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Culturally & trauma-informed for displaced Afghan families

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Culturally & trauma-informed for displaced Afghan families

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Counselor's guide to working with Refugees in high school

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Counselor's guide to working with Refugees in high school

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This comes out of Minnesota, but has practical tips for scheduling, transcripts, and trauma-informed considerations.

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Evaluating foreign transcripts with guidance about foreign school systems

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Evaluating foreign transcripts with guidance about foreign school systems

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This is created by NYC DOE, but has applicable information for all

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Toolkit for Teachers and School personnel

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Toolkit for Teachers and School personnel

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Toolkit: Refugee Children in U.S. Schools: A Toolkit for Teachers and School Personnel

In collaboration with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) has developed this toolkit in order to support and assist schools with large numbers of refugee students.

The purpose of this toolkit is to:

Facilitate information-sharing among school personnel and others working with refugee children in the schools on a national level

Provide information on frequently asked questions in the form of brief "tools" that may be used in the professional development of teachers and other school personnel

To raise awareness of the needs of refugee children in the schools

This toolkit includes the following tools:

Tool 1: The Birthdates of Refugee Children and the Impact on Grade Placement

Tool 2: Schools and Refugee-Serving Agencies: How to Start or Strengthen Collaboration

Tool 3: Refugee Child Welfare: Guidance for Schools

Tool 4: Refugee and Immigrant Youth and Bullying: Frequently Asked Questions

Tool 5: Federal Requirements to Provide Interpretation/Translation in the Schools

Tool 6: Enrolling Refugee Children in U.S. Schools

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Refugee Children in U.S. Schools: A Toolkit for Teachers and School Personnel

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In collaboration with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) has developed this toolkit in order to support and assist schools with large numbers of refugee students. The purpose of this toolkit is to: Facilitate information-sharing among school personnel and others working with refugee children in the schools on a ...

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Over the past two decades, an influx of immigrants and refugees has changed the face of American classrooms. In search of a better life for their children, immigrants and refugees have high aspirations and care greatly for their children's education. Yet this is not what you hear from American educators. Faculty and administrators raise concerns that these students don't pay attention in class, act out, lack basic social skills, and that their families don't support the school.

Caring Across Communities is improving the disconnect. With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 15 sites across the United States are developing model mental health programs that engage schools, families, students, mental health agencies and other community organizations to build effective, easily-accessed services for children and youth.

This paper outlines model programs that engage communities and community organizations to build effective and easily-accessible mental health services for children and youth. Some of the issues addressed in this paper include: The impact of the immigrant and refugee experience; partnering with immigrant families to support mental health; offering school-based mental health services; and the changing face of American classrooms.

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Partnering with Parents and Families to Support Immigrant and Refugee Children at School

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Over the past two decades, an influx of immigrants and refugees has changed the face of American classrooms. In search of a better life for their children, immigrants and refugees have high aspirations and care greatly for their children's education. Yet this is not what you hear from American educators.

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Guide: Welcoming Refugee Students - Guides for Classroom Teachers, School Nurses, School Administrators, School Counselors, Peer Mentors, and Parents

These guides are part of the New York State Welcome to Our Schools (WtOS) program, designed to ease the transition of refugee children into elementary and secondary schools and to empower their parents to be effective partners in the education of their children. The audience-specific guides include content about refugees and their past education, along with suggestions on how to create a welcoming classroom.

Available tools include:

Welcome to Our Schools Curriculum

Welcoming Refugee Students - Strategies for Classroom Teachers Brochure

Caring for Refugee Students - Guide for School Nurses Brochure

Peer Mentor Brochure

Welcoming Refugee Students - Strategies for School Administrators Brochure

Guiding Refugee Students - Strategies for School Counselors Brochure

School Information for Parents Brochure (also available in Arabic, Farsi, Karen, Nepali, and Spanish)

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Welcoming Refugee Students - Guides for Classroom Teachers, School Nurses, School Administrators, School Counselors, Peer Mentors, and Parents

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These guides are part of the New York State Welcome to Our Schools (WtOS) program, designed to ease the transition of refugee children into elementary and secondary schools and to empower their parents to be effective partners in the education of their children. The audience-specific guides include content about refugees and their past education, along ...

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Take a free class online

USAHello has free classes in many languages. Our classes prepare you for the GED ® tests and for the US citizenship test. Learn anywhere, anytime, and study at your own pace.

Learn anywhere

Study on your phone or on a computer. Learn anytime, wherever you are.

Easy to use

Go at your own pace. Read lessons and take quizzes as many times as you like.

Made for you

Our classes were made for English language learners.

Study for your GED ® diploma online. With a high school diploma, you can go to college or get a better job.

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Citizenship class

Prepare for the US citizenship test. Learn what to expect at your interview and practice English while you study.

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Find legal help, English classes, health clinics, housing support, and more. Search a local map and list of services for immigrants in the USA with the app FindHello.

Start your search

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USAHello | A free website to help refugees and immigrants

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Find easy-to-understand translated information on life, education, & work in the USA. Get immigration updates. Learn how to become a citizen.

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Guidance: How to enroll students who are in temporary housing

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Guidance: How to enroll students who are in temporary housing

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Talking Points texting app - free for teachers

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Talking Points texting app - free for teachers

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TalkingPoints - Improving student outcomes through meaningful school-family partnerships.

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TalkingPoints - Improving student outcomes through meaningful school-family partnerships.

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Language Line Solutions - interpreting on demand via phone/video

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Language Line Solutions - interpreting on demand via phone/video

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Create a more inclusive classroom for both students and parents with live translation and captions

ABOUT

What is Translator for Education?

The Translator for Education site provides free resources, tools, and how-to guides for live captioning and translation in the classroom. Schools are increasingly diverse. Teachers manage many types of learners, including students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) who require assistive technology, and language learners (and their parents) who may not speak or understand the language of the classroom well. Microsoft Translator helps bridge these communication gaps, supporting accessible classroom learning with live captioning, cross-language understanding, and even multilingual casual conversations to help with student integration.

FOR PARENTS

Parent Resources

Learn about the Translator app's conversation feature and how you can have live, translated parent-teacher conferences in your chosen language.
PARENT RESOURCES PAGE

FOR STUDENTS

Student Resources

Use the Translator app in school, on campus, for study groups, and other situations where captions and translations are needed. Share the app with friends to start a live conversation and break communication barriers.
STUDENT RESOURCES PAGE

SEE IT IN ACTION

Case Studies

Read how Translator can help students pass their final exams, break language barriers during parent-teacher conferences, and create inclusive environments for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
CASE STUDIES PAGE

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Microsoft Translator for Education - Microsoft Translator

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Microsoft Translator for Education tools creates a more inclusive classroom for both students and parents with live translation and captions.

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Family Engagement with refugee populations BRYCS

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This is a report on a district's effort to build empathy among staff via local cultural experiences.

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Building Cultural proficiency & empathy through local cultral immersion

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Incredible resources from school districts welcoming refugees - many languages

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As most are aware, American military troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021 and almost immediately, the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took over. Over 100,000 Afghans were evacuated within days. Many were screened and vetted by the U.S. government overseas (in countries such as Germany, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and more) and then were transferred to military bases in the U.S. for further processing and long-term resettlement.

Through the U.S. government's Operation Allies Welcome, 60,000+ Afghans are being resettled in communities throughout the U.S., through the existing network of 200 refugee resettlement agencies (see the R & P Affiliate Directory here).

As Afghans trickle into our K-12 classrooms, one of the best ways you can welcome students and families is by providing them with some kind of orientation about school in the U.S. in their native language (the majority of Afghans speak Dari or Pashto). This is especially important because the educational system in Afghanistan is quite different than it is in the U.S.

If you decide to create your own orientation in Dari and/or Pashto, feel free to refer to this video and checklist we created for English Learner Portal. However, you may not need to create your own orientation materials because there are many existing education orientation resources in Dari and Pashto already! Please see the lists below of national resources as well as some at the state or school district level. Many of these orientation resources are generic enough that they could be used anywhere in the U.S.

National Resources to Orient Afghans to K-12 Education in the U.S.

State and District Level Resources to Orient Afghans to K-12 Education in the U.S.

Oakland Unified School District's orientation video is available in a number of languages including (and you can watch it in English here). It's primarily for parents, but could be useful to older students as well. It covers one's right to a free education, levels of education, newcomer programming, the school calendar, the enrollment process, and transportation.

Spring Branch ISD (Texas) has a series of Welcome Center Videos in and . They cover topics such as enrollment, attendance and absences, transportation, the school day, parent involvement, grades, ESL program, student testing, and graduation plans. (Note: the playlist for Dari is shorter than the one for Pashto.)

Do you know a resource that should be included here? Please let us know! Email Laura at laura@immigrantsrefugeesandschools.org.

Check out our webinar on "Educational Experiences of Afghans: Learning from Afghan Refugee Students & Families" that featured a panel of Afghan students and parents who were resettled in recent years!

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Resources to Orient Afghans to K-12 Education in the U.S.

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As most are aware, American military troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021 and almost immediately, the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took over. Over 100,000 Afghans were evacuated within days. Many were screened and vetted by the U.S.

