American Economic Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
Cracks in the Melting Pot: Immigration, School Choice, and Segregation
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 4,
no. 3, August 2012
(pp. 91–117)
Abstract
We examine whether low-skilled immigration to the United States has contributed to immigrants' residential isolation by reducing native demand for public schools. We address endogeneity in school demographics using established Mexican settlement patterns in California and use a comparison group to account for immigration's broader effects. We estimate that between 1970 and 2000, the average California school district lost more than 14 non-Hispanic households with children to other districts in its metropolitan area for every 10 additional households enrolling low-English Hispanics in its public schools. By disproportionately isolating children, the native reaction to immigration may have longer-run consequences than previously thought. (JEL H75, I21, J15, J24, J61, R23)Citation
Cascio, Elizabeth U., and Ethan G. Lewis. 2012. "Cracks in the Melting Pot: Immigration, School Choice, and Segregation." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 4 (3): 91–117. DOI: 10.1257/pol.4.3.91Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I21 Analysis of Education
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J24 Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
- J61 Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
- R23 Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Economics: Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population; Neighborhood Characteristics
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