Teachers as street-level bureaucrats: Work with immigrant children in Israel

Abstract

In the West, public schools face the challenge of immigrant absorption. Lipsky’s theory of street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) argues that civil servants at the bottom of the hierarchy are the most significant in implementing policies. Based on interviews with twelve Israeli teachers, this study examines the conditions that lead teachers to become SLBs and how they influence policies related to migrant students on the ground and from the bottom up. As they play significant roles in immigrants’ lives, perhaps more than in other children’s lives, investment in appropriate training for these teachers is recommended.