Refugee Children School Impact Grant (RCSIG) Description
PURPOSE OF THE GRANT
In the Refugee Act of 1980, P.L. No. 96-212, Congress codified and strengthened the United States’ historic policy of aiding individuals fleeing persecution in their homelands. The Refugee Act of 1980 provided a formal definition of “refugee.”
“Any person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.”
The Refugee Act provided the foundation for the development of an Office of Refugee Resettlement (OPR) within the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. OPR’s mission is to assist refugees and other special populations, in obtaining economic and social self-sufficiency in their new homes in the United States.
The office of Refugee Resettlement established the Refugee Children School Impact Grant Program that provides for some of the costs of educating refugee children incurred by local school districts in which significant numbers of refugee children reside. School districts use the grant to fund activities that will lead to the effective integration and education of refugee children. These funds may not be used to supplant other Federal resources.
Eligible Populations: School-age refugees between the ages 5 and 18 years of age.
Mission
To ensure that all Refugee Students have access to qualified teachers, and other support staff, who are prepared to meet the diverse needs of refugee students.
Resources
- Center for Health and Health Care in Schools
- Community Outreach & Advocacy for Refugees
- Catholic Charities Community Services
- Administration for Children & Families-Office of Refugee Resettlement
- Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (BRYCS)
- Arizona Department of Economic Security – Refugee Resettlement Program
- Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning
- International Rescue Committee
- The Florence Project
- Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona
- Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest
- Arizona Center on Aging
- English Language Training classes for Refugees
Contact Information
Highly Effective School Division
Special Populations
Arizona Department of Education
Frank Migali
Interim State Coordinator for Refugee Education
Phone: 602-542-4963
Fax: 602-542-5175
Email: frank.migali@azed.gov
Dr. Ann Hart
Deputy Associate Superintendent
Phone: (602) 364-1971
Email: ann.hart@azed.gov
