Educational outcomes and functioning of bi-ethnic Dutch children in school

Abstract

Background: Changing demographics in societies through international migration have led to an increasing number of bi-ethnic individuals. The focus of this study is on bi-ethnic students with one parent with an ethnic majority background and one parent with an ethnic minority background. Most studies worldwide have grouped these bi-ethnic students with ethnic minority students or have grouped them according to the ethnic background of their mothers with the majority or minority group. However, empirical arguments for these groupings are lacking. Purpose: The present study examined the educational outcomes and functioning of bi-ethnic students compared with mono-ethnic majority and mono-ethnic minority students in the Netherlands. Sample: Data on in total 12,841 sixth-grade students (age 11-12) in primary education from two consecutive measurements of the national Dutch cohort study ) were used in this study. Method: Educational outcomes were measured with test scores on reading comprehension and mathematics. Educational functioning in school was measured with teacher and student questionnaires. Student questionnaires included instruments for well-being of the pupil in relationship with fellow students and citizenship competences. Teachers reported on problem behaviour of the pupils. To analyse the differences in educational outcomes and functioning among bi-ethnic, mono-ethnic minority and mono-ethnic majority students, multivariate, multilevel analyses were performed. Results: The research findings indicate that bi-ethnic students do not differ from mono-ethnic majority students while they do differ from mono-ethnic minority students in their cognitive achievement, social-emotional functioning and citizenship knowledge. Bi-ethnic students scored higher on cognitive outcomes, social-emotional functioning and citizenship knowledge than mono-ethnic minority students did. For citizenship orientation alone, it was found that bi-ethnic students score in between mono-ethnic majority and mono-ethnic minority students. Conclusion: This study indicates that researchers should not assume that bi-ethnic students will be similar to mono-ethnic ones.

Diversity among Bi-ethnic students and differences in educational outcomes and social functioning

“…Additionally, greater experience with diversity could be related to higher citizenship competence (Geijsel et al 2012). Karssen et al (2015) found that bi-ethnic students differ in citizenship competences from mono-ethnic majority and mono-ethnic minority students. Bi-ethnic students scored higher on citizenship competences than mono-ethnic majority students but lower than mono-ethnic minority students.…”

“…Therefore, in addition to insight into the diversity within this group, we also provide insight into the relationship between the ethnicity and gender of the migrant parent and the educational outcomes and social functioning of bi-ethnic students. Studies of bi-ethnic students and school outcomes, and social functioning in school have, to the best of our knowledge, focused only on differences between mono-ethnic minority, mono-ethnic majority and bi-ethnic students (e.g., Pearce-Morris and King 2012; Schlabach 2013; Karssen et al 2015) and have not yet sufficiently explored differences among bi-ethnic students from families with different compositions. Important reasons for this lack of literature are due to data limitations and to the assumption that bi-ethnic students can be understood and referred to as ethnic minority students (e.g., for a review, see Stevens et al 2011).…”

“…Important reasons for this lack of literature are due to data limitations and to the assumption that bi-ethnic students can be understood and referred to as ethnic minority students (e.g., for a review, see Stevens et al 2011). Karssen et al (2015) have shown that, in educational research, bi-ethnic students cannot simply be grouped together with ethnic minority students because they differ significantly from mono-ethnic minority students in cognitive outcomes, social-emotional functioning and citizenship competences. Therefore, we focus on cognitive outcomes, social-emotional functioning and citizenship competences.…”

Ethnic diversity in schools and bi-ethnic Dutch students’ educational outcomes and social functioning

“…Previous studies have categorized bi-ethnic students as minority students. In the study by Karssen et al (2015), it was found that bi-ethnic students with one migrant and one non-migrant parent cannot be simply grouped together with mono-ethnic minority students. Bi-ethnic students were found to score higher on cognitive outcomes and on social-emotional functioning in school than monoethnic minority students.…”

“…Their early experiences with ethnic diversity could make them more open and accustomed to ethnic differences (Barnes, 2001). Because Karssen, Van der Veen, and Volman (2015) found that bi-ethnic students with one migrant and one non-migrant parent cannot be simply grouped together with mono-ethnic minority students, the focus of this study is on bi-ethnic children with one nonmigrant parent (with two non-migrant grandparents) and one migrant parent (with two foreign grandparents).…”