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Supporting SEL needs of Afghan and newcomer students

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Supporting SEL needs of Afghan and newcomer students

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Teaching English to Afghan women refugees

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Teaching English to Afghan women refugees

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A Handbook for Teaching English to Afghan Women Refugees

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Toxic Stress and Well-Being Among Students Affected by Forced Migration

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Toxic Stress and Well-Being Among Students Affected by Forced Migration

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Learn about common experiences associated with forced migration, how toxic stress affects children and youth, and key ways that effects of toxic stress can be mitigated within Healing Learning Spaces, including classrooms, schools, and out-of-school time program environments.

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summary of toxic stress and well-being among students affected by forced migration

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Learn about common experiences associated with forced migration, how toxic stress affects children and youth, and key ways that effects of toxic stress can be mitigated within Healing Learning Spaces, including classrooms, schools, and out-of-school time program environments.

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ACE's for Child Refugees and Asylum seekers

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ACE's for Child Refugees and Asylum seekers

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Psychological First Aid (PFA) for schools

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Psychological First Aid (PFA) for schools

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PFA is a set of principles to help individuals in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, emergency, and/or natural disaster. These are practical steps that all staff can implement.

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Welcome to the U.S. Department of Education's page dedicated to providing information and resources for immigrant, refugee, asylee students and families.

On November 17, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services released a fact sheet on the rights of unaccompanied children to enroll in and participate meaningfully and equally in education programs.

On October 20, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education released a Resource Guide to help schools, colleges, teachers, and other personnel support the college and career success of undocumented and DACA youth in secondary and postsecondary settings.

Currently, there are over 4.7 million foreign born individuals enrolled in pre-kindergarten to postsecondary education, representing 6% of the total student population. Another 20 million students are the children of foreign born parents.

As a nation of immigrants, America has benefited from the vitality and enthusiasm brought to its shores by those seeking a better life. Successful immigrant and refugee integration efforts build the capacity of schools and early learning programs, communities, organizations, and other stakeholders to support the civic, linguistic, and economic integration of immigrants. i

The programmatic efforts of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) support a number of immigrant populations, including immigrant children (e.g., unaccompanied youth) and the children of immigrants, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) children and youth, immigrant families, adult immigrants (e.g. refugees, asylees), foreign-born professionals, migrant students, teachers of English learners and foreign languages, and receiving communities. ED's initiatives geared toward learners, teachers, schools and communities support all three pillars of immigrant integration: civic, economic, and linguistic integration.

i Original analysis based on data from 2013 American Community Survey (ACS). Data can be found here.

Migratory workers in the U.S. include those who move within states, between states, and between countries. Therefore, some, but not all migratory workers may be immigrants.

The Office of Migrant Education (OME) aims to provide excellent leadership, technical assistance, and financial support to improve the educational opportunities and academic success of migrant children, youth, agricultural workers, fishers, and their families. Some immigrant students may be eligible to participate in OME's programs, provided they meet the program requirements and fit the definition of migratory children.
More on Migrant Student Educational Resources

Office for Civil Rights - This website includes an overview of the Office for Civil Rights, which enforces several Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin (including lack of English proficiency), disability, sex and age, in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from ED.

Also available in Spanish and other languages.

President Obama's proposal on our immigration system - The president has called for changing the existing immigration system. This includes his proposals for border security, increased use of E-verify, increasing permanent residencies, and the effect of immigration on the economy.

If you have difficulty understanding English, you may, free of charge, request language assistance services for this Department information by calling 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-877-8339), or email us at: Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov.

Aviso a personas con dominio limitado del idioma inglés: Si usted tiene alguna dificultad en entender el idioma inglés, puede, sin costo alguno, solicitar asistencia lingüística con respecto a esta información llamando al 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-877-8339), o envíe un mensaje de correo electrónico a: Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov.

給英語能力有限人士的通知: 如果您不懂英語， 或者使用英语有困难，您可以要求獲得向大眾提供的語言協助服務，幫助您理解教育部資訊。這些語言協助服務均可免費提供。如果您需要有關口譯或筆譯服務的詳細資訊，請致電 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (聽語障人士專線：1-800-877-8339)，或電郵: Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov 。

Thông báo dành cho những người có khả năng Anh ngữ hạn chế: Nếu quý vị gặp khó khăn trong việc hiểu Anh ngữ thì quý vị có thể yêu cầu các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ cho các tin tức của Bộ dành cho công chúng. Các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ này đều miễn phí. Nếu quý vị muốn biết thêm chi tiết về các dịch vụ phiên dịch hay thông dịch, xin vui lòng gọi số 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-877-8339), hoặc email: Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov.

영어 미숙자를 위한 공고: 영어를 이해하는 데 어려움이 있으신 경우, 교육부 정보 센터에 일반인 대상 언어 지원 서비스를 요청하실 수 있습니다. 이러한 언어 지원 서비스는 무료로 제공됩니다. 통역이나 번역 서비스에 대해 자세한 정보가 필요하신 경우, 전화번호 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) 또는 청각 장애인용 전화번호1-800-877-8339 또는 이메일주소 Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov 으로 연락하시기 바랍니다.

Paunawa sa mga Taong Limitado ang Kaalaman sa English: Kung nahihirapan kayong makaintindi ng English, maaari kayong humingi ng tulong ukol dito sa inpormasyon ng Kagawaran mula sa nagbibigay ng serbisyo na pagtulong kaugnay ng wika. Ang serbisyo na pagtulong kaugnay ng wika ay libre. Kung kailangan ninyo ng dagdag na impormasyon tungkol sa mga serbisyo kaugnay ng pagpapaliwanag o pagsasalin, mangyari lamang tumawag sa 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-877-8339), o mag-email sa: Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov.

Уведомление для лиц с ограниченным знанием английского языка: Если вы испытываете трудности в понимании английского языка, вы можете попросить, чтобы вам предоставили перевод информации, которую Министерство Образования доводит до всеобщего сведения. Этот перевод предоставляется бесплатно. Если вы хотите получить более подробную информацию об услугах устного и письменного перевода, звоните по телефону 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (служба для слабослышащих: 1-800-877-8339), или отправьте сообщение по адресу: Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov.

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Educational Resources for Immigrants, Refugees, Asylees and other New Americans

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This page provides information and resources for immigrant students.

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Tarjim.ly - Translation/Interpretation. The list of languages includes Pashto and many other languages.The way it was explained was that it works something like Uber for languages. You put in a request. The request goes to someone that speaks the language. They respond (usually in a matter of minutes). When you are finished, you rate the person on their assistance. They shared that all of the interpreters must complete a background check of sorts and sign confidentiality agreements.

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Tarjim.ly - Translation/Interpretation. The list of languages includes Pashto and many other languages.The way it was explained was that it works something like Uber for languages. You put in a request. The request goes to someone that speaks the language. They respond (usually in a matter of minutes). When you are finished, you rate the person on their assistance. They shared that all of the interpreters must complete a background check of sorts and sign confidentiality agreements.

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Translating for Humanity: On-Demand Translators for Refugees

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This is the information hub for the refugee resettlement office in Springfield, MO.

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International Institute Southwest Missouri - IISMO

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International Institute Southwest Missouri - IISMO. 476 likes · 1 talking about this. In summer 2012, refugee services began in Springfield to address the growing needs of refugees who had moved...

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Fact Sheet I [ PDF, 154KB] | Español [ PDF, 137KB]
Fact Sheet II: Additional Q&A's - Enrolling New Immigrant Students [ PDF, 128KB]

Schools in the United States have always welcomed new immigrant children to their classrooms - according to the most recent data, there were more than 840,000 immigrant students in the United States, and more than 4.6 million English learners. We have begun to receive inquiries regarding educational services for a specific group of immigrant children who have been in the news - children from Central America who have recently crossed the U.S. - Mexico border. This fact sheet provides information to help education leaders better understand the responsibilities of States and local educational agencies (LEAs) in connection with such students, and the existing resources available to help educate all immigrant students - including children who recently arrived in the United States.

All children in the United States are entitled to equal access to a public elementary and secondary education, regardless of their or their parents' actual or perceived national origin, citizenship, or immigration status. This includes recently arrived unaccompanied children, who are in immigration proceedings while residing in local communities with a parent, family member, or other appropriate adult sponsor.

Under the law, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is required to care for unaccompanied children apprehended while crossing the border. While in care at an HHS shelter, such children are not enrolled in local schools but do receive educational services and other care from providers who run HHS shelters.

Recently arrived unaccompanied children are later released from federal custody to an appropriate sponsor - usually a parent, relative, or family friend - who can safely and appropriately care for them while their immigration cases proceed. While residing with a sponsor, these children have a right under federal law to enroll in public elementary and secondary schools in their local communities and to benefit from educational services, as do all children in the U.S.

Existing resources that may be helpful to communities enrolling immigrant children, including newly arrived immigrant children, include:

Services for Educationally Disadvantaged Children (Title I): Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides funds to raise the achievement of children who attend high-poverty schools. To the extent that newly arrived immigrant children attend Title I schools, they may be eligible to receive Title I, Part A services. Additional information about Title I, Part A programs is available here.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): IDEA funds may be used by LEAs to evaluate children of any background who are suspected of having a disability under IDEA. Once a child is found to be a child with a disability under IDEA, the funds may be used to provide special education and related services to the child consistent with the child's individualized education program and subject to IDEA's notice and consent provisions. Additional information about IDEA is available here.

