In Ga., Poor Educational Outcomes for Growing Immigrant Youth Population

Georgia ranks eighth in country for the size of its immigrant population, up from 16th in 1990.

By Carla Murphy Mar 20, 2014

Almost 20 percent of youth aged 16 to 26 in Georgia are immigrants and the U.S.-born children of immigrants. Their educational outcomes, a new study says, are cause for concern. On one end of the spectrum, the population of second generation children has increased nearly 50 percent in the last five years and at the other end Georgia’s native white population is aging rapidly. The educational outcomes of first and second generation youth are expected to shape the state’s future workforce competitiveness.

Here’s more from the Migration Policy Institute report:

* English language learners have a four-year high school graduation rate of 44 percent; the state’s is 70 percent.

* Nearly one-third of foreign-born youth ages 21 to 26 don’t have a high school diploma or GED. 

* Nearly 30 percent of English language learners in high schools have been in U.S. schools for six years or more.

The study acknowledges that Georgia’s recent education reforms have been ambitious. But they don’t go far enough in addressing the needs of immigrant youth, especially English language learners.

Georgia ranks 8th in immigrant population size in the nation, up from 16th place in 1990.