The Effects of Foreign-Born Peers in US High Schools and Middle Schools

The multi-decade growth and spatial dispersion of immigrant families in the United States has shifted composition US schools, reshaping group peers with whom students age through adolescence. US-born are more likely to have foreign-born be educated outside enclaves. This study examines short-term long-term impact being peers, for both students. We leverage a quasi-experimental research design that uses across-grade, within-school variation cohort Add Health study. describe effects on broad set education, social, health outcomes. For students, we find little evidence having affects wide array outcomes, either adolescence or adulthood. attending school other is protective against risky behaviors social isolation, relative native born However, students’ language skills measured Picture-Vocabulary Test scores negatively affected by larger share negative effect vocabulary persists young adulthood but does not translate into reductions most longer-run socioeconomic including earnings economic status their residential neighborhoods.