Do migration-related gaps find their roots in the period before formal schooling? A path-model of educational achievement in primary school
Education is key to the structural integration of immigrants and their children. While research indicates that migrant educational underachievement is a serious issue, relatively little is known about when, how and why migrant gaps develop. Hitherto, longitudinal research on skill gaps is scarce. The current paper adds to the literature by investigating how much of the migration-related disparities found during primary school can be attributed to inequalities that already existed before school life. To do so, it uses structural equation modelling and draws on a national longitudinal study of children in Ireland. Results indicate that migration-related disparities largely find their roots in the period before formal schooling, after which they remain relatively stable or even decrease. This implies that researchers and policymakers may want to focus their efforts on the period proceeding primary school.