The Pros and Cons of Educating Illegal Immigrants

1
The Pros and Cons of Educating Illegal Immigrants
2
The facts

• We now have the highest percentage of immigrants
  since 1890.
• 1890 14.8 percent of U.S.
• population
• 2004 11.9 percent of U.S. population

3
A look ahead

• At current rate, early in the next decade, our
  immigrant population will pass the all-time high
  of 14.8 percent from 1890.
• More than 10 million illegal immigrants (34.24
  million legal) are in the country now. U.S.
  Census Bureau

4
Poll results

• Concerns over immigration rank as one of the
  most important problems facing this country
• AP-Ipsos poll - April 2006

5
Arguments

• Drains the current
• education system
• Need for a clear
• immigration policy
• Vicious cycle leads to
• poverty in the U.S.

6
A drain on education

• Overcrowding in many schools
• School enrollment would NOT have increased in
  the last decade if not for immigrants
• 96 percent of future increase in school
  population in next 50 years will be from
  immigration

7

• Current school enrollment is 53 million students
  (exceeds record set in 1970 by Baby Boomers)
• 14 percent of schools exceed capacity by 6 to 25
  percent 8 percent exceed it by more than 25
  percent

8
Perspective

• California
• To keep up with immigration, 16 new classrooms
  would need to be built seven days a week for five
  years. (One new school a day!)
• California State Department of Education

9
Education suffers

• cuts in special programs
• teacher lay offs
• larger classes
• fewer textbooks
• elimination of sports and afterschool programs
• 2/3 of states have reduced or proposed
  reduction in early childhood education programs

10
Costs of education

• K-12 education of illegal immigrants costs states
  an estimated
• 12 billion each year
• (not including free/reduced lunch program, ELL or
  
• bilingual programs)

11
Result

• Poorer quality education for EVERYONE -- not
  equity in education

12
No Child Left Behind

• Schools can be labeled as failing and suffer
  the consequences on the basis of illegal
  immigrants
• The federal government has put the burden on
  states to deal with the problem

13
Need for a clear policy

• 1982 Plyler v. Doe (5-4 decision)
• These students were small enough in number that
  they posed no threat to the education of
  Americas students and they were not a financial
  hardship on United States taxpayers.
• - CAIR

14
Tremendous Growth

• 1996 5 million illegal immigrants
• 2006 more than 10 million
• Top 5 states
• California, New York, Texas, Florida, New Jersey
• Kansas ranks 28th (6 percent of population)

15
Presented by

• Stacy Cohen
• Kim VanNice
• and
• Erin Collins

16
Resources

• http//www.georgetown.edu/users/sck4/website/illeg
  al.htm
• http//www.mnforsustain.org/immg_costs_of_educatin
  g_legal_illegals_fair.htm
• http//www.usillegalaliens.com/impacts_of_illegal_
  immigration_education.html
• http//debatepedia.com/index.php/Presence_of_Illeg
  al_Immigrants_Good_for_America3F
• http//www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/aliens_5-
  27.html
• http//www.ericdigests.org/1997-3/immigrants.html
• http//www.constitutioncenter.org/education/Teachi
  ngwithCurre
• tEvents/ConstitutionNewswire/17726.shtml