Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in the United States: Preparing for Their Education in an Age of Accountability

• In Event: 35.055 - Community Resistance to the Forced Separation of Migrant Children

Abstract

Purpose
Unaccompanied immigrant children require intensive educational and supportive services from the school districts. Research suggests that unaccompanied immigrant children are exposed to complex levels of trauma throughout the separation and (sometimes) reunification processes (Chen & Gill, 2015; Jaycox et al., 2002). A review of the limited research available about both apprehended and undetected unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S. suggests that these young people tend to have varied and often very complicated educational and socio-emotional needs that impede their ability to achieve their educational potential. In recent years, the number of unaccompanied immigrant children coming to the U.S. has increased dramatically (U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2017).
The recent Trump policies to separate these children from their detained parents and house them at specific border locations means local school districts must be keenly aware of the additional challenges they will face. School districts are tasked with the responsibility to ensure there are adequate support systems in place, which will be designed to address these unique challenges. While the Texas Education Agency (TEA) classifies a student at-risk based on a system of thirteen identifiers, it is not uncommon for unaccompanied immigrant children to be identified with five or more at-risk factors with consistency. Most will likely demonstrate English language proficiency be homeless, and have been placed into an emergency facility which give them three at-risk factors before even addressing their academic aptitude. A study of newly-arrived immigrants found that they displayed higher levels of interpersonal, socioemotional, health and substance abuse issues compared to their non-immigrant peers (Sulkowski, 2017).
School leaders have responded to the separation of family members. Tornillo Independent School District (ISD) superintendent, Rosy Vega-Barrio stated, “…we ask our administration to please consider the human aspect of what we are encountering…the effects on our children will be tremendous.” Ysleta ISD Superintendent Dr. Xavier De La Torre echoes his concern, “…from the most fundamental place, I believe it’s wrong to separate children from a loved one. There will be adverse detrimental implications in the development of these children who hopefully one day will attend one of our school districts.”
Due to the increased levels of academic, health, and socio-emotional issues associated with unaccompanied immigrant children, the impact on their educational performance and behavior in school is profound. Traumatic experiences in childhood can negatively impact concentration, ability to process information, and other basic skills necessary for children to be successful in school (Porche, Fortuna, Lin & Alegria, 2011). Increased suspensions and expulsions, a result of disruptive classroom behaviors stemming from the inability to self-regulate emotions and behavior, are also a daily reality for students. Many newly-arrived unaccompanied immigrant children have limited consistent formal education experience and in many cases, are more likely to have limited literacy skills in their native language and be several grade levels behind their peers. Unfortunately, despite the specific educational needs relating to trauma, language, and education disruption, schools may not provide the supports and services necessary to support them (Advocates for Children of New York, 2010).

Authors

• Orlando Alberto Garcia, El Paso Community College

• Dr. Angela M Reyna, Ysleta Independent School District