Welcoming, Registering, and Supporting Newcomer Students: A Toolkit for Educators of Immigrant and Refugee Students in Secondary Schools

This resource is intended to help educators identify and use research-based practices, policies, and procedures for welcoming, registering, and supporting newcomer immigrant and refugee students who are attending secondary schools in the United States, as well as their families (grades 6-12). The toolkit defines newcomers as students who were born outside the United States and who have arrived in the country within the past three years. Meeting the educational and social needs of these students is an ongoing challenge for educators and community stakeholders across the country (Faltis & Arias, 2007; Lucas, 1997; Rance-Roney, 2009; Ruiz-de-Velasco & Fix, 2000; Short & Boyson, 2012; Umansky et al., 2018). This toolkit is designed for educators in a variety of roles, who can use it in different ways. It can help district administrators develop, implement, and improve research-based practices, policies, and procedures for newcomers and offer related professional development for district and school personnel. Teachers and school counselors who direct and work in newcomer programs can use this toolkit to adopt research-based practices to support newcomer immigrant and refugee students and their families