Education and Immigration

Education is a crucially important social institution, closely correlated with wealth, occupational prestige, psychological well-being, and health outcomes. Moreover, for children of immigrants who account for almost one in four school-aged children in the U.S. it is the primary means through which they become incorporated into American society. This insightful new book explores the educational outcomes of post-1965 immigrants and their children. Tracing the historical context and key contemporary scholarship on immigration, the authors examine issues such as structural versus cultural theories of education stratification, the overlap of immigrant status with race and ethnicity, and the role of language in educational outcomes. Throughout, the authors pay attention to the great diversity among immigrants: some arrive with PhDs to work as research professors, while others arrive with a primary school education and no English skills to work as migrant laborers. As immigrants come from an ever-increasing array of races, ethnicities, and national origins, immigrant assimilation is more complex than ever before, and education is central to their adaptation to American society. Shedding light on often misunderstood topics, this book will be invaluable for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate-level courses in sociology of education, immigration, and race and ethnicity.

Education is a crucially important social institution, closelycorrelated with wealth, occupational prestige, psychologicalwell-being, and health outcomes. Moreover, for children ofimmigrants - who account for almost one in four school-agedchildren in the U.S. - it is the primary means through whichthey become incorporated into American society.This insightful new book explores the educational outcomes ofpost-1965 immigrants and their children. Tracing the historicalcontext and key contemporary scholarship on immigration, theauthors examine issues such as structural versus cultural theoriesof education stratification, the overlap of immigrant status withrace and ethnicity, and the role of language in educationaloutcomes. Throughout, the authors pay attention to the greatdiversity among immigrants: some arrive with PhDs to work asresearch professors, while others arrive with a primary schooleducation and no English skills to work as migrant laborers. Asimmigrants come from an ever-increasing array of racesethnicities, and national origins, immigrant assimilation is morecomplex than ever before, and education is central to theiradaptation to American society.Shedding light on often misunderstood topics, this book will beinvaluable for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate-levelcourses in sociology of education, immigration, and race andethnicity.

1 Education and the American Dream 12 Becoming American (or Not): Paths to Assimilation 253 Historical Overview of Immigration 514 Educational Attainment and Socioeconomic Status of Immigrant Adults 765 Educational Achievement and Outcomes of Children in Immigrant Families 1066 Language and Educational Success 1407 Conclusion 170References 189Index 210