Out of the Shadows and into the Classroom: Immigrant Legalization, Hispanic Schooling and Hispanic Representation on School Boards

Arbeitspapier

I exploit the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which legalized millions of Hispanic migrants in the USA, to study the impact of immigrant legalization on schooling outcomes. Although undocumented migrants are entitled to public education, I find significant post-legalization increases in student enrollment and student-to-teacher ratios in public schools with greater exposure to IRCA migrants. This effect is driven by increased Hispanic enrollment, while whites sort out of public education and into private schooling. The IRCA differentially increases Hispanic school board members and school expenditure, highlighting legal status as a driver of Hispanic human capital accumulation and representation.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 10677

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Analysis of Education ; Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination ; National Government Expenditures and Education
• Subject: schooling ; human capital ; minority representation ; legal status

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Sabet, Navid
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2023

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/282365
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET