75.012 - Rethinking Bilingual Education: New Research on the Economic Benefits of Bilingualism

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Although the social, psychological, and cognitive benefits of bilingualism have been well documented, access to a bilingual education in the US has declined substantially in recent decades. One possible reason for this is that the public believes there is no pecuniary benefit to bilingualism. However, given the high value Americans place on individual earning potential, if bilinguals demonstrate greater earning capacity, bilingualism might acquire greater policy support. Unfortunately past research has found that bilinguals do not make more money than monolinguals, and, in fact, often suffer an earnings penalty. This new series of papers refutes the prior research with a focus on new methods and new data on bilingual youth entering the 21st Century labor market.

Sub Unit

• Committee on Scholars of Color in Education

Chair

• Rebecca M. Callahan, The University of Texas - Austin

Papers

• Labor Market Differences Between Bilingual and Monolingual Hispanics - Joseph P. Robinson-Cimpian, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• The Literal Cost of Language Assimilation - Orhan Agirdag, University of Amsterdam

• Bilinguals, College Enrollment, and Labor Market Consequences - Lucrecia Santibanez, Claremont Graduate University

• Employer Preferences: Do Bilingual Applicants and Employees Experience an Advantage? - Diana A. Porras, California State University - Long Beach

Discussant

• Patricia C. Gándara, University of California - Los Angeles