Using Supplementary School Funding to Improve the Educational Outcomes of Migrant-Background Students: A Transatlantic Comparison

The educational needs of immigrant students in primary and secondary schools pose a growing challenge for policymakers and educators, whether in countries such as the United States, where nearly 10 percent of students are learning English, or in Germany, which is dealing with record numbers of asylum seekers. Many local schools lack the resources and capacities to meet the needs of these students, particularly given that many have limited or interrupted formal education, coupled with low or no proficiency in the language of instruction.

Some national, regional, and local governments on both sides of the Atlantic have established well-designed systems of support for these first- and second-generation students, while others are just beginning to create targeted policies and practices. For policymakers, school funding designs are an important lever to influence how schools and school districts serve their migrant-background students. Examining the funding mechanisms targeted to migrant-background students—including specific aspects such as who qualifies and what funds may or may not be used for—illuminates different policy concerns and strategies of countries that seek to support effective integration and education of these youth.

In the report, Improving Education for Migrant-Background Students: A Transatlantic Comparison of School Funding, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR) examine the supplementary funding schemes in four major immigrant-receiving countries—Canada, France, Germany, and the United States—and provide information and insights for education policymakers and other stakeholders about the opportunities and risks involved in the policy choices associated with such mechanisms.

Speakers on this webinar discuss the need for supplementary funding to support the educational needs of migrant-background students and provide an overview of the mechanics of school funding for migrant-background students in the four focal countries examined in the report. They also discuss how schools use those funds to provide specialized services, and highlight the most salient choices facing policymakers who seek to use supplementary funding mechanisms to better support effective, high-quality educational services for children from immigrant and refugee families.