Immigrant’s in our Society:
Minnesota’s Economic Advantages and Educational Changes
Introduction
Pictures and videos of the President stating he will build a wall closing off the southern border of the United States and haunting statistics that immigrants are taking over jobs, permeate our news feeds and television screens on a daily basis. This negative perspective of immigration forms biases and stigmatizes many people in our society. The United States has been a host country for immigrants and refugees for centuries. Today, people come to our nation in search of a life of freedom, security, and job opportunities. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 339,909 people obtained new arrival admission into the country in 2019 (“Legal immigration and adjustment of status report fiscal year 2019, quarter 4”, 2019). These immigrants settle in various states leaving an imprint through various aspects of its culture and society. One such state that has become a prominent host for a variety of arriving cultures is Minnesota, ranking in the top twenty for its lawful permanent resident population in 2015 (Baker, 2019, p.5). These immigrants have made Minnesota into a diverse society, bringing economic advantages and changes to the public schooling system.
Minnesota’s historical immigrant culture is embedded into the lives of its residents and has been influenced by a wide range of countries. Starting with strong influences of Northern European descent such as Norway, Sweden, Ireland, and Germany, Minnesota was built upon European traditions, influencing the beliefs and customs of Minnesota’s residents. However, the largest most recent immigrant populations have traveled from Mexico, Somalia, India, and Laos (“Immigrants in Minnesota,” 2020). These people have become integrated into Minnesota’s society, but also have shared their cultures with former Minnesota residents and have become a major component to Minnesota’s labor force and acclaimed school systems.
Minnesota Economic Advantages
Minnesota, as well as the rest of the United States, face a dramatic demographic change as baby boomers start retiring and fertility rates lower. This poses a rising issue for the need of young, capable workers to fill the place of newly retirees. For Minnesota, a major contributing workforce that has not only decreased the age gap and increased economic revenue, but has also expanded employment opportunities, is immigrants. Fennelly and Huart (2009) found that there is an extreme difference between Minnesota’s working population and dependent population through a study performed at the University of Minnesota (p. 5). This poses economic issues for the whole state. More specifically, if there are not enough workers supplying necessary funds and services to children and the elderly, the state’s financial stability will crumble. Thankfully, in recent decades, Congress has allowed for an increase in immigration which has helped prevent reductions in the labor force growth rate (Minnesota Legislature, 2019).
Over 61% of immigrants in Minnesota are of working age and provide to Minnesota’s economy (Warfa, 2019). This is 25% more than current native-born Minnesotans. Warfa argues that without immigrant workers supplying labor in the workforce, many Minnesota businesses would not be able to thrive. More specifically, immigrants provide the main labor force in high demanding jobs such as butchers, meat packagers, software developers, and personal care aids (Warfa, 2019). For example, thousands of migrant workers come to south-central Minnesota to work in agricultural field labor, vegetable cultivation and processing, horticulture, and forestry every year (Contreras, Duran, & Gilje, 2001, p.1). Agreeing with Warfa, Fennelly and Huart (2009) state that “if immigrants were removed from the labor force, Minnesota would lose over 24,000 permanent jobs and $1.2 billion in personal income” (p. 1). Nearly all of this income is taxable and goes towards budgets to improve the state as well as provides disposable income for goods and services.
With the increase of immigrants in the state, the demand for products and services increases as well as the labor force. It is estimated that immigrants have an estimated buying power of more than five billion dollars (Corrie & Radosevich, 2013, p.11). Allen (2017), states through his works at the University of Minnesota, that if there is a large labor force, economic growth is high, due to production of more goods and services (p.17). As a result of the increase in immigrants, companies and businesses have grown, producing more jobs throughout the state. More specifically, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) “projects that over 130,000 jobs will become available for workers in the top five occupations that do not require a high school degree, including retail salespersons, food preparation and service, personal care aides, cashiers, and wait staff” between 2014 and 2024 (Allen, 2017, p.19). With this comes the increased need of supervisors, foremen, and human resource personnel that control over lower-level jobs. Overall, immigrants have been the main driving force for economic growth in Minnesota over recent decades and continue to provide needed services and jobs throughout the state. In order for Minnesota to receive the full economic benefits of having immigrants and refugees in the state, it is pivotal that immigrants understand English in order to follow directions and perform successful work. This brings the need for education.
Immigrant Children in need of Education
As immigrant children enter into Minnesota’s public schools, many, if not all cannot comprehend English. The top five heritage languages these children speak in Minnesota are Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Karen, and Vietnamese (“Multilingual learner education in Minnesota”, 2018, p.16). In Minnesota schools, the children that have a different host language are labeled as English language learners (ELLs). According to the Minnesota Department of Education, there were 73,128 ELL students enrolled in the 2017–2018 school year and that number continues to rise (“Multilingual learner education in Minnesota”, 2018, p.13). If we want these children to grow up supporting their families and providing labor in the workforce, it is necessary that Minnesota’s public schools and government provide sufficient funding and education to English learners.