English Language Acquisition Programs: States are required to set aside up to 15 percent of their Title III funds under the ESEA for subgrants to LEAs that have experienced a significant increase in immigrant students. Such funds can be used for a broad range of activities including improving instruction, providing tutoring and intensified instruction, and conducting community participation programs. Such funds may be used to serve newly arrived immigrant children regardless of whether such children are English Learners. Additional information about Title III is available here and here.

McKinney-Vento Act: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act delineates educational rights and support for children and youth experiencing homelessness, including guaranteeing immediate access to a free, appropriate public education. Federal law identifies a number of living arrangements such as sharing the housing of others, in which inhabitants would qualify for purposes of the Act. Under McKinney-Vento, school districts must appoint a local liaison to ensure, among other things, that (1) children and youth eligible under McKinney Vento are identified; (2) that they immediately enroll in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, the schools of the district; and (3) they receive educational services for which they are eligible, and referrals to health care services, dental services, mental health services, and other appropriate services.

Unaccompanied children who are in HHS shelters would not be eligible for McKinney-Vento services, but children who are released to live with a sponsor may be eligible on a case-by-case basis under the law's broad definition, which includes youth who are living with family members in "doubled-up" housing, i.e., sharing the housing of other persons due to economic hardship or a similar reason. School districts should refer children they believe may qualify to the district's local liaison for further consideration and a determination of McKinney-Vento eligibility. More information about McKinney-Vento eligibility is available here [ PDF, 1.4MB] Disclaimer and more information about the rights and services available under the McKinney-Vento Act is available here [ PDF, 742KB] Disclaimer .

Migrant Education Programs (MEP): MEP funds are awarded to States under the authority of Title I, Part C of the ESEA. The MEP provides educational and supportive services to children who are migratory agricultural workers or fishers or who move with a parent or guardian who is a migratory agricultural worker or fisher. Newly arrived immigrant children may qualify as eligible migratory children on a case-by-case basis- provided they meet the program requirements and fit the program-specific definition of migratory child. Additional information about migrant education programs is available here.

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition: This Clearinghouse provides non-monetary assistance in research-based strategies and approaches such as academic language development, and can also share data and models for the creation of Newcomer Centers to serve recently arrived immigrant students and English language learners. Additional information about the Clearinghouse is available here.

A1. Yes. Under Federal law, States and local educational agencies are obligated to provide all children - regardless of immigration status - with equal access to public education at the elementary and secondary level. This includes children such as unaccompanied children who may be involved in immigration proceedings. The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice published a joint guidance letter [ PDF, 171KB], a fact sheet [ PDF, 568KB] and a set of Questions and Answers [ PDF, 311KB] on this topic.

A2. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operates about 150 shelters throughout the nation for unaccompanied children that care for the children until they are released to sponsors, on average within 35 days. A majority of these shelters care for fewer than 50 children. Shelters are operated by non-profit organizations, generally as group homes. HHS pays for and provides all services for the children while they are in care at a shelter. This includes providing food, clothing, education, medical screening, and any needed medical care to the children. The children at these shelters do not attend local public schools, do not integrate into the local community, and remain under staff supervision at all times. Additional information about HHS custody is available here.

A3. Yes. The children are provided with basic education services and activities by HHS grantees. Thus, these children do not enroll in local schools while living in HHS shelters.

A4. While students are in HHS custody at HHS shelters, they will not be enrolled in the local school systems. When students are released to an appropriate sponsor, typically a parent, relative or family member, or other adult sponsor, while awaiting immigration proceedings, they have a right - just like other children living in their community - to enroll in local schools regardless of their or their parents' actual or perceived immigration or citizenship status. State laws also require children to attend school up to a certain age. A small number of children in HHS custody are placed in long-term foster care instead of being released to a sponsor. These children do enroll in public school in the community where their foster care is located. Children in all other care settings receive education at an HHS facility.

A5. While at HHS shelters, the children receive vaccinations. When a child is released from HHS custody to a sponsor, the sponsor is given a copy of the child's medical and immunization records compiled during their time in custody. If a sponsor does not have a copy of the child's medical or immunization records, the sponsor can request a new copy from HHS via e-mail at Requests.DUCS@acf.hhs.gov.

A6. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or "DACA," does not apply to children who arrive now or in the future in the United States. To be considered for DACA, individuals must have continually resided in the U.S. since June 2007.

A7. States and LEAs have the ability to use various Federal education funds for this purpose. For example, to the extent that such children attend Title I schools, they may be eligible to receive Title I, Part A services. In addition, as discussed above, States can reserve up to 15% of their Title III formula grants for immigrant subgrants, and if a State has previously reserved a lesser amount, it could increase that amount for next year's subgrants.

A8. For help with additional questions regarding resources for unaccompanied children, please call the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-USA-LEARN or visit answers.ed.gov.

For additional questions and answers about enrolling new immigrant students in school, please visit: Fact Sheet II: Additional Q&A's - Enrolling New Immigrant Students [ PDF, 128KB].

Last Modified: 09/19/2014

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civil rights; migrant education; student rights;

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Educational Services for Immigrant Children and Those Recently Arrived to the United States

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Fact Sheet I [ PDF, 154KB] | Español [ PDF, 137KB] Fact Sheet II: Additional Q&A's - Enrolling New Immigrant Students [ PDF, 128KB] Schools in the United States have always welcomed new immigrant children to their classrooms - according to the most recent data, there were more than 840,000 immigrant students in the United States, and more than 4.6 million English learners.

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This is geared for EL families in the UK, but has applicable ideas for the US

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Communicating school information to parents and carers of EAL pupils

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Translated links for parents to use when learning about schooling

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The English Learner Family Toolkit was created to help families choose education services that meet their child’s needs. U.S. educators, elementary and secondary school teachers, principals, and other school staff can also share the toolkit as a resource for English learners and their families.

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How to Fulfill Interpretation & Translation Requirements: Tools for Guiding Decisions

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Both before COVID and now, the topic of interpretation (oral) and translation (written) in schools is something that regularly comes up in Immigrant Connections' work with schools and districts, particularly because it has to do with equitable family engagement.

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Helping Refugee Parents Adjust to Life in the U.S.

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Refugees overcome tremendous challenges before resettling in the United States: fleeing their home country due to war or fear of persecution, being separated from or losing family members, witnessing violence, and waiting, usually for years, in refugee camps. If they are lucky enough to be resettled…

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Students With Interrupted Formal Education Bridging Where They Are and What They Need

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You Are Welcome Here: Supporting the Social and Emotional Health of Newcomer Immigrant Students

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Immigrant Connections

Updated: Dec 17, 2020

As anyone who reads this blog knows, many of our posts are about family and community engagement in schools. We are passionate about bringing together the English Learner (EL, ESL, ELL, multilingual, immigrant, refugee, etc) field with the family engagement field. Sometimes our articles and trainings are geared towards those in the EL/immigrant space, to help them grow in the area of family and community engagement in schools.

Other times, our articles and trainings are geared towards those in the family engagement field, to help them expand their understanding and reach so that all families, including immigrant and refugee families, are engaged equitably. This is one of those articles.

Here are our top 5 strategies for those in the family engagement field who seek to improve their engagement with immigrant and refugee families.

1. Understand families' backgrounds: It is important to understand the backgrounds and circumstances of the families you are working with. Of course, learning about families' cultures is crucial (think cultural humility, cultural responsiveness, cultural proficiency, or choose your buzz word of the day), but this also means you need to:

Recognize that you are working with immigrant families - not just "EL families," "ESOL families," or "multilingual families." (Note: an immigrant is simply a person who moves to another country permanently. Immigrant ≠ undocumented.) This is important because viewing families simply from a language lens (not to mention a language deficit lens) does not allow one to see families holistically. Being an immigrant means adjusting to a new country and culture through a process of acculturation, seeking a way to balance your cultural roots with your new culture, navigating new structures and systems such as our schools and social service systems, and more. For many immigrant families, it means learning how racism and discrimination operate in the U.S., having family members separated across borders (or recently reunified), enduring loss of extended family and community, and tolerating isolation and loneliness. Imagine you moved to Brazil. Would you want your whole identity to be reduced to being a "Portuguese language learner?" Or would being identified as an American immigrant feel more appropriate for all that you're navigating?

Understand at least a bit about the complex systems many, if not most, immigrant and refugee families are engaged with. For example, are you working with undocumented families who are regularly trying to navigate immigration court or ICE check-ins on their own? What about resettled refugee families who lost a major source of support when the local refugee resettlement agency closed due to the collapse of the U.S. refugee program over the past few years? Knowing the basics of how these systems work will help you better understand the lived experiences of many of the families your school or district is seeking to engage.

