http://www.colorincolorado.

org

How to Support Immigrant Students and Families:

Summary Guide
Introduction
Across the country, educators are looking for ways to support immigrant students and families
facing great uncertainty. In response, Colorín Colorado has produced an in-depth guide, How to
Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs,
which presents more than 50 strategies along with tips, resources, videos, related research,
examples from the field, and reflection questions.

The following summary provides an overview of each section of the guide. The full guide is
available online (http://www.colorincolorado.org/guide/immigration), as well as in a PDF
format.

Seeking legal guidance

This guide includes numerous resources that provide useful information for schools and
educators. While some of those resources include advocacy information, Colorín Colorado and
our parent organization, public broadcasting station WETA-TV-FM, do not take political
positions or participate in political advocacy.

In addition, the information in this guide should not be interpreted as legal advice. Any
individual or organization seeking legal advice related to immigration issues should consult with
the appropriate attorneys, local government officials, or non-profit organizations specializing in
immigration law. We also remind educators not to provide legal advice.

About Colorín Colorado

Colorín Colorado is a free, bilingual website that provides research-based information,
activities, and advice for the families and educators of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín
Colorado is based at public broadcasting station WETA in Washington, DC and is funded by our
founding partner, the American Federation of Teachers, as well as the National Education
Association.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Highlights: Top Ten Strategies

Our guide on supporting immigrant families includes more than 50 strategies for schools and
early childhood centers. Here are some of the most important ones to keep in mind.

Help families keep their emergency contact information updated. This step can make the
difference in whether a child goes home with a known caregiver if a family member is detained.
Remind all families to update their contact information regularly.

Ensure all staff understand immigrant students’ rights. All K-12 staff (and particularly staff
who enroll families) have an obligation to protect students' privacy and civil rights, as well as
their access to an education, regardless of immigration status.

Let all students and families know that they are welcome. A welcoming environment that
celebrates students’ cultures and encourages family leadership creates a strong foundation for
relationships, as well as for addressing challenges.

Create different channels for communication in families’ languages. Schools must

communicate in families’ preferred language. Identifying families’ preferred means of contact
can also help schools communicate more effectively and efficiently.

Become familiar with relevant immigration policies so that you can answer questions.
This may include “sensitive locations guidance” (which directs immigration enforcement to
avoid activity in certain public spaces like schools and early childhood centers), district policies
on immigration enforcement, discipline policies, and other related program/local/state policies.
Ideally, all staff should understand these policies.

Connect families with resources and provide opportunities for them to ask questions.
It is critical to hear from your families about their questions and concerns before determining
what kind of support will be most useful. This step will help identify which resources are
appropriate to share in ways that follow district guidelines.

Reach out to community organizations that serve your families. Community partners can
provide valuable support, insight, and volunteers, especially on issues related to meeting
students’ basic needs and connecting families to legal resources.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Learn how stress, anxiety, and trauma impact students of all ages. The impacts of these
stressors will vary by age. Learn how different kinds of stressors affect students in your age
group; become familiar with age-appropriate forms of self-expression and social-emotional
support; and take steps to prevent and address bullying.

Learn more about the ways immigration issues impact students. Immigration policies
affect students in complex ways that students may not discuss openly. Learn more about the
immigration issues that may impact your students and families, and how to extend that
conversation to your school, program, or community.

Provide opportunities for staff to collaborate, debrief, and recharge. Collaboration gives
staff the chance to draw upon different perspectives and expertise – which leads to more
effective support for students and families. In addition, providing social-emotional support for
staff working on challenging issues (or who are impacted by those issues themselves) can help
the team sustain their work throughout the year.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Immigrant Students’ Legal Rights: An Overview

Summary
Learn about immigrant students' rights, school districts' obligations to protect those rights, and
resources that districts have developed to share information about those rights with the public.

Strategies
 Ensure all staff understand immigrant students’ rights
 Review and update enrollment policies / forms
 Protect student privacy
 Find out what resources your district and state have available about serving immigrant
students

Key Takeaways
 All students have a right to free, public K-12 education, regardless of their immigration
status, or that of their parents.
 Schools have an obligation to protect students’ civil and privacy rights regardless of
students’ immigration status. Schools should not ask about immigration status for
purposes of enrollment and should review registration forms for unnecessary or
inappropriate questions.
 School districts or states might have helpful guidance and resources on this issue.

See this information online

Immigrant Students’ Rights: An Overview
 Online article: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/rights
 Download pdf: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/rights-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Making Students and Families Feel Welcome

Summary
Learn how schools can help make all families feel welcome within the school, why these
messages matter, and how to build upon immigrant families’ experiences and strengths.

