Study: Immigrant students in public schools more than double over past 25 years

A new report by the Center for Immigration Studies shows 23 percent of public school students in America came from an immigrant household in 2015. The number — nearly one out of four — is more than double the 11 percent recorded as recently as 1990, according to the conservative research organization that has been criticized for being anti-immigrant.

Ohio’s immigrant student population also doubled in the last 15 years from 3 percent in 2000 to 6 percent, according to the analysis of United States Census Bureau data.

Public schools in the Miami Valley range from a high of 16 percent immigrant student enrollment in the Dayton and Riverside region to 12 percent in parts of Butler County to effectively zero in rural southwest Ohio counties.

Nationally, more than 90 percent of students in Northeast Dade County, North Central Hialeah City, in Florida and in New York’s Jackson Heights and North Corona in New York City come from immigrant households.

The study shows a disproportionate number of low-income students land in public schools. In 2015, 28 percent of public school students from immigrant households lived in poverty and accounted for 30 percent of all students living below the poverty line. The authors say the results raise questions about assimilation and illustrate significant challenges for public school educators struggling to teach disadvantaged students.

More than 60 percent of students in immigrant households in Fairfield, Hamilton, Miamisburg, Middletown, Oxford, Trenton, and West Carrollton live below the poverty rate, data show.

Some other findings include: 

Up to a third of immigrant students' parents illegal: Between one-fourth and one-third of public school students from immigrant households led by parents living in the country illegally; the remainder were the children from legal immigrant households.

Immigrant households concentrated: Just 700 Census Bureau-designated areas account for two-thirds of students from immigrant households. These same PUMAs account for nearly one-third of total public school enrollment.

Population of students speaking foreign language has grown: In 2015, 23 percent of public school students spoke another language besides English at home. This compares to 14 percent in 1990 and 9 percent in 1980.

Here are some of the study’s key findings for specific areas of the Miami Valley: 

Butler County (North & West) Middletown, Oxford & Trenton Cities 

Students from Immigrant households: 6 percent

Total number of students: 20,119

Number 1 sending country: Mexico, 55 percent

Number 2 sending country: Dominican Republic, 31 percent

Butler County (South Central) — Hamilton and Fairfield Cities 

Students from Immigrant households: 12 percent

Total number of students: 19,927

Number 1 sending country: Mexico, 71 percent

Number 2 sending country: Ghana, 10 percent

Butler County (Southeast) — Monroe City & Beckett Ridge 

Students from Immigrant households: 19 percent

Total number of students: 19,875

Number 1 sending country: Mexico, 31 percent

Number 2 sending country: India, 22 percent

Butler County (South Central) — Hamilton & Fairfield Cities 

Students from Immigrant households: 12 percent

Total number of students: 19,927

Number 1 sending country: Mexico, 71 percent

Number 2 sending country: Ghana, 10 percent

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Champaign, Hardin and Logan Counties 

Students from Immigrant households: 0 percent

Total number of students: 16,683

Number 1 sending country: n/a

Number 2 sending country: n/a

Clark County 

Students from Immigrant households: 2 percent

Total number of students: 22,122

Number 1 sending country: Mexico, 79 percent

Number 2 sending country: China, 21 percent

Darke, Preble and Shelby Counties 

Students from Immigrant households: 0 percent

Total number of students: 24,751

Number 1 sending country: Philippines, 100 percent

Number 2 sending country: n/a

Greene County 

Students from Immigrant households: 4 percent

Total number of students: 22,586

Number 1 sending country: Indonesia, 31 percent

Number 2 sending country: China, 30 percent

Miami County 

Students from Immigrant households: 0 percent

Total number of students: 18,000

Number 1 sending country: Colombia, 100 percent

Number 2 sending country: n/a

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Montgomery County (East Central) — Dayton and Riverside 

Students from Immigrant households: 16 percent

Total number of students: 22,730

Number 1 sending country: Uzbekistan, 47 percent

Number 2 sending country: Mexico, 35 percent

Montgomery County (Northeast) — Huber Heights, Trotwood, Vandalia and Englewood

Students from Immigrant households: 3 percent

Total number of students: 18,432

Number 1 sending country: United Kingdom, 49 percent

Number 2 sending country: Nigeria, 41 percent

Montgomery County (Southeast) — Kettering & Centerville Cities

Students from Immigrant households: 5 percent

Number 1 sending country: Algeria, 30 percent

Number 2 sending country: Libya, 27 percent

Montgomery County (West) — Miamisburg & West Carrollton Cities 

Students from Immigrant households: 11 percent

Total number of students: 12,272

Number 1 sending country: Honduras, 39 percent

Number 2 sending country: Canada, 38 percent

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Warren County (East) — Lebanon and Springboro (East)

Students from Immigrant households: 4 percent

Total number of students: 20,654

Number 1 sending country: Trinidad and Tobago, 36 percent

Number 2 sending country: Eastern Africa, 32 percent

Warren County (West) — Mason, Franklin and Springboro (West) 

Students from Immigrant households: 2 percent

Total number of students: 20,335

Number 1 sending country: United Kingdom, 56 percent

Number 2 sending country: India, 44 percent

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