1. EDUCATION AND
MEXICO-UNITED STATES
IMMIGRATION:
EDUCATIONAL ACCESS
FOR ALL?
Heather Mangione, Clark University

2. Thesis & Research Statement
 There are a number of institutional barriers in
place within both the Mexico & United States
education systems that make it nearly
impossible for Mexican children to succeed
 Both the United States and Mexico experience
a negative rate of return from these children as
they grow into labour-able adults.

3. Mexico & The Mexican Education
System
 Mexico is the 5th largest country in the Americas
and the 13th largest nation in the world.
 The current population is estimated to be 112
million people (2011).
 97% literacy rate for children under age 14
 91% literacy rate for adults over 15
(www.unesco.org)

4. Indigenous & Migrant Education in
Mexico
 The National Council for Life and Work (Consejo Nacional
de Educación para la Vida y el Trabajo, CONEVyT)
 Establish community plazas throughout the country
where adults participate in continuing education
certification programs and literacy/numeracy programs
for free (Flores-Moreno, 2008).
 A significant percent of the country’s population did not
receive an education past grade 9 (Secundaria)
 Many citizens are migrant farm workers and are not only
illiterate but trained only in agricultural work
 CONEVyT strives to provide higher-level technological
computer training and skills to adults all over Mexico and
does target adults in rural areas.

5. The U.S.-Mexican Drug War and
Educational Access
www.npr.org

6. Mexico-U.S. Immigration

7. U.S.-Mexico Immigration:
Educational Access for Children
 Undocumented status issues
 Plyler vs. doe (1982): Undocumented
children can attend public school
through high school
 Mixed-status families live in fear
 Transnational parenting

8. U.S.-Mexico Immigration:
Educational Access for Children
(cont’d)
 Institutionalized
racist sentiment in
schools
 Anti-immigrant
sentiment
 Deficit model

9. Young Adults, Immigration &
Educational Access
 DREAM Act
 Access to higher
education
 Institutional barriers
in place to bar
undocumented
students to
participate in higher
education

10. Education For All Goals (2000)
 1. Expand early childhood care and education
 2. Provide free and compulsory primary
education to all
 3. Promote learning and life skills for young
people and adults
 4. Increase adult literacy by 50 percent
 5. Achieve gender parity by 2005, gender
equality by 2015
 6. Improve the quality of education

11. Immigration-based NGO in the
U.S.
• Immigrant Child
Advocacy
• Home Studies Project
• Deportation Issues
Counseling & Safety
Protection

12. Immigration-based Non-Profit
 Mexican
Educational
Foundation of NY
 Focus on young
adults
 Projects/Activities
 After-school
program
 Mentorship program