Schools are critical supports for refugee and newcomer children, youth, and families as they adjust to life in the United States, serving as important spaces for learning, connection, stability, and access to services and supports. Refugee and newcomer students may experience challenges related to interrupted education, language barriers, cultural adjustment, trauma, discrimination, and navigating unfamiliar educational systems. At the same time, they bring significant resilience, strengths, multilingual abilities, and diverse experiences to their schools and communities.  

The resources in this section are designed to help educators and other service providers better understand the educational rights and needs of refugee and newcomer students and families, and create safe, welcoming, and culturally responsive learning environments where newcomer youth can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.