New Kids on the Block: Refugee Students: School-Based Experiences and Engagement in an Urban High School

Background and Purpose: Schools have been deemed as influential institutions for refugee youth. However, refugee students face many challenges adjusting to the US educational system. Drawing on the student engagement framework and situative knowledge, this study highlights the importance of schools to support students to take an active role in their learning, enabling them to shape their own experiences and the social and academic outcomes they want to achieve.

Methods: This study employs a phenomenological approach to examine refugee students’ experiences with schools and the facilitators and barriers for their engagement. This specific approach allowed me to focus on how participants make sense of similar phenomenon in a given context. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 refugee students who resettled to a Midwest City. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim to ensure accuracy using NVivo. Data analysis consisted of several stages, such as reviewing transcripts to gain insight into the students’ narratives. From these powerful students’ voices, I identified numerous quotes that aligned with the three dimensions associated with the student engagement framework (i.e., cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional engagement).

Findings: First, refugee students expressed higher levels of engagement when they felt particularly connected to the school by teachers or supportive staff members with whom students identified racially, ethnically, or through some other shared cultural identity such as language, religion, and current or former refugee status. Second, refugee students expressed higher levels of engagement when the school leaders and staff promoted a positive school culture, such as visual signs with inclusive and welcoming language (e.g., “refugees are welcome,” “save refugee lives,” “you belong here,” “we’re with you”) that were displayed on hallway walls and classroom doors and in communal spaces. Third, regarding barriers around engagement, refugee students described elevated levels of bullying by their peers, decreasing their sense of belonging and general positive feelings about school. Moreover, the language barrier was a frequently cited problem, hindering refugee youth from connecting with school staff and peers and participating in school programs and activities. Finally, several students described being less engaged in school due to an unfamiliarity with U.S. school-based norms and expectations, especially within the classroom setting.

Conclusion and Implications: Recommendations are offered on how to support refugee students to be more engaged within school contexts. Schools could be intentional about creating welcoming and inclusive environments for refugee students and their families. For example, schools can host a variety of educational programs and initiatives to honor and share students’ cultural backgrounds and their specific needs. To help alleviate refugee students’ unfamiliarity with classroom expectations, school administrators and staff could provide a comprehensive orientation to refugee students and their families upon enrollment. The last recommendation arising from this research targets students’ affective engagement and urges school districts to require anti-bias training for teachers, staff, and students.