Academic Academic Performance of Performance of

Immigrant Immigrant Students in Students in MinnesotaMinnesotaPresentation to the Citizens League Presentation to the Citizens League

Study Committee on Immigration and Study Committee on Immigration and Higher EducationHigher Education

July 19, 2006July 19, 2006

Key questionsKey questions

1)1) How many immigrant students are there How many immigrant students are there in Minnesota schools? in Minnesota schools?

o Where do they come from? Where do they come from? o What kinds of immigration status do they have?What kinds of immigration status do they have?

2)2) How well are immigrant students How well are immigrant students performing?performing?

o Are some immigrant communities performing better Are some immigrant communities performing better than others?than others?

3)3) What challenges do immigrant students What challenges do immigrant students face?face?

o Do students from different immigrant communities Do students from different immigrant communities face different challenges?face different challenges?

How many How many immigrant students immigrant students

are there in are there in Minnesota schools?Minnesota schools?

Census data Census data In Minnesota:In Minnesota:

Approximately 96,000 children of Approximately 96,000 children of foreign-born parents in Minnesota foreign-born parents in Minnesota schools. schools.

10% of students in Pre-K through 510% of students in Pre-K through 5thth grades are children of foreign-born grades are children of foreign-born parents.parents.

9% of students in 69% of students in 6thth – 12 – 12thth grades are grades are children of foreign-born parents.children of foreign-born parents.

U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 1 Percent PUMS, 2000U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 1 Percent PUMS, 2000

LEP Students in Minnesota LEP Students in Minnesota SchoolsSchools

6.96% of Minnesota public school 6.96% of Minnesota public school students are “Limited English students are “Limited English Proficient” (57,665 total)Proficient” (57,665 total)

The percentage of LEP students variesThe percentage of LEP students varies

significantly between districts:significantly between districts: St. Paul: 38%St. Paul: 38% Willmar: 14%Willmar: 14% Cass Lake: 0%Cass Lake: 0%

Minnesota Department of Education, 2004-2005 School Minnesota Department of Education, 2004-2005 School YearYear

Problems with using LEP as a Problems with using LEP as a proxy for immigrantproxy for immigrant

Just over half (53.9 percent) of ELL Just over half (53.9 percent) of ELL students are foreign-born.students are foreign-born.

““Descriptive study of services to LEP students and Descriptive study of services to LEP students and LEP students with disabilities. Volume I: Research LEP students with disabilities. Volume I: Research report,” Office of English Language Acquisition, report,” Office of English Language Acquisition, 2003.2003.

Around 40% of foreign-born Around 40% of foreign-born students are ELL.students are ELL.

““Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.in U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.

What we don’t knowWhat we don’t know

How many immigrant students are How many immigrant students are there in Minnesota’s colleges and there in Minnesota’s colleges and universities?universities?

Where are Minnesota’s immigrant Where are Minnesota’s immigrant students from?students from?

What immigration statuses do What immigration statuses do Minnesota’s immigrant students have?Minnesota’s immigrant students have?

How many of our immigrant students How many of our immigrant students are LEP?are LEP?

How well are How well are immigrant students immigrant students

performing in performing in Minnesota schools? Minnesota schools?

How well are English How well are English Language Learners doing in Language Learners doing in

Minnesota schools?Minnesota schools?

How well are English How well are English Language Learners doing in Language Learners doing in

Minnesota schools?Minnesota schools?

What we don’t knowWhat we don’t know

How well are non-LEP immigrant How well are non-LEP immigrant students performing?students performing?

How well are immigrant students How well are immigrant students performing in subjects other than performing in subjects other than math and reading?math and reading?

Are some immigrant communities Are some immigrant communities performing better than others?performing better than others?

What challenges do What challenges do immigrant students immigrant students

face?face?

Overall, foreign-born students are as or Overall, foreign-born students are as or more likely than their native-born peers to:more likely than their native-born peers to:

Report high personal aspirationsReport high personal aspirations Take Advanced Placement classesTake Advanced Placement classes Take other advanced math and science classesTake other advanced math and science classes Graduate from high schoolGraduate from high school Graduate from collegeGraduate from college

““Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.

The good newsThe good news

LEP immigrants have LEP immigrants have higher drop-out rates than higher drop-out rates than

non-LEP immigrants.non-LEP immigrants.

““Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.

Mexican and other Hispanic Mexican and other Hispanic students have higher drop-students have higher drop-

out ratesout rates

““Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.

Immigrant students have Immigrant students have higher rates of poverty than higher rates of poverty than

non-immigrantsnon-immigrants

““Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.U.S. Secondary Schools,” Urban Institute, 2000.

What we don’t knowWhat we don’t know

In addition to language In addition to language acquisition, do immigrant acquisition, do immigrant students face other challenges students face other challenges different from those faced by different from those faced by native-born students?native-born students?

Do students from different Do students from different immigrant communities face immigrant communities face different challenges?different challenges?

SourcesSources

Capps, R., Fix, M., Murray, J., Ost, J., Passel, J. and Capps, R., Fix, M., Murray, J., Ost, J., Passel, J. and Herwantoro, S. “The New Demography of Herwantoro, S. “The New Demography of America’s Schools: Immigration and the No Child America’s Schools: Immigration and the No Child Left Behind Act.” Urban Institute, 2005.Left Behind Act.” Urban Institute, 2005.

Minnesota Department of EducationMinnesota Department of Education

Ruiz-de-Velasco, Jorge and Fix, Michael. “Overlooked Ruiz-de-Velasco, Jorge and Fix, Michael. “Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Postsecondary Schools.” Urban Institute, 2000.Postsecondary Schools.” Urban Institute, 2000.

Zehler, A.M., Fleischman, H.L. & Hopstock, P.J., Zehler, A.M., Fleischman, H.L. & Hopstock, P.J., Stephenson, T.G., Pendzick, M. & Sapru, S. Stephenson, T.G., Pendzick, M. & Sapru, S. Descriptive study of services to LEP students and Descriptive study of services to LEP students and LEP students with disabilities. Volume I: Research LEP students with disabilities. Volume I: Research reportreport. Rosslyn, VA: Development Associates. . Rosslyn, VA: Development Associates. 2003. 2003.