What makes you think that they aren't homeschooling now? ( afterschooling)
My anecdotal observation:
Those Spanish speaking immigrant families who afterschool their kids have academically successful children. Those who don't, have kids that are semi-literate and innumerate.
The **middle class** Anglo parents of the children who are afterschool have academically successful kids. Those who don't, have kids that are semi-literate and innumerate.
My conclusion:
Not much is learned in a government brick and mortar school. Of course, studies have never been done to determine where learning actually happens ( home or schools) and who is doing the teaching ( parent, the child himself, or a institutional teacher).
How did I come to this conclusion:
My husband and I were asked to join the local Spanish speaking congregation of our denomination. We both speak Spanish. We have been there 6 years. Our first job was to start a cub scout program for the Spanish speaking children. Three years later this troop was combined with an Anglo troop. We now teach each week in the children's Sunday School that is a combination of both Anglo and Latino kids.
And....Having know several thousand families and their children as a health provider in my clinic.
Think about this! We spent up to $25,000/kid/ year and no one has ever thought to study whether or not children actually learn anything in these brick and mortar government schools.
Oh, and I agree about even uneducated, non-English-speaking parents being able to find resources and after-hours study for their children. That’s a big part of their success.
Many upper-middle-class parents have smart enough kids with ‘good enough’ schools in the ‘burbs and wherever, however, so they can succeed without parental involvement.