Demography
Volume 43, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 511-536

Making it in America: High school completion by immigrant and native youth (Article)

Perreira K.M.* , Harris K.M. , Lee D.
  • a Department of Public Policy, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27510, United States
  • b Department of Sociology, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
  • c Department of Sociology, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Abstract

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we find that first-generation youth of Hispanic, Asian, and African heritage obtain more education than their parents, but the second generation and third or higher generations lose ground. Differences in dropout rates by race-ethnicity and immigrant generation are driven by differences in human, cultural, and social capital. Low levels of family human capital, school social capital, and community social capital place the children of immigrants at risk of dropping out. However, cultural capital and immigrant optimism buffer first-generation Hispanic youth and the children of Asian immigrants from the risk of dropping out of high school. While human and social capital resources improve with immigrant generation, cultural capital diminishes.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

educational status longitudinal study Student Dropouts Continental Population Groups human Longitudinal Studies Schools Ethnic Groups ethnic group comparative study social support United States student Humans Adolescent male Acculturation female questionnaire cultural factor race school Article Questionnaires adult migration Emigration and Immigration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33749065609&doi=10.1353%2fdem.2006.0026&partnerID=40&md5=527b1b5d6c5b67a46432775439aec11d
DOI: 10.1353/dem.2006.0026
ISSN: 00703370
Cited by: 169
Original Language: English