The academic trajectories of immigrant youths: Analysis within and across cohorts

Abstract

Two nationally representative cohorts--from the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) and High School and Beyond (HSB)--were used to examine the effects of generation and duration of residence on students' performance on standardized tests over a two-year period. In multivariate models, generational status predicts variation in students' performance on baseline (sophomore) tests, with effects stronger for the later age cohort (NELS) than for the earlier age cohort (HSB). With regard to the trajectory of achievement, generational status has a greatly reduced role for both cohorts. The best predictors of the trajectory of achievement are not those that are based on nativity per se, but those that reflect the social environment experienced in the United States (i.e., ethnicity and family's socioeconomic status).

Cross-nativity marriages and human capital levels of children

“…15 Because immigrants from English-speaking countries share many cultural attributes with Americans and do not face language barriers, we can learn whether it is being a migrant that a¤ects child outcomes or it is something related to language and the places from which immigrants migrate. The coe¢ cients of interest were all insigni…cant when the sample was restricted to immigrants from English-speaking countries suggesting that the …”

How different are immigrants? A cross-country and cross-survey analysis of educational achievement

“…Immigrant pupils can differ greatly depending on their parents' country of origin, ethnicity and socio-economic background. Some literature show that Asian pupils outperform natives in the US (Glick and White 2003) and Chinese and Indian pupils are better achievers than their English counterparts (Demie 2001). Even though the survey data do not allow for this specification, it is possible to examine differences between immigrants by investigating the variation in their achievement.…”

Re-conceptualizing the economic incorporation of immigrants: A comparison of the Mexican and Vietnamese

“…The effect of human capital also differs for particular nationalorigin groups, and presents a barrier especially for immigrants who lack documentation (Duleep and Regets, 1996;Kossoudji and Cobb-Clark, 1996;Cortes, 2004). While some research has highlighted the ''negative socialization'' of an American educational system for racial and ethnic minorities (Ogbu, 2008), American schooling also imparts key skills and norms that may aid immigrants in the economic incorporation process (Ainsworth-Darnell and Downey, 1998;Glick and White, 2003).…”