Immigrant Student Achievement and Educational Policy in Italy

Abstract

This chapter provides a brief overview of the presence of an immigrant population and students in Italy. Furthermore, an analysis of achievement results of first- and second-generation immigrants and native students is carried out through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Italian Ministry of Education data, highlighting a persistent gap in achievement between immigrant and native populations, as well as the high school failure rate, a prevalent inclusion in the secondary segment in vocational or technical schools, and widespread presence in the Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET) population for students with an immigrant background. These findings are critically discussed in relation to the framework of the Italian policies on intercultural education and on the recent guidelines for the inclusion of students with an immigrant background in the Italian school system.