2. Language access: this means providing parents with equal access to information and opportunities, regardless of language. According to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and many other subsequent Executive Orders, memos, and laws, schools must communicate information to limited English proficient parents in a language they can understand about any program, service, or activity that is called to the attention of parents who are proficient in English. Before your eyes glaze over with the legalese, let me say: Apps that translate are not enough. If you are working as a family engagement professional in your district and there is little to no infrastructure for interpretation (oral) and translation (written) services, this should be one of your top advocacy endeavors. With a quarter of children in the U.S. having at least one immigrant parent, this is crucial for equitable engagement! In many districts, COVID-19 has really brought this issue to the forefront and it is crucial that we all work on building systems to address this massive equity concern. See our previous blog post for guidance on how to fulfill interpretation and translation requirements.

3. Remember all of your immigrant communities, not just the Latino / Hispanic community. Yes, it is Hispanic Heritage Month and yes, for most of us, our largest immigrant population is Spanish-speaking, BUT many of us have students and families from 50-100+ countries and/or language backgrounds! To my colleagues in the family engagement field: what systems are you putting in place in engage with these communities? What staffing are you considering? What unique communication and outreach strategies are you implementing?

4. Partner with your local immigrant and refugee community-based organizations as well as faith-based institutions that serve this population. This is crucial for outreach, communication, collaborating on out-of-school time programming, trust-building, and more. These are the agencies that immigrant and refugee families know and trust! These organizations often have staff from the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of those they serve. If you work in family and community engagement for your district and don't know who these organizations are, figuring this out needs to be a top priority. You can figure this out by:

Asking immigrant/refugee families in your district if there are any organizations in the community that help them. Be sure to ask about faith-based institutions, such as mosques, temples, etc.

Check with your State Refugee Coordinator to find out if there are any refugee-serving agencies in your area.

Google (and/or use Facebook to find) what you're looking for. For example, I googled "Somali community organization Columbus Ohio" and quickly found an organization called the "Somali Community Association of Ohio."

5. Create welcoming schools through policies, staff training, and high expectations. Work to combat the anti-immigrant sentiment that exists, to some degree, in nearly all communities, and therefore, all school districts. Tackle it proactively! Assume it is there and work to make all immigrant families as welcome as possible. See this video about how immigrant and refugee parents in Aurora, Colorado advocated to make sure Aurora Public Schools adopted a resolution to ensure that all schools are safe and welcoming to all students and families regardless of immigration status. Also, check out Welcoming America's guide on Building Welcoming Schools.

If family engagement professionals keep these five strategies in mind, school and district engagement with immigrant and refugee families and communities will undoubtedly improve.

As anyone who reads this blog knows, many of our posts are about family and community engagement in schools. We are passionate about bringing together the English Learner (EL, ESL, ELL, multilingual, immigrant, refugee, etc) field with the family engagement field. Sometimes our articles and trainings are geared towards those in the EL/immigrant space, to help them grow in the area of family and community engagement in schools.

Other times, our articles and trainings are geared towards those in the family engagement field, to help them expand their understanding and reach so that all families, including immigrant and refugee families, are engaged equitably. This is one of those articles.

Here are our top 5 strategies for those in the family engagement field who seek to improve their engagement with immigrant and refugee families.

1. Understand families' backgrounds: It is important to understand the backgrounds and circumstances of the families you are working with. Of course, learning about families' cultures is crucial (think cultural humility, cultural responsiveness, cultural proficiency, or choose your buzz word of the day), but this also means you need to:

Recognize that you are working with immigrant families - not just "EL families," "ESOL families," or "multilingual families." (Note: an immigrant is simply a person who moves to another country permanently. Immigrant ≠ undocumented.) This is important because viewing families simply from a language lens (not to mention a language deficit lens) does not allow one to see families holistically. Being an immigrant means adjusting to a new country and culture through a process of acculturation, seeking a way to balance your cultural roots with your new culture, navigating new structures and systems such as our schools and social service systems, and more. For many immigrant families, it means learning how racism and discrimination operate in the U.S., having family members separated across borders (or recently reunified), enduring loss of extended family and community, and tolerating isolation and loneliness. Imagine you moved to Brazil. Would you want your whole identity to be reduced to being a "Portuguese language learner?" Or would being identified as an American immigrant feel more appropriate for all that you're navigating?

Understand at least a bit about the complex systems many, if not most, immigrant and refugee families are engaged with. For example, are you working with undocumented families who are regularly trying to navigate immigration court or ICE check-ins on their own? What about resettled refugee families who lost a major source of support when the local refugee resettlement agency closed due to the collapse of the U.S. refugee program over the past few years? Knowing the basics of how these systems work will help you better understand the lived experiences of many of the families your school or district is seeking to engage.

2. Language access: this means providing parents with equal access to information and opportunities, regardless of language. According to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and many other subsequent Executive Orders, memos, and laws, schools must communicate information to limited English proficient parents in a language they can understand about any program, service, or activity that is called to the attention of parents who are proficient in English. Before your eyes glaze over with the legalese, let me say: Apps that translate are not enough. If you are working as a family engagement professional in your district and there is little to no infrastructure for interpretation (oral) and translation (written) services, this should be one of your top advocacy endeavors. With a quarter of children in the U.S. having at least one immigrant parent, this is crucial for equitable engagement! In many districts, COVID-19 has really brought this issue to the forefront and it is crucial that we all work on building systems to address this massive equity concern. See our previous blog post for guidance on how to fulfill interpretation and translation requirements.

3. Remember all of your immigrant communities, not just the Latino / Hispanic community. Yes, it is Hispanic Heritage Month and yes, for most of us, our largest immigrant population is Spanish-speaking, BUT many of us have students and families from 50-100+ countries and/or language backgrounds! To my colleagues in the family engagement field: what systems are you putting in place in engage with these communities? What staffing are you considering? What unique communication and outreach strategies are you implementing?

4. Partner with your local immigrant and refugee community-based organizations as well as faith-based institutions that serve this population. This is crucial for outreach, communication, collaborating on out-of-school time programming, trust-building, and more. These are the agencies that immigrant and refugee families know and trust! These organizations often have staff from the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of those they serve. If you work in family and community engagement for your district and don't know who these organizations are, figuring this out needs to be a top priority. You can figure this out by:

Asking immigrant/refugee families in your district if there are any organizations in the community that help them. Be sure to ask about faith-based institutions, such as mosques, temples, etc.

Check with your State Refugee Coordinator to find out if there are any refugee-serving agencies in your area.

Google (and/or use Facebook to find) what you're looking for. For example, I googled "Somali community organization Columbus Ohio" and quickly found an organization called the "Somali Community Association of Ohio."

5. Create welcoming schools through policies, staff training, and high expectations. Work to combat the anti-immigrant sentiment that exists, to some degree, in nearly all communities, and therefore, all school districts. Tackle it proactively! Assume it is there and work to make all immigrant families as welcome as possible. See this video about how immigrant and refugee parents in Aurora, Colorado advocated to make sure Aurora Public Schools adopted a resolution to ensure that all schools are safe and welcoming to all students and families regardless of immigration status. Also, check out Welcoming America's guide on Building Welcoming Schools.

If family engagement professionals keep these five strategies in mind, school and district engagement with immigrant and refugee families and communities will undoubtedly improve.

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Top 5 Strategies for Engaging Immigrant and Refugee Families for Family Engagement Professionals

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As anyone who reads this blog knows, many of our posts are about family and community engagement in schools. We are passionate about bringing together the English Learner (EL, ESL, ELL, multilingual, immigrant, refugee, etc) field with the family engagement field.

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How to Support Refugee Students in Your School Community

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Note: A special thanks to Bridging Refugee Youth & Children’s Services for their contributions to this article.“An immigrant leaves his homeland to find greener grass. A refugee leaves his homeland because the grass is burning under his feet…”— Barbara Law, More Than Just Surviving Handbook: ESL for…

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How to Support ELL Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFEs)

