After the Election: Answering Immigrant Students’ Questions

By

(2024)

Educators, students, and families may have questions following the 2024 election. This will likely be a time of uncertainty for many immigrant families. While it is impossible to predict what will happen in the future, here are some steps that schools can take to support students' well-being and foster partnerships with families.

Note: All K-12 students have a right to attend public school, regardless of their immigration status or that of their family members.

Gathering as a Team

Work with colleagues and administrators, including family liaisons, to:

Identify ways to let all students and families know they are welcome, valued members of your community
Prevent and address any bullying of ELLs and immigrant students
Tap into the skills of staff trained to support the social and emotional well-being of students (i.e. social workers, school counselors, school nurses, etc.)
Create and strengthen procedures for supporting students' emotions, such as steps to take when a student is upset, identifying whom students should speak with, and providing resources for emotional support
Ensure ELLs are included in daily social and emotional learning (SEL) activities and routines

In the Classroom

Some students, including younger children, may have personal concerns related to immigration. These may manifest in many ways, such as being very quiet, being disruptive, feeling sick, and more.

Continuously support students to feel safe, welcome and supported in your classroom.
Consider spending time with students one-on-one and in small groups.
When students express concern about an uncertain future, acknowledge the difficulty of uncertainty, offer coping strategies, and consult with school counselors, psychologists, or other support staff for additional guidance. It's also helpful to involve the school team to develop a coordinated approach to support students.

Looking Ahead

As a school community, create a team to:

Identify resources for families, such as information about community organizations that can answer their questions
Offer training to help the school community effectively communicate with multilingual families with immigrant students and families

Finally, keep in mind that immigrant families' concerns can impact their sense of safety and well-being; these concerns can also impact student attendance and enrollment in school programs and services. Yet the stronger your relationships with multilingual students and families, the more effectively you can address questions as they arise. Strengthening our relationships and communication with students and their families is key to proactively promoting safety and fostering a sense of belonging.

Related Resources

Special thanks to Colorín Colorado advisors Susan Lafond and Dr. Debbie Zacarian for their contributions to this article.

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