Teachers as street level bureaucrats and their role as cultural mediators in the integration of immigrants: the Israeli case

Abstract

ABSTRACT Schools, as public institutions cope with the challenge of immigrant absorption. Lipsky’s theory of street-level bureaucrats argues that civil servants at the end of the hierarchy are the most significant in implementing policy. This article examined the conditions that lead teachers to become street-level bureaucrats and cultural mediators, and how they influence student immigration policy. The qualitative study included interviews with 25 teachers of immigrants and found four conditions under which teachers positively influence policy on the ground. As they play significant roles in immigrants’ lives, investment in appropriate training for teachers of immigrants is recommended.