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SIFEs and SLIFEsAnother related term that educators may see is “Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education” (SLIFEs).When immigrant students enroll in a new school, their prior educational experiences may vary widely. Students who have not had an opportunity to attend school or have had multiple interruptions in their education are commonly referred to as “Students with Interrupted Education” (SIFEs).While educating students with interrupted education may seem daunting, they bring numerous talents and strengths to their new schools and communities. And they can indeed obtain a high school diploma with the right kind of support and go on to future academic and professional success.In fact, each spring, we read about SIFEs who are at the top of their class or who have been chosen to give a commencement speech, such as Juliane Lukambo, who spent her early years in a refugee camp before coming to the U.S. and graduating as class valedictorian. And, in this video clip, Canadian ELL expert Paula Markus talks about a special Somali student who had also been in a refugee camp before arriving in her classroom. Today, the world knows him as the artist K’naan.This article provides a profile of SIFEs and their needs, recommendations of best practices, and examples of the kinds of quality support and resources that will accelerate their academic achievement.A warm welcome for immigrant families in the front officeNorieah Ahmed, the Child Accounting Secretary at Salina Elementary School in Dearborn, MI, talks about her role in welcoming newcomer immigrant families to the school from the moment they walk in the door. Who are SIFEs?While there are some general characteristics that SIFEs share, students’ situations will vary widely:Some SIFEs may be refugees fleeing violence or conflicts, while others may have had interrupted schooling due to poverty, migration, or crises such as natural disasters.Some SIFEs may have had no schooling, while others may have had some education or long gaps in their education.Many are English language learners (ELLs), but some may come from countries where English is a primary language.Students who come from the same country and speak the same language may have had vastly different experiences related to schooling.For this reason, it is crucial to learn about each individual student in order to identify their strengths and needs. You can learn more about specific characteristics in the articles below. And you read more about how different states define SIFEs from this data map.Related resources10 Things You Need to Learn About Your English Language LearnersStudents with Interrupted Formal Education: Understanding Who They Are (American Educator)Unaccompanied Children in Schools: What You Need to KnowIndigenous Students from Latin America in the United StatesPartnering with Indigenous Families from Latin America (Outreach videos in Spanish, English, and Mam)Where do SIFEs come from?SIFEs may come from countries where poverty, disaster, and civil unrest affect the development of literacy and opportunities for education. According to UNESCO, the number of children missing out on any schooling now numbers 250 million, according to figures released in 2023.Students may also come from countries where persecution or strict rules about gender, social class, or ethnicity prevented them from attending school. Girls in many nations still don’t have equal access to education, which is particularly concerning in nations where girls can only attend classes taught by women. UNICEF estimates that 129 million girls are out of school worldwide.In addition, SIFEs may have been born or raised in a developed nation but in impoverished circumstances that affect their family’s stability. For example, many migrant workers in the U.S. move frequently based on agricultural seasons, and as a result their children move from one to school to another, making it nearly impossible for children to stay caught up with their peers.What are SIFEs’ strengths?It’s critical to identify SIFEs’ strengths and talents, as well as the value of their unique perspectives and life experiences. These strengths make include resilience, resourcefulness and responsibility, as well as their multilingual skills, which they may be using to translate for their families. Starting with an asset-based perspective can make an important difference helping students get settled. In addition, it can provide more opportunities to connect content and learning opportunities to students’ background knowledge. You can find additional ideas in Using a Strengths-Based Approach with ELs: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic Stress.Principal Nathaniel Provencio: The gifts that ELLs bring to schoolPrincipal Nathaniel Provencio talks about some of the gifts that ELLs bring to schools, including multilingualism and emotional intelligence. Enrolling SIFEsIt’s important to ensure that all staff working with SIFEs understand the following:K-12 students in the United States have the legal right to enroll in a public school, regardless of their immigration status or that of their caretakers and family members.Families have a legal right to enroll their children in school in the maximum age set by each state even if they have recently arrived in the country and even if they do not have documents like birth certificates.Many families may be living in shelters or in unstable housing; these students may have additional rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Educating SIFEs in Dearborn, MIThe Salina neighborhood in Dearborn, Michigan has long been home to diverse immigrant communities who came to work in Detroit’s factories. Today, many of the families who live in the neighborhood are from the war-torn country of Yemen, and as a result, students of all ages have experienced violence, hardship, and family separation. In addition, educators at Salina Elementary and Intermediate Schools have noticed that the longer the conflict has continued, the less schooling students have had by the time they arrive in Dearborn.Both schools have developed robust partnerships with families and wrap-around services and activities for students. They have also gone to great lengths to create and maintain calm, welcoming environments within the school and ensure that all staff are trained in culturally and linguistically responsive practice, as well as trauma-informed practice. Since the schools are serving the same families, they also work closely together to reach families more effectively. To learn more about Salina, see Colorín Colorado’s award-winning film, You Are Welcome Here.What do SIFEs need?When students who have grown up with little or no education experience enroll in U.S. schools, they have much more to learn than a new language; in order to be fully functional at school, they need to learn how to:read and writecomplete assignments and follow instructionsuse school suppliesfollow a school scheduletake the businteract with students from different culturesparticipate in school activitiesAll of this is happening while they adjust to a new country and new social norms and possibly take on family responsibilities such as working, caring for younger siblings, or doing a significant share of housework. They also may have experienced trauma and need mental health support or additional social and emotional support.Older siblings’ responsibilities during family separationTeacher Diana Alqadhi discusses the responsibilities her students have when caring for younger siblings during extended family separations. What makes SIFEs’ needs unique?While needs of the SIFE population may overlap with those of ELLs in some ways, SIFEs are likely to need additional support and instruction. In an article adapted from their book about SIFEs, Brenda Custodio and Judith B. O’Loughlin write, “Students with interrupted education need specialized programming and assistance, above and beyond what is normally provided to ELLs.“They continue, “This belief is supported in a recent statement from WIDA...about SIFE: ‘Students with this background often need their emotional, psychological, and physiological needs to be met before they are able to engage fully in the educational setting.‘“Social and emotional factors impacting SIFEs may include:1. Stress and trauma: SIFEs may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, may be under severe distress, or may be completely overwhelmed by the need to assimilate to a new school environment in a new language. In addition, some SIFEs may have traveled her as unaccompanied minors, alone or carrying for younger relatives, and may be reuniting with family members they have not seen for a long time or have never met.2. Frustration: A SIFE may be very excited to finally attend school regularly, and may have high hopes for his ability to work and support his family; however, the discovery that he is in fact far behind his peers can be a source of great frustration. Even as he makes great academic progress throughout the year, he is still chasing a moving target because English-speaking, grade-level peers are continuing to learn as well, and the realization that meeting his goals will be harder than expected may be devastating.3. High risk of dropping out: SIFEs are considered to have a high risk for dropping out of high school given the precarious nature of their relationship with school.While these reasons present numerous challenges to school educators and administrators, students with limited or interrupted schooling can succeed if their school makes a commitment to help them achieve that goal. The following lists of suggestions offer some ideas that educators can implement to support SIFEs throughout the school and in the classroom.Why creating a calm, safe environment matters for students and staffPrincipal Susan Stanley describes how creating a calm and safe environment helps students and staff alike, especially in a school where many students have experienced trauma. 10 Ideas for Teaching SIFEsHere are some things you can do in your classroom to support SIFEs:1. Activate prior knowledge.Once you know what prior information your students have, you can link new information to what they already understand. Not only can this stimulate student motivation, but it can also determine where to start instruction as well as lay out the next steps. Some strategies include: word associations, wordsplash relationships, KWL charts, and anticipation guides.2. Provide a print rich environment.Cover your walls with lots of visuals that correspond to text (maps, charts, signs, posters with motivational phrases, the alphabet in print and script, etc.). Include appropriate texts that are written at a basic reading level, high interest/low ability books, native language materials, and bilingual glossaries.3. Engage students in hands-on learning so students are physically involved.Have students write, illustrate, and record their own books, let them create their own picture dictionaries and flash cards, incorporate drama to act out events and stories, use interactive activities on a SMARTBoard, use manipulatives, reciprocal teaching, and teach to the multiple intelligences. In addition, look for ways to include and support SIFEs in project-based learning.4. Keep the amount of new vocabulary in control. When using new vocabulary or explaining new concepts, you may need to rephrase, define in context, and simplify your explanation so as not to confuse students. Limit your sentence length, but don’t patronize students by raising your voice as if they were hard of hearing. Instead, use intonation and pauses for emphasis.5. Give frequent checks for communication.Try to avoid Yes/No answers. Instead, ask that students summarize what they understood. Increase your wait time, because students will need extra time to process your question, think of the answer, they find the words they need in English.6. When assessing understanding, be open-minded. Provide multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding (instead of writing: explain, act out, discuss, defend, draw, compare, predict, etc.). Emphasize formative assessment versus evaluative assessment and individualize what you ask students to do.7. Allow students to work in cooperative groups.There are a number of ways to support peer learning. Remember to teach the necessary social skills they need to interact productively with one another. Forming skills such as getting into groups, taking turns, and encouraging one another provide the foundation for higher-order thinking in collaborative groups.8. If possible, build the native language content and literacy instruction in order to build on English.Use of graphic organizers is very helpful to make learning visual and incorporate thinking skills, and can be done without any writing. Use reading logs and journals to incorporate reading and writing.9. Use teaching strategies that weave together language and content instruction, such as the SIOP model (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol).Often when SIFE student enroll in a U.S. school, the gaps in their educational record lead to them being placed in remedial courses. While this kind of instruction may be necessary or helpful for some students, native-language instruction and sheltered instruction may provide a viable alternative to remedial instruction (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, p.13).Look for ways to relate material to students’ prior knowledge and experience, and start with the concrete before building up to the abstract. What they don’t have you can try to create for them through visuals or by using technology. In addition, teach students learning strategies that they can use in the future. These strategies may include how to recognize cognates, looking for the heading of a chapter in pre-reading exercises, using a dictionary, or how to take effective notes (p. 28). Remember that SIFEs haven’t learned the basic skills that many students have learned at a young age, and may have no background knowledge in the areas that you expect them to have learned.10. Provide intensive literacy/language instruction.SIFEs will need explicit instruction in literacy skills in an age-appropriate manner, access to literacy-rich environments and print materials, and unified language and content instruction (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, p.30). SIFEs may also benefit from increased time in language development or ESL courses, particularly if the class sizes are small.11. Use culturally and linguistically responsive instruction. Consider how you might make your instruction more culturally and linguistically responsive to reflect students’ home cultures and languages. That might mean tying content to students’ background knowledge or prior experiences, posting some signs in students’ languages with welcoming or useful phrases, and inviting students’ to share their culture with the class.12. Keep your expectations realistic at the beginning of the year.Raise your expectations up as students reach