Minnesota’s overall student performance consistently ranks in the top ten in the nation, but ELLs, minorities, and impoverished students continue to score lower than the majority white student population (NCES, 2016). Alexander and Jang (2017) are concerned that with the growing population of immigrant students, the gap between test scores will only expand (p.3). For example, in the 2011 Minnesota Comprehensive Assignments III Mathematics Test, 25.8% of English learning students qualified as being proficient, compared to 56.0% when all students were considered. These same results go for the 2011 MCA III Reading Test with a 36.4% gap between the two groups of children (Alexander & Jang, 2017, p.3). As a result of the clear gap in test scores and consistent rise in ELLs, the Twin Cities school districts have had to adapt in numerous ways with placing different policies and laws to achieve better English comprehension for these students.
The first policy that has propelled most all education acts and laws in Minnesota, is the No Child Left Behind Act. The most recent revision to this act was in 2002 by President George W. Bush. The main goal of this law was to have an increase in the federal government’s role in the education system, by favoring boosts in performances by ELLs and other minority groups. As a result of this act, numerous laws have been made and funding has increased by millions in the past two decades. Another important law passed that has improved test scores and English comprehension, according to the Minnesota Department of Education (2018), was the Every Student Succeeds Act updated in 2015. This act was created to insure student’s proficiency in English and set the same academic requirements for all students (“Minnesota English Learner Funding”, 2018, p. 19). Other than these two national laws passed by congress, there are a handful of Minnesota laws and referendums that have been passed for better funding and programs. The funding and programs provided by the state have an impact on these children, but teaching styles have had to evolve as well to ensure the constant growth in test scores.
A huge breakthrough in Minnesota’s teaching department surfaced in 2003, when Valeria Silva entered the ELL program. Silva has since become the Superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools, and continues her work with ELL students. Her main contribution to the ELL program is that she found a way to teach English learners without pulling the students out of normal class. This teaching style involved ELL teachers and mainstream teachers joining forces to teach the students, not by removing them, but through the class content. By applying this teaching method, the ELL curriculum is closely aligned with the standards-based curriculum (Pardini, 2006, p.21). This style had an incredible payoff in the students comprehension of material. According to Pardini (2006), this form of teaching had a considerate effect at narrowing the gap in math and reading (p.21). Even though this teaching style was effective during the first years it was integrated, the surge of ELL students and the inadequate distribution of funding in the coming years resulted in a larger gap in test scores. In recent years, a way Minnesota’s education programs have tried to reduce the gap is by placing funds towards evidence based practices (EBPs) that are meant to be implemented into everyday education. These EBPs, according to the Minnesota Department of Education, range from providing dual-immersion programs, dedicated writing instruction, and incorporating student’s first language in core instruction (“Evidence based practices (EBPs) to support English language development”, 2018). Altogether with funding, programs, and enforcing these EBPs, Minnesota’s public schools work towards supporting immigrant students in hopes for them to reach standard test scores and English comprehension.
The Mutual Relationship between Economic Advantages and Education
When immigrants come into our society, they have the ability to change our entire workforce by reducing the age gap and providing needed services. In order to accomplish these benefits, the need for an education where they can learn English and acclimate into our society is important. That is where these two topics collide head on. It is a give and take mutual benefit, where the state has to provide education, while in return, gain larger purchasing power, larger tax revenue, and GDP gains.
There has been a continuous increase in the immigrant population to help solve the age gap in the United States. Even though this has helped maintain our economic standing in the world, the influx has caused ramifications for the education system. More specifically, according to Pardini (2006), Silva’s teaching methods incorporated in 2003, reduced gaps between test scores (p.21). The reading gap between ELL students and non-ELL students fell from 13% to 6% and the math gap fell from 6.7% to 2.7% ( Pardini, 2006, p. 21). However, the years following involved a large increase of ELL students in metropolitan schools with a 34.5% increase in St. Paul and 24.3% increase in Minneapolis (Alexander & Jang, 2017, p.6). During this time, “St. Paul and Minneapolis have consistently had among the largest achievement gaps among student groups in the state” (Alexander & Jang, 2017, p.6). By understanding the trends between influx of students and test scores can provide insights on how to change school programs enhancing our workforce.
There are three main contributing sources that ELL students receive their funding from: state, local, and federal taxes. In other words, the money that is taken out of taxpayers income and property taxes go towards funding these programs. This results in problems when local polls and votings try to pass certain referendums to increase and upgrade school fundings. An example of this is in the St. Paul school district. In 2018 there was a referendum passed to invest in student needs, implement the district’s strategic plan to increase achievement for all students, and create schools that promote academic and development needs. This is a huge step in the right direction, but according to a study focused on voter approved operating levies in 2018 and 2019, Saint Paul public schools are the “second largest school district in Minnesota and has one of the lowest voter- approved operating levies,” which in turn has increased the achievement gaps (“Referendum”, 2018). Being that this district has the largest amount of immigrant children, levies must be consistently passed in order for adequate funding for their programs. Another trend that is drawn from education scores is the ability to get higher level degrees and in turn create more money for the state.
