Dead end schools? Refugee teenagers and school segregation in Germany

Abstract

The German school system is facing an extraordinary challenge in integrating well over 200,000 children and teenagers who have sought asylum since the summer of 2015. Despite the remarkable efforts of teachers, school administrators, and policy-makers, in recent years many young refugees have been unable to access a nearby school within the three months set forth by European Union legislation. Once in school, they are often taught in separate classrooms first in order to help them achieve a basic command of the German language before joining their peers in the general education classroom. While this practice has been criticized for hampering academic progress and the social integration of refugees, little is known about the extent and the consequences of said segregation. To find out more, Morris-Lange and Schneider have conducted field research in five of the Germany’s 16 federal states.