Does Parental Immigration Status Affect Access to Childcare in the United States? A Conditional Logit Model Analysis

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Unpacking the Intersection of Race and Immigration in Urban Schools

Abstract

Children of immigrants are more likely to start school at an academic disadvantage when compared to peers with U.S.-born parents (Crosnoe, 2007). It is possible that the disadvantage may be in part explained by differences in access to high-quality childcare opportunities prior to kindergarten. This study seeks to understand whether and how the supply of childcare options contribute to differences in early education experiences by parental immigration status. By combining data from seven national datasets and using a conditional logit model, I find that having at least one immigrant parent negatively impacted the odds of center participation, and, even having more access to childcare centers could not offset its negative effect. Implications and recommendations are discussed.

Author

• Qi Xing, American Institutes for Research