Educational Justice for Undocumented Students: How School Counselors Encourage Student Retention in School

• In Event: 29.025 - Perceptions of Distributed Leadership and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

The objectives of this paper are to 1.) learn how school counselors conceptualize what ‘advocacy’ for students from undocumented immigrant families means, 2.) explore the practices school counselors use to promote student retention; and 3.) understand how counselors do or do not communicate their efforts with school leaders. Counselors work closely with students, their families, and school personnel to advocate for student success by connecting them to information and resources. School leaders are uniquely positioned to impact schooling contexts, learning environments, and structures that students from undocumented families need to succeed in school. Together, school leaders and counselors can develop strong, trusting school-student partnerships and disperse their knowledge to change educational and life opportunities of students from undocumented immigrant families.

Authors

• Emily R. Crawford, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Fernando Valle, Texas Tech University