Education of Second Generation Immigrants in Spain: The Quest for Identity and Paths for Integration* SUMMARY

The aim of this paper is to explore which model of education of immigrant children is being implemented in Spain. Theoretically, it is possible to distinguish in Europe between a trend of total in-clusion of immigrants in the educational system of the host society (the so-called French or assimila-tionist model), and an alternative trend of preserving separation, or even segregation among different cultures (the so-called Anglo-Saxon model). Which trend predominates in Spain, a country with a recent influx of immigrants and an incipient second generation that is trying to define its place in society? If both trends are at work, as often happens, which one predominates in the country? This paper deals with some of the basic questions in migration studies, such as to what degree newcomers are required to adapt to the host society, and what are the challenges facing an educational system regarding the in-tegration of immigrants. This paper aims to answer these questions in a rather exploratory way, since the data available are not exhaustive. In addition to press articles and bibliography, two crucial docu-ments have been consulted. The first one is the recent report on education of immigrants released by the Defensor del Pueblo (the Spanish Ombudsman) in April 2003. The second is the annual report presented by the IMSERSO (Institute of Migration and Social Services) on immigrant pupils in Spain. Both documents offer a clear picture of the problems that education in Spain is facing, regarding im-migrant schooling