them and keep them high enough that students will stretch to reach for them, but not too high that they give up. If you expect success from your students, supply them with the necessary tools, remain optimistic, and offer to help as they need it, they will gain the self-confidence to be successful.For additional ideas, see WIDA’s Focus Bulletin on SLIFEs.Why Collaboration MattersA collaborative instructional model reinforces student learning and accelerates SIFEs’ academic progress. For elementary-level teachers this may come more easily since classroom teachers are responsible for more than one subject, and they often work collaboratively in grade-level teams. For secondary-level teachers this may be more challenging and may require a review of the instructional system, curriculum and content, school resources, and teacher planning schedules (Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, p.1).In the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition’s Interrupted Formal Schooling Toolkit, DiCerbo and Loop write,Schools that are prepared to meet the needs of students with interrupted formal education do not require classroom teachers or individual resource teachers to take on these responsibilities alone. Instead, administrators, counselors, classroom teachers and resource teachers need to work together to ensure that the students and their families have the necessary information needed to provide school supplies, documentation for meal programs, and other requisites for assimilation. Working together to create a climate of acceptance and accountability ensures that the student’s academic success is secured on many levels. (2003)Regardless of how the collaboration is done or at what grade level, the important thing for teachers to keep in mind is how to continually reinforce new concepts and language in academic instruction and integrate concepts across content areas and language/literacy classes. For example, if students are learning about aquatic life in science, the math teacher can teach mathematical examples that reinforce the scientific concepts while applying math skills, and the language arts teacher can review the language structures and vocabulary used in the math problems and science lessons being taught. Teachers who collaborate have the opportunity to be intentional about the academic language and skills they want students to learn and practice, and they will begin to make connections across content areas to reinforce learning.Eight Ideas for Providing School-Wide Support to SIFEsSchools can support SIFEs in a number of ways. The ability to implement these measures will vary greatly by school and district, as well as by the involvement and investment by administrators, teachers, counselors, and staff. Consider reviewing these ideas with your colleagues to see which suggestions may be viable options in your school.1. Ensure that all chool-wide staff understand SIFEs’ unique experiences and needs.An educational environment that is supportive of SIFEs will have staff members who are well-educated on the needs and backgrounds of their students, and highly attuned to the emotional strain these students may experience as they adjust to a new country, language, and customs. Students may be facing complex identity issues, culture shock, and a sense of loss of having left their home behind, particularly if they didn’t want to move to a new country (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, 2004, p.12). It’s also important for staff to understand students’ legal rights access a public K-12 education, detailed in Immigrant Students’ Legal Rights: An Overview.A supportive environment is often created by one or more of the following:bilingual/bicultural staff from the students’ home countrya teaching staff highly trained in cross-cultural communication, the cultural and historical backgrounds of the students, and instructional methods that are designed to accelerate the academic achievement of SIFEs.student and parent access to support services (ideally in the family’s native language) provided by counselors, tutors, mentors, and parent coordinators. (Walsh, 1991, as cited in Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, p. 10)a buddy system with peers or classmates who can show students around and help them adjust to the daily schedule (p.4)2. Parter with community organizations to provide social and emotional support.Community resources can be a very powerful tool in meeting the needs of SIFEs. SIFEs will benefit greatly from contacts with community resources such as after-school tutoring, job programs, and ethnically/linguistically based community groups. In addition, schools can connect students and families with basic need and services related to health, wellness, housing, food and clothing security, employment services or other areas that can help with resettlement and acclimation in a new community.Isolation and discouragement can be two negative and powerful influences on a SIFE student’s education. The more SIFEs feel connected and supported, the more likely they will be to rebound from health, economic, or cultural challenges. A Newcomer Center is often well-connected with such community resources and likely offers community organization services on-site to the students.3. Look for ways to address students’ trauma and stress. SIFEs may have experienced (and may still be experiencing) trauma, stress, hardship, family separation and other daunting challenges. In order to maximize students’ access to mental health support:Make sure that students and families are aware of any counseling and mental health services that are available.If language access is a barrier, work with administrators to find ways to help families access support in their home languages.Work with family liaisons or community members to come up with some culturally responsive practices to support families’ well-being.If counseling itself isn’t something that families feel comfortable with, talk about other ideas that might be more effective, including supports that are available in group settings. In addition, talk with administrators about whether more staff need training in trauma-informed practice and how to accomplish that training if so.4. Keep in mind that students may have significant responsibilities outside of school.These responsibilities might include caretaking, jobs, or translating for family members. One way to help students manage multiple obligations is through flexible scheduling, which can help support the real needs and obligations of high school immigrants (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, 2004, p.11). A flexible schedule allows students with interrupted schooling the opportunity to balance home and school responsibilities, a chance to spend extra time in school to accelerate learning, and the opportunity to keep working while attending school. Many SIFEs come to the U.S. with the goal of working and financially supporting their families (p.13). Without an education or fluency in English, students may not have a lot of choice as to what kind of job they find or the hours they work. It is common for SIFEs to have to work very late hours or two jobs, and this becomes a barrier to education due to fatigue and conflict with the school schedule.If there comes a point in which the students cannot both work and attend school, they may choose to drop out of school in favor of working without realizing that “the educational sacrifices made for short-term financial gain tend to lead to limited long-term financial success.” (p.13) Schools that can offer “non-traditional” school hours, such as afternoon, evening, or Saturday schedules, will help more SIFEs have access to education. Also, schools that offer longer school hours and a year-round school calendar ensure that there are many opportunities for students to make up for lost time (p.14).5. Consider developing a newcomer center or program within your setting. Newcomer centers and programs are very effective when a district needs to meet the needs of many SIFEs. A newcomer center may provide numerous services included in the newcomer program, such as academic support, language instruction, an introduction to basic school activities and skills, and community resources for immigrant families (Spaulding, Carolino & Amen, p.13). Enrollment in a newcomer program, which is often transitional, allows the student time to adjust to the U.S. educational system in a supportive environment with instructors who understand their needs and have been specially trained to assist in accelerating SIFEs’ academic achievement while monitoring cultural and emotional adjustments.And even as SIFEs learn the basics such as the alphabet or how to hold a pencil, they can also begin developing academic content concepts and language through bilingual or sheltered instruction content courses. When SIFEs leave an effective program at a newcomer center after 1-2 years and transition to a mainstream educational environment, they will be much better prepared to participate successfully.You can learn more about newcomer centers by reaching out to existing newcomer programs and visiting with a team of colleagues to see what they are doing. While some newcomer programs may be school-wide, others are house within traditional school settings as a focused support for newcomers or students with interrupted schooling. You may be able to identify some small steps your school community can take to move in that direction.6. Ensure that SIFEs have specialized guidance counseling.SIFEs need access to ongoing and personalized guidance support, particularly in middle and high school, to help them map out their coursework, the kinds of credits they need to graduate, and their opportunities beyond high school. This will take a very specialized kind of expertise. If there is not a dedicated counselor for newcomers or students with interrupted education in your setting, ensure that the counselors who are working with this population not only have appropriate training but have the persistence and inclination to support SIFEs navigate many kinds of obstacles.7. Provide information about extra-curricular activities. It’s important for SIFEs to become familiar with the extra-curricular activities that schools offer, understand how to sign up and participate, and understand that they are eligible to participate. Activities and sports can be an important bridge for students who can tap into their interests and make new friends.8. Build partnerships that will support students’ future options. It can be very helpful for schools to make a partnership with local businesses, adult basic education, or higher education programs in order to provide a seamless transition for SIFEs who will need more than four years to graduate or are older and will “age-out” before completing high school graduation requirements (p. 11, Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, p. 4). Students are allowed to attend high school until the age determined by their state, and if a connection exists with the adult basic education or local higher education institution, SIFEs are much more likely to continue their education and complete a high school degree. A connection with a local business may also boost students’ confidence and provide opportunities that might not have been available.Related resourcesUsing a Strengths-Based Approach with ELs: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic StressHow Schools Can Partner with ELL Families Who Resettle in Their Community: 10 Strategies for SuccessWorking with Community Organizations to Support ELL StudentsCo-Teaching ELLs: 8 Strategies for SuccessPartnering with Multilingual Families in Brockton, MAClosing ThoughtsAs you work with your students, keep in mind that many came to U.S. ready to get a good education, become successful citizens, and leave a troubled past behind. They may be discouraged and frightened when they find out exactly what is entailed in order to reach their goals.Don’t let frustration and the seemingly insurmountable barriers affect the instruction and support they receive from you or your school. It may take your students longer to achieve what they wanted; they can succeed, however, if they have quality support and continue to believe in themselves.Recommended ResourcesResources from Colorín ColoradoSupporting Newcomer Students: Resource GallerySpecial ELL Populations: Resources and RecommendationsColorín on the Go: 100+ Strategies for Working with ELLs (Colorín on the Go is free web app, and no app store download is needed!)Resources from SupportEdSLIFE Resource Collection: Tools, Courses, Webinars, and ArticlesArchived SLIFE Training and Resources (Maine Department of Education)Resources from Dr. Carol SalvaDr. Carol Salva is an ELL expert based in Texas with extensive experience in serving refugee students and students with interrupted schooling. She has also supported numerous schools in their efforts to partner more effectively with SIFEs and their families.Newcomers at Grade Level and Beyond (Blog)Videos, Interviews, Webinars, and More with Dr. Salva (YouTube)Boosting Achievement: The ESL PodcastSuccess for SLIFE (Padlet)Guides and ReportsWelcoming, Registering, and Supporting Newcomer Students: A Toolkit for Educators of Immigrant and Refugee Students in Secondary Schools (Institute of Education Sciences)Newcomer Toolkit (NCELA)English Learner Tool Kit (OELA)SLIFE: Focus Bulletin (WIDA)Immigrant Students and Secondary School Reform: A Compendium of Best Practices (Council of Chief State School Officers)Students with Interrupted/Inconsistent Formal Education (New York State Resources)ArticlesStudents with Interrupted Formal Education: Understanding Who They Are (American Federation of Teachers)“I Have”, “I Am,” & “I Can.”: Serving Students with Interrupted Formal Education (BRYCS)The Vancouver Sun: A Tough Beginning (featured in the original version of this article)BooksTeaching and Supporting English Learners: A Guide to Welcoming and Engaging NewcomersStudents With Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They NeedPowerful Practices for Supporting English Learners: Elevating Diverse Assets and IdentitiesThe New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant TeensThe School I Deserve: Six Young Refugees and Their Fight for Equality in AmericaMultimediaPodcasts from Teaching MLs with Tan HuynhCreating nurturing newcomer programs w/Lindsey BirdMaking Americans w/ Jessica LanderPamela Broussard: Believing in newcomersVoice of Newcomers w. Dr. Denise FurlongKris Jagasia: The language that older newcomers needEnglish and SLIFE w/ Dr.Luis Javier Pentón HerreraSLIFE: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need w/ Dr. Brenda CustodioFrom SLIFE to principal: Dr. Andrew XiongBridges to Academic Success for SLIFE w/ Dr. Lisa AuslanderSLIFE: What every teacher needs to know w/ Dr. Andrea DeCapuaFilmsI Learn AmericaOrganizations and InitiativesWelcoming Refugees (Office of Refugee Resettlement )Association of Farmworker Opportunity ProgramsBridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (BRYCS)