On average, there is a direct correlation between one’s education level and yearly income. As you increase your experience and degree repetuar, you are more likely to buy and consume more products because you have the money to do so. That is why it is so important to provide the fundings in education starting at a young age. With average to exceeding test scores and financial aid, more immigrants have the ability to get a college education which opens up more opportunities economically, advancing Minnesota into a better financial state. The current problem is that immigrants have been less represented in the education system, so the state has not received their full potential. For example, according to Minnesota Compass (2020), in 2018 there was a 20% gap between twenty-five-year-olds with less than a high school diploma and 6% more native born residents receiving a bachelor’s degree. These gaps are high, not just because of inadequate test scores, but because of financial disadvantages immigrants face. More specifically, MartinRogers, Evans, and Mattessich (2016) found that 98% of immigrant parents surveyed want their children to get a college degree, but due to financial problems, have troubles affording it ( p.44). If all the immigrants who want to receive a higher education could, annual buying power could increase from their current five billion dollars. Overall, there is a direct correlation between education and how immigrants can improve our economy, but there is a need for a stable source of benefits in order for them to thrive and produce a meaningful contribution to Minnesota.
Application for Today
This topic is important to our society because there are a considerable amount of benefits we receive from immigrants. The difficult task that many native-born Minnesotans face is that they need to contribute towards the success of others. Resources such as money, time, and an open mindset are needed in order for immigrants to feel welcome and thrive in our society. As people of faith, it may seem easy to love thy neighbor and welcome immigrants with open arms, but it is different to act on it. The reality for many Minnesotans, due to lack of education surrounding the topic and stigmas around illegal immigration, is that many people view all immigration as a negative thing. It is important to look into local levies that provide better resources for immigrant children so they can achieve goals that will ultimately benefit the whole state. It is also important to provide funds for housing, insurance, English classes for parents, and job resources to start these families off right. Ilhan Omar is a perfect example of what can happen when immigrant and refugee children receive good education and in turn bring meaning to our country.
Born in Somalia during the heart of a civil war, Omar was raised by her father and grandfather. They fled to a refugee camp in Kenya where they sought shelter for four years. Once her family received asylum in 1995, they settled in Arlington, Virginia before permanently relocating in the Cedar- Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1997. In Virginia, there were countless times where she was bullied for her ethnicity, but continued to push through and received a better welcome in Minnesota. In Minnesota, her father worked as a taxi driver and later for the post office, providing for Omar as she went to school. She attended Edison High School in Minneapolis and once graduated, went to North Dakota State University where she achieved a bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies. Since then she has achieved outstanding accomplishments including becoming the first Somali-American, Muslim legislator in the United States in 2016 and currently is serving as a US representative for Minnesota’s fifth district. Through all the trials and tribulations Ilhan has overcome in her life, she states, “ no matter what you do, your story will be written. And the best that you can do for yourself and those around you is make sure that you are living the story that you want to be written about you” (Omar, 2019). Ilhan had a childhood in the United States filled with biases surrounding her for being an immigrant. She overcame those who doubted her and received a great education. She in turn has been a voice and a role model for the community. Many immigrant children face this from their peers, but also have the ability to provide a lot of good for the state’s economy and labor force if they receive a good education.
References
Alexander, N. A., & Jang, S. T. (2017). Equity and efficiency of Minnesota educational expenditures with a focus on english learners, 2003–2011: A retrospective look in a time of accountability. Education policy analysis archives, 25(16). Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1134302.pdf
Allen, R. (2017). Immigrants and Minnesota’s workforce. University Economic Development. University of Minnesota, 2–22. Retrieved from https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/201932/OVPR%20Immigrant%20Workforce%20Development%20Report.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Baker, B. (2019). Population Estimates. Lawful permanent resident population in the United States: January 2015, 2–6. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/lpr_population_estimates_january_2015.pdf
Contreras, V., Duran, J., & Gilje, K. (2001). Migrant farmworkers in South-Central Minnesota: Farmworker-led research and action for change. Cura Reporter, 31(1), 1–23. Retrieved from http://www.cura.umn.edu/sites/cura.advantagelabs.com/files/publications/31-1-Contreras-et-al.pdf
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Omar, I. (2019, April 24). Rep. Ilhan Omar talks about her life and embattled first months in Congress. [Interviewed by B. Bierschbach]. MPR NEWS. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2019/04/24/716873017/rep-ilhan-omar-talks-about-her-life-and-embattled-first-months-in-congress
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Saint Paul Public Schools. (2018, November 6). Referendum 2018. Retrieved from https://www.spps.org/referendum2018
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Warfa, H. (2019). Immigrants built Minnesota’s economy and culture. They still do. Sahan Journal. Retrieved from https://www.sahanjournal.com/commentary/immigrants-built-minnesotas-economy-and-culture-they-still-do/
