User:Cameronkalantar/Newcomer Education

Case Study Benefits
The education and quality of resources these refugee students are dealt with can completely alter the direction of their lives. Certain programs that are more supportive of refugee students and provide them the quality education they need in a way that is specifically tailored toward them reap positive results. One example of this can be identified in a case study where a young refugee student named Moussa attended a school with a tailored refugee-specific curriculum. Within Moussa's school which consisted of majority of refugee and minority students, it was found that “Black [refugee] students at Moussa’s school were much more likely to graduate in four years than other black students citywide [New York], and the school fostered aspirations for college and professional success.” Specifically, when looking at the percentage differentiation between generic public schools in New York City and Moussa's specialized school, Black refugee students were 85% more likely to graduate as compared to the significantly low 60% that is present in other schools. Schools such as Moussa's that are specially tailored for students of refugee background have demonstrated significant benefits and appeal as compared to “normal” public schools. Within a program like this, they can be provided with a quality education that better prepares them for America. This is one of the countless similar schools within the United States that are specially designed to support refugee students.

These programs are critical to the growth and lives of refugees in the United States. While public schools across the United States have systems in place that provide support and resources for these types of students, they tend to fall under a "one size fits all" approach. However, as seen in other countries, “Recognizing the different levels of adversity students face, we have called this a triple disadvantage, which we understand may still be underestimating the range of experiences and challenges faced by immigrant families and their children”. Rather than boxing and categorizing refugee and newcomer children into generic groups with generalized methods of supporting them, specialized programs are needed to address the specific experiences of these students. Within schools like Moussa's, educators can spend more time recognizing the individual struggles of students and pursue specialized methods of education and support for them as compared to more normal public schools. These programs have been proven to have long-term positive effects on the lives of these students.