Cross-national comparison of provision and outcomes for the education of the second generation

This article introduces the special issue, which focuses on the ways in which educational institutions in Europe and North America are responding to the growing number of children of immigrants entering schools and universities. It discusses the ways in which the needs of children of immigrants differ from those of native-born students, and the ways in which variations in the structure of national education systems, and in policy and practice, may shape the pathways that children of immigrants take into the labor market, higher education, and their lives as citizens. The authors review existing research on this topic and highlight some of the difficulties involved in comparative studies. They close with an overview of the articles presented in the special issue.