the Pandemic: Weaknesses in K-12 Teacher Education Policies Fuel Inequities Facing English Learners

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of education, and it is expected that English Learners (ELs) will suffer disproportionate impacts. In this webcast, panelists discuss how weaknesses in existing EL teacher education and professional development policies have played into schools’ uneven response to the pandemic. They also offer lessons for future reform.

Video, Audio, Webinars

September 29, 2020

Centering English Learners in Schools’ Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Practioners from California and Tennessee join MPI researchers in a discussion on key challenges to meeting English Learners’ needs during the pandemic and the policies and practices school systems will need to put in place to support them and their families through the public-health and education crisis, as well as when schooling returns to normal.

Policy Briefs

September 2020

Educating English Learners during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Policy Ideas for States and School Districts

The 2020–21 academic year is underway, but many U.S. schools, students, and families are still reeling from the rocky transition to remote learning that occurred months earlier, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. For English Learners and students in immigrant families, many of the challenges are magnified. This policy brief examines how schools’ pandemic response is affecting these students and offers recommendations to help schools and districts support them in this period of uncertainty.

Articles

September 3, 2020

The Digital Divide Hits U.S. Immigrant Households Disproportionately during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the effects of the so-called digital divide for U.S. immigrants and other groups with reduced online connectivity. Internet access and the skills to navigate digital environments have become even more critical for work, education, and health care during the public-health crisis, yet immigrants make up a disproportionately large share of U.S. residents unable to take advantage of these tools.

Reports

September 2020

Immigration Enforcement and the Mental Health of Latino High School Students

This study explores the relationship between immigration enforcement and the mental health of Latino high school students, finding that majorities surveyed in both high- and low-enforcement environments reported fear that someone close to them could be deported, with resulting symptoms of conditions such as depression and PTSD. The report provides examples of how schools are responding to support the mental health and engagement of these students.

Video, Audio, Webinars

June 16, 2020

Addressing Equity Concerns for English Learners: Where Do Native Language Assessments Fit In?

This webchat marks the release of a report examining the role native language assessments play in addressing equity concerns for English Learner (EL) students. The conversation offers participants an introduction to the key policy and practical considerations in the implementation of these assessments, particularly in a time of pandemic-induced disruptions for schools and looming budget cuts.

Policy Briefs

June 2020

Native Language Assessments for K-12 English Learners: Policy Considerations and State Practices

With high stakes attached to standardized tests in U.S. education, it is critical that these assessments accurately capture what students know and can do in a subject. For English Learners, this may be a challenge if they cannot fully demonstrate in English what they have learned. Native language assessments are one promising tool for overcoming this hurdle, though questions about when and with whom they are most effective remain.

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