Localism and the Education State: English Language Learners and the Politics of Incorporation

• In Event: Push and Pull: Policy Implementation at the Federal, State, and Local Levels

Abstract

This paper examines the local political incorporation of immigrants and the local implementation of policies regarding ELLs. A case study of Alexandria, Virginia, the paper argues that local and federal actors have weak institutional routines to address ELL needs, but for different reasons. At the federal level, the demand for effective ELL strategies has been weak, primarily because of federal ambivalence over language policies and a rejection of inclusive immigration policies. At the local level, the insecure status of undocumented residents has suppressed their ability to make demands on local officials. The paper uses archival materials, interviews with activists and evaluations of Alexandria's educational programs to argue that the education state is jointly constructed by local, state and federal actors.

Author

• Douglas S. Reed, Georgetown University