Resources
Newcomer students and families have a variety of complex needs. To provide support and ensure a successful educational experience, the Refugee Student Support (RSS) recommends that local education agencies (LEAs):
Develop awareness of newcomers in the community,
Prepare for newly-arriving families, and
Collaborate with resettlement agencies and other community organizations.
General Education Resources
- U.S. Department of Education: Welcoming and Enrolling Students - Developed and compiled by the U.S. Department of Education, this webpage provides newcomer students and families as well as educators and education leaders with guides, toolkits, and webinars related to the education of newcomer students.
- Educational Services for Immigrant Children and Those Recently Arrived to the United States - This webpage developed by the U.S. Department of Education provides essential information and resources for newly arriving students, families, and those who support them.
- Educational Resources for Immigrants, Refugees, Asylees and other New Americans - This webpage developed by the U.S. Department of Education is "dedicated to providing information and resources for immigrant, refugee, and asylee students and families."
- Resource Guide: Supporting Undocumented Youth - This online resource guide from the U.S. Department of Education is intended "to assist and enhance State and local efforts to support undocumented youth at the secondary and postsecondary school levels."
- Supporting the Education of Immigrant Students Experiencing Homelessness - This brief provided by the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) provides explanations, guidance, and strategies for supporitng the unique needs of newcomer and other immigrant students experiencing homelessness.
- Switchboard - Switchboard is a website the "provides tools, learning opporunities, research, and technical assistance covering a range of topics related to the newcomer experience" and can be accessed by anyone.
- Bridging Refugee Youth & Children's Services (BRYCS) - BRYCS is an online resource which "aims to stregthen the capacity of refugee-serving and mainstreat organizations across the U.S. to empower and ensure the successful development of refugee children, youth, and thier families."
Additional resources coming soon!
Federal and State Resources and Policy Letters
- Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) - An office within the Office of the Administration for Children & Families, the Office of Refugee Resettlement "helps new populations maximize their potential in the United States by linking them to critical resources that assist them in becoming integrated members of American society."
- Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program - A program within the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program "supports refugees and other eligible beneficiaries with successful transition to life in the United States through transitional benefits and services and the coordination of public and private resources."
Additional resources coming soon!
Resettlement Agencies in Arizona
- What is a "resettlement agency"?
- Refugees selected for resettlement in the United States are sponsored by a non-profit resettlement agency. Here in Arizona, four resettlement agencies support refugee individuals and families with intial services upon arrival. In addition to these initial services, resettlement agencies continue to serve and support refugees through the provision of services and supports related to topics such as housing, cultural orientation, enrollment and success in school, employment, medial and legal services, and case management. More about the role or resettlement agencies can be found on the U.S. Department of State website.
- There are currently four resettlement agencies currently supporting refugee individuals and families in Arizona: