Educational Challenges and Opportunities Facing Binational Youth in San Diego and Tijuana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Migration between Mexico and the U.S. has created a sizeable cohort of students whose education takes place on both sides of the border. These students are especially well suited to participate in the binational economy because of their cross-border cultural fluency. However, a host of pressures creates barriers to completing high school and college and uncertain pathways to job opportunities for these youth. As such, supporting their educational success should be a major regional workforce development priority. Based on a representative survey of 9th and 10th graders in San Diego and Tijuana, this paper examines how the migration of young people back and forth across the border can derail the educational trajectories of individual students. Data on cross-border ties of students in the region, the socioeconomic status of their families, and their educational aspirations, provides a basis for understanding the policies and programs needed to increase educational attainment and pathways to high-skilled job opportunities for binational youth.