Strategies
 Let all families know that they are welcome
 Create a welcoming school environment
 Get to know students and families
 Learn more about special populations of ELL / immigrant students
 Identify student and family strengths

Key Takeaways
 Schools and early childhood programs can use a variety of strategies to get to know
immigrant families and let them know they are welcome in the school community.
 Sharing these messages of support and using a strengths-based approach to developing
relationships can create a strong foundation for school-family partnerships.
 When facing challenging situations, this foundation will allow schools to strengthen
relationships with families; make communication and problem-solving more effective;
and encourage student attendance and participation, as well as family engagement.

See this information online

Making Students and Families Feel Welcome
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/welcome
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/welcome-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Building Partnerships with Immigrant Families

Summary
Learn how to build effective partnerships with immigrant families through communication,
parent leadership, and culturally responsive outreach.

Strategies
 Create different channels for communication in families’ languages
 Revisit data about immigrant students
 Encourage family leadership
 Reach out to community organizations that represent and serve your families

Key Takeaways
 School districts are legally obligated to share information in a language that families
understand. Schools can use a wide range of methods for communicating with families
in their home languages and making updated information available.
 Schools can also strengthen family partnerships by encouraging parent leadership and
collaborating with community organizations.

See this information online

Building Partnerships with Immigrant Families
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/families
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/families-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Special Considerations for Young Children in

Immigrant Families
Summary
Learn how early childhood providers can support immigrant children and families and promote
healthy social-emotional and physical development for young children facing uncertainty.

Strategies
 Look for ways to build relationships with families
 Review program enrollment guidelines
 Ensure staff are familiar with other policies and issues related to immigrant students
 Look for ways to offer social-emotional support to children throughout the day
 Provide training on the impacts of trauma and anxiety on young children

Key Takeaways
 Early childhood programs can play a critical role in providing support for young children.
 Early childhood settings are considered “sensitive locations,” where immigration
enforcement should not take place.
 Early childhood providers should be familiar with policies related to immigrant students,
strategies for supporting social-emotional health, and the signs of trauma and anxiety.

See this information online

Special Considerations for Young Children in Immigrant Families
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/preschool
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/preschool-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Addressing Students’ Basic Needs

Summary
Students may face new challenges in having their basic needs met for a variety of reasons.
Learn more about factors specifically impacting immigrant students and how to establish
community partnerships that can help address some of those needs.

Strategies
 Keep in mind that immigrant families’ economic situations may change
 Ensure that students experiencing homelessness have appropriate services and support

Key Takeaways
 Students may face new or existing challenges in having their basic needs met; for
immigrant families, there is a range of economic and other factors that can impact a
family’s situation.
 Students’ housing or caregiving arrangements may also be in flux.
 Staying attuned to clues can help educators identify challenges students are facing.
 Community organizations can play a valuable role in helping to meet the basic needs of
immigrant students and families.

See this information online

Addressing Students’ Basic Needs
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/basic
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/basic-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

How Immigration Issues Impact Students

Summary
Educators, staff, and school/district leaders may not know how immigration issues affect
students or colleagues. This article provides an overview of a few key immigration topics, as
well as ideas for including these topics in professional development.

Immigration Topics
 Separation and reunification
 Impacts of immigration enforcement
 Being undocumented
 What is DACA?
 What is TPS?
 Ideas for professional development

Key Takeaways
 Learning more about immigration issues can enhance staff members' ability to offer
instruction and support to their students and families. Educators can work with
colleagues, families, and community partners to identify priority topics.
 There are a number of steps that schools can take to create a respectful setting for
professional development about topics related to immigration.

See this information online

How Immigration Issues Impact Students
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/issues
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/issues-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Providing Social-Emotional Support for Students

Summary
Learn how individual educators and schools can support immigrant students, help address
stress and anxiety, and create a respectful classroom environment.

Strategies
 Help students maintain their routine
 Encourage teachers and staff to build relationships with students
 Provide ideas for age-appropriate ways to express emotions
 Take a closer look when you notice changes in a student’s behavior
 Look for ways to make connections to the curriculum
 Teach empathy and appreciation
 Pay attention to what students do – and don’t say – about immigration
 Use books in the classroom and beyond
 Learn about how your families approach social-emotional health

Key Takeaways
 Issues around immigration may be affecting students’ social-emotional health.
 Educators can use age-appropriate strategies to help address these concerns.

See this information online

Providing Social-Emotional Support for Students
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/student
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/student-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Addressing Student Anxiety, Depression, and

Trauma
Summary
Learn strategies to recognize and address student anxiety and depression, as well as to
understand traumatic experiences students might have endured.

