Education Without Borders: Ramping Up Support for Refugee, Migrant, and Immigrant Learners, PK-12

Abstract

Education is a fundamental right (United Nations, 1948) that should be afforded to all children. To foster academic and personal growth, children must have access to safe, humane, and inclusive learning spaces underpinned by equity and social justice. Approximately 1.6 million children reside in the U.S., with a rising number of minors traveling alone (UNICEF Data Warehouse, 2024). Migrant children in the U.S. experience divergent and unique educational, environmental, health, and socioeconomic barriers and inadequate support which disrupt children's learning and development (Ibrahim et al., 2024). This chapter will clarify the interconnection between different migrant groups. This chapter will adopt a pertinent theoretical lens to explore factors contributing to child migration, the challenges, and different levels of support (or lack thereof) available to these populations. This chapter will culminate in viable suggestions for enhanced support for migrant learners.