Immigrant Education: Contemporary Issues

Dilys Schoorman

The large-scale immigration to the United States following the amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965 has had a significant social and cultural impact on the education system, which has had to adapt to the demographic changes in the student population. Currently, 20 percent of the children in the United States are either first- (foreign born) or second-generation (of foreign-born parents) immigrants. This rise in immigration has presented challenges to host communities that need to adapt to the changing demographics of their constituents. The successful social integration of these newcomers depends on how the host community, specifically policy makers and educators, respond to the increased presence of immigrants among them. This entry provides a brief look at recent immigration patterns and policy, then turns to specific educational issues: language, acculturation, and educational achievement. The amendments of 1965 eliminated the use of national immigration quotas and provided new opportunities ...

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