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Refugees and the Educational Attainment of Natives

Author

Listed:
  • Colin Green

    (Deparmtent of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Jon Marius Vaag Iversen

    (NTNU Social Research, Centre for Economic Research)

Abstract

Increases in immigration raise a range of challenges for schools. Existing research primarily investigates the impact of immigrants on native test scores and demonstrates mixed results. Using Norwegian register data and narrow within-school, within-family comparisons, we demonstrate negative effects of refugees on native math performance, and no effect on English or Norwegian performance. The negative effects on mathematics are not present for other, non-refugee economic immigrants, and are concentrated amongst refugee children who themselves face the greatest educational difficulties. Our results suggest a need for targeted policy aimed at helping immigrant children most likely to face educational difficulties, and generate negative spillover effects. They also suggest caution in generalising results generated by specific immigrant, or even refugee, groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin Green & Jon Marius Vaag Iversen, 2021. "Refugees and the Educational Attainment of Natives," CEPEO Working Paper Series 21-07, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Jun 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucl:cepeow:21-07
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brunello, Giorgio & Rocco, Lorenzo, 2013. "The effect of immigration on the school performance of natives: Cross country evidence using PISA test scores," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 234-246.
    2. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2011. "Too Young to Leave the Nest? The Effects of School Starting Age," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(2), pages 455-467, May.
    3. Torberg Falch & Astrid Marie Jorde Sandsør & Bjarne Strøm, 2017. "Do Smaller Classes Always Improve Students’ Long-run Outcomes?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 79(5), pages 654-688, October.
    4. Rosario Maria Ballatore & Margherita Fort & Andrea Ichino, 2018. "Tower of Babel in the Classroom: Immigrants and Natives in Italian Schools," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(4), pages 885-921.
    5. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2005. "The More the Merrier? The Effect of Family Size and Birth Order on Children's Education," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(2), pages 669-700.
    6. Timothy M. Diette & Ruth Uwaifo Oyelere, 2014. "Gender and Race Heterogeneity: The Impact of Students with Limited English on Native Students' Performance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(5), pages 412-417, May.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Assaad, Ragui & Ginn, Thomas & Saleh, Mohamed, 2023. "Refugees and the education of host populations: Evidence from the Syrian inflow to Jordan," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    3. Morales, Camila, 2022. "Do refugee students affect the academic achievement of peers? Evidence from a large urban school district," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    4. Akira Shimada, 2021. "Does The Host Country Experience The Brain Drain Or The Brain Gain By Accepting Study Migrants?," Economy & Business Journal, International Scientific Publications, Bulgaria, vol. 15(1), pages 260-277.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Refugees; Educational Attainment.;

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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