Multicultural education policies: are they effective at integrating immigrant students?

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity in Education: Evidence from International Large-Scale Assessments

Proposal

As cultural pluralism is now a characteristic of every society, each country must determine how it will manage this diversity (Kymlicka, 1995). Though violent conflicts often divide along ethnic lines (Gurr, 2000), we should not assume that cultural differences threaten peace. Diversity does not need to mean divided. There is evidence that secure identification increases tolerance for people from different identity groups (Berry et al, 2022). Multicultural policies that strengthen identification through integration may be a key to peace in diverse societies.
Integration is an acculturation strategy used by individuals and groups who identify with both group and national identities (Berry, 2005). Multicultural policies promote integration through identity development along with equitable participation in society. However, we lack sufficient evidence to determine whether multicultural policies are effective at achieving integration goals of identification and equality. Recent analyses by Ham, Yang, and Cha (2017); Ham, Song and Yang (2020); and Ham and Yang (2020, 2023) have contributed to filling this gap in our knowledge on the effectiveness of multicultural policies. Drawing on their research and the acculturation theories of Berry (2005), my research further contributes to a better understanding of multicultural policies and their effectiveness.
For this cross-national analysis, I focus on national policies targeting immigrant students. My primary research question is, Are multicultural education policies effective at integrating immigrant students? Through quantitative, quasi-experimental research, I employ hierarchical linear modeling to assess the relationship between national policies for migrants and student outcomes. Policy ratings from the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) from 2016 provide scores on policy commitment to migrant integration (Solano & Huddleston, 2020). The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) of 2018 provides data on school characteristics and individual student characteristics and responses (OECD, 2019). I combine MIPEX and PISA data to evaluate the policies and outcomes in 36 countries.
First, I examine the effectiveness of multicultural policies to influence the identity development of immigrant students. It is unlikely that education systems can influence students’ ethnic identification (Phinney et al., 2001; Ersanilli and Koopmans, 2011). However, as a primary institute through which students engage with the larger society, schools may influence how students identify with the nation in which they live (Ersanilli & Koopmans, 2011; Ham & Yang, 2020). As identification is related to a feeling of belonging, I use students’ sense of belonging in school as a measure of identification with the nation (Phinney et al., 1994). Immigrant students tend to have a lower sense of belonging compared to native-born students (Cerna et al., 2021), which may be related to national policy contexts. For multicultural policies to be effective at fostering national identity development, immigrant students in countries with higher MIPEX ratings should report higher levels of belonging in school.
Second, I examine the effectiveness of multicultural policies to reduce social inequality. Immigrant students tend to perform lower academically than their native-born peers (Jakubowski, 2011; Ham et al., 2020). To assess the relationship between multicultural policies and equality, I compare national policy ratings with differences in math and reading scores between students with and without immigrant backgrounds. For multicultural policies to be effective, countries with higher MIPEX scores should demonstrate greater equality through a smaller academic achievement gap.
It is imperative that national policymakers have evidence to guide their decisions regarding multicultural policies (Berry et al., 2022). This knowledge is especially relevant in our current context with high numbers of forcibly-displaced immigrants and increased ethnonational movements. My research will contribute to our understanding of multicultural policies and their effectiveness to achieve the dual integration goals of identification and equality.

Author

• M. Genevieve Masterjohn, The Pennsylvania State University