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Articles, tips, video clips related to student support

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Recommended Resources

This guide shares examples of school systems around the country that have effectively engaged immigrant and refugee families to improve their health and educational experience.

This list of recommended resources includes background information on refugees, information about specific countries and conflicts, classroom resources, and video game simulations for students.

These resources provides background on the civil war that has driven Syrians from the country, as well as on Syrian cultural customs and what Syrians bring to their new communities.

Sesame Workshop and the IRC are currently developing a partnership to deliver early learning and social-emotional support to millions of refugee children in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. You can learn more about the partnership on the Sesame Workshop website, as well as from this NPR story about the work the team is doing to solicit input from "relief organizations, trauma experts, academics, and others who have worked with refugees."

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This guide shares examples of school systems around the country that have effectively engaged immigrant and refugee families to improve their health and educational experience. This list of recommended resources includes background information on refugees, information about specific countries and conflicts, classroom resources, and video game simulations for students.

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Based in the UK, but relevant information

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Blog: EAL Children and the Early Years Sector - The Best Start?

In this blog, Professor Claudine Bowyer-Crane and Dr Silke Fricke look at the achievement gap for EAL pupils in early years, exploring the reality behind the misleading data and what this means for policy.

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The Bell Foundation - Changing lives and overcoming exclusion through language education

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The Bell Foundation is a charity which aims to overcome exclusion through language education by working with partners on innovation, research, training and practical interventions.

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Legal and funding questions regarding educating refugees

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Education and Afghan Newcomers: Keeping the Promise

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Toolkit: Supporting Afghan Students in Schools & Youth Programs in the United States

In the 2021-22 school year and beyond, schools across the United States will enroll significant numbers of children and youth from Afghanistan. These students fled the country after the withdrawal of American military troops and the subsequent fall of the Afghan government on August 15, 2021. While many schools and communities have a long history of welcoming refugee and immigrant students; given the large number of arriving Afghan students and recent traumatic events, educators and school districts may want to do additional preparation.

This toolkit is designed to help educators to:

Develop a well-rounded understanding of the circumstances of newly arrived Afghan students and their families, including the challenges they may face as they seek to adapt to the American education system;

Better understand the Afghan educational systems and possible educational experiences of students;

Name core considerations for working with Afghan students and their families;

Adopt skills and strategies that may be helpful in working with Afghan students and families; and

Access information and resources to support their work.

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Supporting Afghan Students in Schools & Youth Programs in the United States

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In the 2021-22 school year and beyond, schools across the United States will enroll significant numbers of children and youth from Afghanistan. These students fled the country after the withdrawal of American military troops and the subsequent fall of the Afghan government on August 15, 2021.

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Archived Webinar: Welcoming Afghan Students and Families: A Workshop for US Educators

The Refugee Educator Academy at the Center for Learning in Practice, in partnership with Childhood Education International, presented Welcoming Afghan Students & Families, a half-day conference for educators who support Afghan students and families newly arriving in the United States.

The focus of virtual learning event was preparing registrants to provide the support needed to the arriving students and families, ranging from creating a welcoming environment to being aware of mental health concerns.

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Welcoming Afghan Students and Families: A Workshop for US Educators

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The Refugee Educator Academy at the Center for Learning in Practice, in partnership with Childhood Education International, presented Welcoming Afghan Students & Families, a half-day conference for educators who support Afghan students and families newly arriving in the United States. The focus of virtual learning event was preparing registrants to provide the support needed to ...

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Archived Webinar: Educational Experiences of Afghans: Learning from Afghan Refugee Students & Families

This facilitated panel discussion featured Afghan parents and students. It discussed background context, schooling in Afghanistan, research findings related to Afghan refugee high school young women, and implications for practice. The parent and student panel discussion included the following themes:

What are schools like in Afghanistan?

What are some of the challenges for students when they start school in the U.S.?

What are some of the challenges for parents when their children start school in the U.S.? And how can schools involve parents in their children's education?

What can schools do to help Afghan and other refugee students?

What do you want teachers in the U.S. to know about working with Afghan students and families?

For more on research findings, see: Turnbull, Sarah, "A Narrative Inquiry of Afghan Refugee High School Young Women: Experiences and Transnational Literacy Practices from Home Country to Resettlement." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2018. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/mse_diss/92

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Educational Experiences of Afghans: Learning from Afghan Refugee Students & Families

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This facilitated panel discussion featured Afghan parents and students. It discussed background context, schooling in Afghanistan, research findings related to Afghan refugee high school young women, and implications for practice. The parent and student panel discussion included the following themes: What are schools like in Afghanistan?

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Creating a Welcoming and Healing Environment for Newly Arriving Afghan Children and Families

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This webinar, presented by the University of Minnesota, includes four sections including: health literacy and cultural competence; reflections and perspectives; coming with funds of knowledge; and from trauma to resilience.

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Archived Webinar: Welcoming Afghan Refugees

This webinar discussed the recent arrivals of Afghan newcomers to the U.S., as well as ongoing efforts by Muslim Americans to assist this population. Featured speakers included Haris Tarin, Rizwan Jaka, Nila Latif, Rifat Malik, and Yaqub Zargarpur.

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This webinar discussed the recent arrivals of Afghan newcomers to the U.S., as well as ongoing efforts by Muslim Americans to assist this population. Featured speakers included Haris Tarin, Rizwan Jaka, Nila Latif, Rifat Malik, and Yaqub Zargarpur.

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Archived Webinar: Trauma-Informed Care: Understanding and Addressing the Needs of Unaccompanied Children (UC)

This webinar series covered the impact of trauma on children during all phases of their migration journey. Nationally recognized speakers from NCTSN were joined by experts from the Irving Harris Foundation's Professional Development Network to provide best practices for culturally responsive and trauma-informed provision of services. This series featured diverse expertise from the fields of refugee and migrant health, cultural studies, mental health, early childhood development, childhood traumatic stress, trauma-informed systems of care, and secondary traumatic stress. Webinars included:

Culture, the Migration Journey, Trauma and Assessment
In this webinar developed by Lisa Fortuna, MD, Alisa B. Miller, PhD and Saida M. Abdi, MSW, foundational information was offered related to the intersection of culture, the migration journey, trauma and assessment. In addition, recommendations for providing culturally responsive, child-friendly assessment and best practices were shared for working with interpreters for individuals who have direct contact with unaccompanied children (e.g., care provider staff) or work with people with direct contact with unaccompanied children (e.g., supervisors).

Culture, Development, Trauma, and Socio-Cultural Responsive Interventions with Youth Ages 7 and Older
Developed by Javier Rosado, PhD, Susana Rivera PhD, and Luis Flores, MA, this webinar defined traumatic separation and grief and outlines the developmental impacts on youth. Additionally, participants learned how to be responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of youth. Participants learned children's common fears and perceived threats to safety experienced by youth exposed to traumatic events as well as culturally responsive strategies for staff to use when working with youth.

