The Importance of Strategic School-Community Partnerships to Serve Immigrant-Origin Newcomer Youth

• In Event: Imagining Sites of Possibility in Immigrant and Refugee Education

Abstract

Background and purpose
Migration is a transformative process with profound implications for the academic and socioemotional development of immigrant youth. Newcomer students come to school with a myriad of strengths and challenges. Under-resourced schools, who serve disproportionate numbers of newcomer students, cannot address their needs alone. This paper provides findings from an examination of schools who utilize strategic partnerships to employ rich with innovations and “work arounds” within the confines of restrictive district, state and national policies of standardization and unequal funding formulas to attend to the socioemotional and academic needs of the newcomer youth they serve.

Theoretical framework
This study is informed by Spencer’s (1997) Phenomenological Variant of Ecological System Theory (PVEST), which situates adolescent development within an identity focused cultural-ecological perspective, framing normative development through the interaction of identity, experience, and context. Particularly important for the study of diverse populations of immigrant youth, PVEST provides for a culturally sensitive developmental model that does not grant privilege to one perspective of development over another as normative. Within the model, this study focused on the kinds of supports schools provide to newcomer youth.

Research design
The study followed a qualitative multiple-case study approach examining seven schools in the US and Sweden with exemplary reputations for serving diverse newcomer immigrant students. Using multiple cases allowed for comparison of similar and contrasting approaches to the kinds of strategic partnerships they participated in to serve the specific needs of the youth enrolled in their schools.

Participants, data collection, and analysis
The data sources of the study consisted of (1) semi-structured interviews and focus groups with school administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and service providers; (2) ethnographic interviews and focus groups with students; and (3) document review of official materials related to services provided. Within- and cross-case analyses were conducted to generate codes and identify the similarities and differences across the cases as well as common themes.

Conclusions/recommendations
Findings indicated that the schools strategically sought out a broad spectrum of partnerships aimed to contribute to academic competencies, youth development, civic engagement, and college and career pathway knowledge. Schools often diversified funding sources to sustain programs and formed locally based, community partnerships where resources can be shared. Instability in funding resources to sustain efforts posed a constant threat to creating and maintaining partnerships. Community school models were particularly well positioned to provide social and family supports, and community partnerships strengthened the trust between the schools and families. Furthermore, findings indicated that success relied upon the instructional leadership of an administrator with a deep understanding of the needs of immigrant students, and who could successfully cultivate strong relationships between service providers, faculty and families. Too often, partnerships have been undervalued because it is difficult to make causal claims that these supports directly influence narrow measures of student achievement. Findings from this study suggest partnerships are an integral part of a coherent strategy for schools serving immigrant students and their families.

Author

• Margary Martin, University of Hawaii at Hilo