Who are Our Students? A Statistical Portrait of Immigrant Students in New York City Elementary and Middle Schools

Abstract

Major increases in immigration and the shift in immigrant origins over the past three decades have substantially changed the composition of New York City's public schools. Unlike their primarily European predecessors, today's immigrant students come from countries all over the world, speak a wide variety of languages, and present a range of educational needs and prior schooling experiences. Where do immigrant students come from? How many are new arrivals to the school system? How do their experiences and backgrounds differ from the native-born? This report answers these and other important questions through a statistical portrait of the demographic characteristics and educational experiences of immigrant students in New York City's elementary and middle schools.