Strategies
 Identify resources to address student anxiety / depression
 Learn more about the impacts of trauma and PTSD

Key Takeaways
 Educators working with immigrant and refugee students should be aware of the ways in
which anxiety, stress, fear, depression, and post-traumatic stress can affect their
students.
 Building relationships with students and families can help identify students’ needs, while
providing professional development on a variety of topics in a respectful setting can
help increase awareness across the staff.

See this information online

Addressing Student Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/trauma
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/trauma-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Addressing Immigrant Families’ Questions and

Concerns
Summary
Immigrant families may look to the school for information related to immigration topics. Learn
why it is so important to hear from immigrant families about their priorities, questions, and
concerns before making decisions about what kinds of support would be most helpful.

Strategies
 Listen to immigrant families’ questions and concerns
 Be honest and discuss the kinds of support you can provide
 Share information through outreach and events

Key Takeaways
 Immigrant families may have a range of questions and concerns. Understanding those
concerns (and not making assumptions about families’ situations) will help schools
partner with families more effectively.
 Schools can learn more by providing families with plenty of channels for communication
and opportunities to share input.

See this information online

Addressing Immigrant Families’ Questions and Concerns
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/questions
 Download PDF:
http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/questions-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Addressing Questions on Immigration Enforcement

Summary
Learn more about steps that schools and early childhood programs can take to address
questions about immigration enforcement, "sensitive locations" guidance, and policies that
schools/programs should have in place in the event of local immigration enforcement activity.

Strategies
 Become familiar with “sensitive locations” guidance
 Review any current district policies regarding immigration enforcement
 Help families keep their emergency contact information up to date
 Make a plan to care for children stranded due to the detention of a parent or caregiver
 Consider partnerships with safety personnel such as fire / police departments
 Keep informed on current events and changes in policy

Key Takeaways
 Immigration enforcement agents have been instructed to avoid activity at certain kinds
of education-related locations. These "sensitive locations" guidelines remain in effect,
although they could change and leaders should stay up-to-date on these policies.
 Districts can develop policies and procedures to help employees know how to protect
students' civil and privacy rights, respond to immigration enforcement, and increase the
chances of finding a known caregiver for children whose caregivers are detained.

See this information online

Addressing Questions About Immigration Enforcement and Policy
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/policy
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/policy-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Connecting Immigrant Families with Legal Advice

Summary
Connecting immigrant families with legal advice and support can have a significant impact on
their situation. Here are some tips on figuring out what kinds of trustworthy resources are
available for immigrant families.

Strategies
 Provide families with information about trusted legal resources
 Consider creating a policy about “letters of support”
 Take time to listen to families who wish to discuss a possible return to a home country

Key Takeaways
 Schools can help connect families with legitimate legal advice and support, often
presented by a community partner or advocacy organization. This information and
support may focus on families’ rights, even if they are undocumented, and steps or
decisions that could have a big impact on their situation and on their children.
 Partner organizations can help pinpoint appropriate information to share with families.

See this information online

Connecting Families with Legal Support
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/legal
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/legal-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Encouraging Staff Collaboration

Summary
Learn more about the ways that educators can collaborate on behalf of immigrant families, the
roles that various professionals can play in that collaboration, and the kinds of questions
educators and staff may have about outreach to immigrant families.

Strategies
 Designate a point person to keep updated on immigration issues
 Consider creating an immigrant support team
 Collaborate with the local teachers’ union
 Clarify what is allowed in terms of advocacy and outreach
 Share personal stories

Key Takeaways
 Collaboration can greatly improve support for immigrant families by bringing multiple
perspectives to the table, increasing opportunities to share information, and allowing
staff to identify ways to make their outreach more efficient and effective.
 Teachers’ unions can play a key role in collaboration and outreach to immigrant families.
 Districts can also offer important guidance to staff on what is allowed in terms of
advocacy and outreach related to immigrant families.

See this information online

Encouraging Staff Collaboration
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/collaboration
 Download PDF:
http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/collaboration-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.
 http://www.colorincolorado.org

Providing Social-Emotional Supports for Staff

Summary
Learn more about what a supportive environment for staff looks like and how to help staff
members manage stress and develop networks of support.

Strategies
 Keep in mind that immigration issues may also impact staff personally
 Take steps to prevent burn-out
 Strengthen professional networks
 Share success early and often

Key Takeaways
 Immigration issues can have a personal impact on staff as well as students.
 Some educators who serve immigrant students are reporting higher levels of stress,
along with a greater workload and a loss of sense of community within their school.
 School leaders can play a critical role in creating a supportive environment for staff.

See this information online

Providing Social-Emotional Support for Staff
 View online: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/support-staff
 Download PDF: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/staff-pdf

Complete guide: http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide

Excerpted from How to Support Immigrant Students and Families.