Attachment, Development, Trauma, and Socio-Cultural Responsive Interventions for Young Children
This webinar, developed by Marta Casas LMHC, MEd, Carmen Rosa Noroña LCSW, MSEd and Marcy Safyer, PhD MSW, provided a basic overview of the intersection of early childhood development (0-5), attachment and trauma in young migrant children. Presenters discuss trauma and socio-cultural interventions and engage the audience in reflections about best practices and practice-change with this population.

Secondary Traumatic Stress: Understanding the Impact of Trauma Work on Professionals
Developed by Raven Cuellar, PhD, Carmen Rosa Noroña, LCSW, Ms. Ed., Ginny Sprang, PhD, and Savina Treves, MA, LPC this webinar defined Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), described how the sociocultural context and the experience of migration may impact the experience of STS, and outlined specific strategies to strengthen protective factors to prevent, identify, and address STS in the workplace. Through case examples, participants learned who is at risk, organizational and individual factors related to STS, and how to approach support staff wellness.

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Trauma-Informed Care: Understanding and Addressing the Needs of Unaccompanied Children (UC)

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This webinar series covered the impact of trauma on children during all phases of their migration journey. Nationally recognized speakers from NCTSN were joined by experts from the Irving Harris Foundation's Professional Development Network to provide best practices for culturally responsive and trauma-informed provision of services.

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Archived Webinar: Who are the Afghan Newcomers? Understanding the Background and Socio-cultural Strengths and Needs of Afghan Evacuees to the United States

Hosted on October 26, 2021, this training was delivered by Farid Saydee, President of Language Mentors International; Durana Saydee, Research Associate with Language Mentors International; Haris Tarin, Sr. Policy Advisor, Dept. of Homeland Security; Rosalind Ghafar Rogers, Consultant with U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI); and Wais Khairandesh, Mental Health Therapist.

This webinar provided an overview of events leading to the displacement of Afghan newcomers to the U.S. (also known as evacuees from Afghanistan). It also covered the social and cultural aspects that distinguish this population from other refugee groups in the United States. This foundational information was designed to help participants be better positioned to properly support newly arrived Afghans through services that align with their socio-cultural strengths and needs. Attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions of a panel composed of qualified experts on the topic.

This webinar is aimed at all resettlement service providers who will be working with incoming Afghan clients, including humanitarian parolees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, and others. The webinar is also beneficial for community members who are interested in learning about the latest developments in Afghanistan and the various intersecting struggles Afghan new arrivals may face post-resettlement, for the purposes of easing and facilitating their transition to life in the U.S.

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

Define "Afghan newcomers" and recognize the events that have led to their displacement;

Name basic cultural guidelines related to "do's" and "don'ts" when interacting with Afghan clients;

Name expectations and misconceptions about resettlement services in the United States that you may encounter among Afghan clients; and

Communicate with the Afghan newcomers more effectively using provided tips and guidelines.

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Who are the Afghan Newcomers? Understanding the Background and Socio-cultural Strengths and Needs of Afghan Evacuees to the United States

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Hosted on October 26, 2021, this training was delivered by Farid Saydee, President of Language Mentors International; Durana Saydee, Research Associate with Language Mentors International; Haris Tarin, Sr. Policy Advisor, Dept. of Homeland Security; Rosalind Ghafar Rogers, Consultant with U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI); and Wais Khairandesh, Mental Health Therapist.

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This 20-minute course seeks to expand awareness, deepen understanding, and develop resources that will be useful in the classroom to cultivate harmony and belonging as part of larger efforts to welcome and fully integrate newcomers into our communities. This particular course targets educators within Europe (although it is open to educators everywhere). This course builds upon the Teaching about Refugees Toolkit.

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Teaching for Refugees: Building Knowledge

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This 20-minute course seeks to expand awareness, deepen understanding, and develop resources that will be useful in the classroom to cultivate harmony and belonging as part of larger efforts to welcome and fully integrate newcomers into our communities. This particular course targets educators within Europe (although it is open to educators everywhere).

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UNHCR - Teaching refugees

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Of the 19.9 million refugees under our care, 7.4 million are of school age. Their access to education is limited, with 4 million unable to attend school.

The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants pinpoints education as a critical element of the international refugee response. Furthermore, Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to deliver "inclusive and quality education for all and to promote lifelong learning".

UNHCR partners with governments and international organisations to ensure quality protective education for refugee children and young people everywhere. Together with your help, they can learn how to rebuild their lives.

Education is a basic human right, enshrined in the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Education protects refugee children and youth from forced recruitment into armed groups, child labour, sexual exploitation and child marriage. Education also strengthens community resilience.

Education empowers by giving refugees the knowledge and skills to live productive, fulfilling and independent lives.

Education enlightens refugees, enabling them to learn about themselves and the world around them, while striving to rebuild their lives and communities.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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Of the 19.9 million refugees under our care, 7.4 million are of school age. Their access to education is limited, with 4 million unable to attend school. The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants pinpoints education as a critical element of the international refugee response.

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ASYNCHRONOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

We have partnered with English Learner Portal to provide online courses relevant to teachers, administrators, school counselors, social workers, family engagement professionals, and more!

"I really enjoyed Laura's training. It was thorough, backed by data, but also had good real world examples that help me understand what various English learners go through. I have worked with the immigrant community for 10 years now and still learned a lot for her training: from the educational laws that talk about translation to various programs that already exist to meet the needs of these communities. Laura's teaching style is well paced, clear and anecdotal, which I like." - Adriana Salcedo, School Social Worker, Washington DC

"Laura Gardner has provided four workshop presentations for our undergraduate and graduate education students. Her presentations were wonderful! She engaged the students and provided them with valuable information. She is very knowledgeable, motivated and motivating, and an excellent speaker." -Dr. Silvana Watson, Ph.D. Old Dominion University

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"Laura's online class on immigrant family engagement was so interesting, enjoyable, and immediately relevant to my current work. I completed the course with a ton of valuable resources to share with fellow teachers, staff, and families! Thank you SO much!!!" - Educator from Delaware

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"I highly recommend Laura as a trainer and resource for supporting teams who would like to learn more about developing partnerships with immigrant and refugee families. Laura's professional development training for our statewide network of family engagement professionals on Building Partnerships with Immigrant and Refugee Families was excellent. She is extremely well-versed and passionate about this topic, and she took the time to tailor her presentation to our state with important statistics, national resources, and local contacts. The supplemental materials and pre-training videos/articles she provided allowed those at the training to have important, informed discussions about working with immigrant and refugee families in their region. We all walked away with ideas for how to strengthen practices within our organizations." - Dr. Barbara Boone, Coordinator of the Ohio Family and Community Engagement Network, The Ohio State University

"Thank you! This was an amazing training. I have loved the conversations and experiences! I have grown personally and professionally. I will now be more culturally aware teacher. I will integrate things that make my immigrant students feel more 'at home.'" - Educator in Maryland

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"NOT ALL TRAINERS ARE EQUAL. There is such a thing as a "trainer of trainers", and I can unequivocally say that Laura Gardner has gained my respect for such a title. A true sign of a trainer is to lead and a true quality of leadership is to be able to serve. Laura has tirelessly worked with the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) by providing her expertise to help me and my team to organize and hold two successful EL roundtable sessions, one with EL practitioners and our most recent one with EL parents. Her advice and insight into the needs and challenges confronting our EL community has assisted our office to plan and successfully deliver two of the most productive roundtable sessions that our office has ever held. Laura is a leader who demonstrates her leadership skills while serving others." - Samuel Lopez, Ph.D. Senior Education Program Specialist, OELA Special Initiatives Lead, U.S. Department of Education

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"I have a Master's in TESL and learned a few things from Laura's online course on immigrant family engagement! Particularly on the differences between interpretation and translation, and how important family engagement is. I am hoping to implement some of these best practices at my school!"

- Educator from Massachusetts

CONTACT ME

Have a particular challenge you're trying to deal with? Contact me today and see what I can do for you. Take a look at our catalog, too!

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Immigrant Connections: Supporting Educators & Organizations

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We offer Consulting for Family & Community Engagement in Schools, Language Access, Cultural Competency, Equity, Refugee Resettlement, Immigrant Integration, Mental Health and More.

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The Cultural Atlas team acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands throughout Australia on whose country we have the privilege to live and work. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander custodians past, present and emerging.

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The Cultural Atlas aims to inform and educate the public in cross-cultural attitudes, practices, norms, behaviours, communications and business skills

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One pager on newcomers in secondary school

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One pager on newcomers in secondary school

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Welcome to your information hub for empowering immigrant children and their families. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) aims to strengthen the capacity of refugee-serving and mainstream organizations across the U.S. to empower and ensure the successful development of refugee children, youth, and their families.

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Resources to support Refugee resettlement

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With the support of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), we offer tools and materials, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance on resettlement-related topics. Learn more →

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With the support of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), we offer tools and materials, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance on resettlement-related topics. Learn more →

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A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners