Immigrant Children, Education of

Children from immigrant families in the United States are not themselves immigrants. The vast majority of these “immigrant” children are born in the United States, with all the full birthrights of any U.S. citizen. Moreover, the vast majority of immigration to the United States is legal immigration; yet, according to the National Task Force on the Early Education for Hispanics, approximately 10 million “undocumented” immigrants make their home in the United States. The young new Americans who are the children of these immigrants face unique circumstances that influence their lives and their successful participation in schooling. These circumstances are characterized by important attributes including significant family separation, poverty, segregation, and mobility/deportations. Educationally, these children of immigrants cope with school- and classroom-related segregation, limited English proficiency, ...