This publication is intended to be a quick reference guide for policy makers in the process of policy design and implementation in different settings for immigrant students. It presents facts, policy issues, good practices and lessons learned about the education of immigrant students.
OECD has conducted policy reviews of migrant education in Austria, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden and has examined the migrant education experience in many countries. This book offers comparative data on access, participation and performance of immigrant students and their native peers and identifies a set of policy options based on solid evidence of what works.
Net migration to OECD countries has tripled since 1960. As an immediate policy challenge, the integration of immigrants into labour markets has become a high priority and a research topic. However, very little research has focused on the integration of immigrant children into school.
The OECD policy review of migrant education was launched to compare education outcomes of immigrant students to those of their native peers and, where gaps exist, to determine what actions policy makers could take to close the gaps. This introduction provides an overview of the project and introduces cross-cutting policy issues. It first explains why the OECD launched the policy review of migrant education.
It then introduces eight government tools that are often in use for steering migrant education policy. They are:
1) setting explicit policy goals for immigrant students within broader education policy goals;
2) setting regulations and legislation;
3) designing effective funding strategies;
4) establishing standards, qualifications and qualifications framework;
5) establishing curricula, guidelines and pedagogy;
6) building capacity (especially training and teacher support);
7) raising awareness, communication and dissemination; and
8) monitoring, research, evaluation and feedback.
It also presents the key cross-cutting, general messages, which will set the scene for Chapters 2, 3 and 4.
The messages highlight: the importance of paying attention to "heterogeneity" among immigrant students; the significance of a holistic approach and shared responsibility at all levels and among all key stakeholders; and the challenge of finding the right balance between universal measures for all students and targeted measures for immigrant students.
The OECD policy review of migrant education was launched to compare education outcomes of immigrant students to those of their native peers and, where gaps exist, to determine what actions policy makers could take to close the gaps. This introduction provides an overview of the project and introduces cross-cutting policy issues. It first explains why the OECD launched the policy review of migrant education.
It then introduces eight government tools that are often in use for steering migrant education policy. They are:
1) setting explicit policy goals for immigrant students within broader education policy goals;
2) setting regulations and legislation;
3) designing effective funding strategies;
4) establishing standards, qualifications and qualifications framework;
5) establishing curricula, guidelines and pedagogy;
6) building capacity (especially training and teacher support);
7) raising awareness, communication and dissemination; and
8) monitoring, research, evaluation and feedback.
It also presents the key cross-cutting, general messages, which will set the scene for Chapters 2, 3 and 4.
The messages highlight: the importance of paying attention to "heterogeneity" among immigrant students; the significance of a holistic approach and shared responsibility at all levels and among all key stakeholders; and the challenge of finding the right balance between universal measures for all students and targeted measures for immigrant students.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Chapter 1. Introduction
Government tools for steering migrant education policy
Key general messages
Notes
References
Chapter 2. Key challenges and opportunities
Background factors affecting migrant education policy
Education outcomes, factors and policy implications
Notes
References
Chapter 3. School level policies
Language support
Teaching and learning environments
Parental and community involvement
References
Chapter 4. System level policies
Managing variations and concentration
Funding strategy
Monitoring and evaluation
Notes
References
Annex 1. Description of the project
References