Advocating for Hispanic Students: A closer look at undocumented and ESL populations in public

schools

Scott Tribotte

Rationale"Undocumented" refers to individuals who do not have federal government-issued documents to show

that they can legally visit, work, or live in the U.S. (Hawkins & Gomez, 2012).

“Hispanic” or "Latina/Latino" is a U.S. government distinction referring to people whose ethnic origins are in Spanish speaking countries (Hawkins & Gomez, 2012).

Foreign-born and undocumented people living in the U.S. totaled 37 million in 2005, representing approximately 8% of the total population (Hawkins & Gomez, 2012).

Hispanics are the fastest-growing group of the US population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data, the Hispanic population increased by about 58 percent, from 22 million in 1990 to 37 million in 2000. (Hemphill & Vanneman, 2011).

Americans of Hispanic descent is growing at a rate four times faster than that of the rest of the nation, the Hispanic population in the U.S. is expected to double in 40 years (Baker, 2011).

Rationale Continued

Undocumented students are less likely to be skilled in navigating the college admission process or to even be aware that they are eligible to go on to higher education (Hawkins & Gomez, 2012).

Immigrant students indicated a much lower sense of belonging and satisfaction compared to native college students regardless of their age upon arrival in the U.S.(Hawkins & Gomez, 2012).

There is a significant gap between Hispanic/ESL students and their White classmates. From 1975 to 2008, there was no significant change of the achievement gap between White and Hispanic 17 year-olds based on test data generated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (Madrid, 2011).

68% of all students who begin high school in the ninth grade in the U.S. graduate with a regular diploma four years later. For White students the rate is 75%, but for Hispanics, it is only about 53% (Baker, 2011).

Cultural Considerations for counseling individuals

As educators, we must realize that a vast majority of ESL students may come from collectivist cultures and the U.S has a more individualistic culture. Individualism is reflected in the U.S. educational system even when group work is involved. We must provide opportunities for shared responsibility and individual accountability to help students feel comfortable in the U.S. educational system (DeCapua & Marshall, 2015).

Generational differences, language preferences, family, legal status, acculturation to U.S. customs, holding on to native traditions, religion, and geographical location are some factors that influence Hispanic and ESL students. It is in the counselor’s best interest to increase knowledge of the population in order to gain multicultural competence (Hays & Erford, 2010).

Age, birthplace, academic experiences, cultural and religious customs should also be considered when counseling clients (Hays & Erford, 2010).

Elementary School

Legal Obligations and Implications❏ Under Federal law, State and local educational agencies (“school districts”) are required to provide all children with equal access to public

education.

❏ Plyler v. Doe (1982): states may not deny access to a basic public education to any child residing in the State, whether present in the United States legally or otherwise.

❏ A school district should review the list of documents that can be used to establish residency and must make sure none of the required documents would unlawfully discourage a student or parents from enrolling

Legal Obligations and Implications❏ Title IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA),

❏ Lau v. Nichols: school districts must take steps to help limited-English proficient (LEP) students overcome language barriers and to ensure that they can participate meaningfully in the district's educational programs

❏ ELL students must be provided with alternative services until they are proficient enough in English to participate in regular program.

❏ Requires programs to be:

❏ based on a sound educational theory

❏ adequately supported (i.e. staff and resources)

❏ periodically evaluated and revised

❏ Federal laws also mandate adequate communication with parents in native language

Latino Education in the Early Years❏ Latino children represent the largest segment of the early childhood

population in the country, but are less likely than any other group to be enrolled in early education programs

❏ By age two, Latino children are less likely than their non-Latino counterparts to demonstrate expressive vocabulary skills

❏ Preschool-aged Latino children exhibit lower average scores in language and mathematics knowledge than their non-Latino counterparts

(Department of Education, 2011)

In their shoes...

Resources for School Counselors on Microlevel

As counselors, we need to help our English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in adjusting to a new school and a new culture…

❏ Assess Needs

❏ Understand where the student is in terms of English proficiency

❏ This paints a picture of just how much support the student may need

❏ Empathize

❏ ESL students may feel disconnected from the school community

❏ Help other students understand just how alienated ESL students may feel

❏ Provide one-on-one individual counseling to give them time to adjust and process at their varying levels of speed

❏ Treat each student as a unique individual as these children may speak the same language, but will come from different, varying values, cultures, norms, and places

❏ Foster a sense of belonging

❏ Help newcomers feel welcome

❏ Make sure to say students’ names correctly, communicating friendliness and patience with a warm smile, and relaxed body language

❏ Discuss with other students how they might help the new student adjust to the school and its routines

❏ Develop safe spaces for Spanish speaking children to speak, relate, and feel

❏ Run student groups for this population with multicultural awareness

❏ Use “sheltering” techniques

❏ When you speak to an ESL student, slow down your rate of speech and repeat directions several times, checking periodically for understanding

❏ Whenever possible, use visual references and physical gestures or pantomime as you speak

❏ Important to keep in mind during Classroom Guidance

Resources for School Counselors on Microlevel

❏ Value Bilingualism

❏ Ensure that teachers support continued literacy development in the student’s first language, because literacy skills in the native language enriches English-language development

❏ This provides ESL students with self-efficacy

Resources for School Counselors on Microlevel

❏ Foster an Appreciation of Cultural Diversity

❏ Display a world map on the bulletin board and have all students put pushpins with their names on their families’ countries of origin

❏ Plan an international food festival or multicultural night

❏ Teach students words from other languages on the morning announcements or have a language board displayed prominently in the school

❏ Create country maps

Students can learn to connect with their own cultural heritage and come to appreciate that the United States is in fact a country of immigrants.

Resources for School Counselors on Microlevel

❏ My Shoes and I by Rene Colato Lainey

❏ Depicts Mario’s journey through 3 countries on foot with his father to be reunited with his mother in America

❏ Star in the Forest by Lava Resau

❏ Zitally’s family is undocumented, and her father has just been arrested for speeding and deported back to Mexico

❏ Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiah

❏ Allegorical picture book about the hardship and struggles faced by thousands who seek a better life by illegally crossing the border

❏ La Marisposa by Francisco Jimeney

❏ An autobiographical story that reflects the author’s experiences as an undocumented child migrant worker in California

Resources for School Counselors on Microlevel

❏ ESL Resource Center

❏ Created by ESL teachers

❏ Plethora of worksheets, tips, and lessons for ESL students

❏ Language Caster

❏ Teaches English through soccer analogies

❏ Voice of America Channel

❏ Features news and top stories in American English but is spoken 33% slower than normal to make it easier to follow along

❏ Covers a wide array of topics

Resources for School Counselors on Microlevel

Resources for Elementary School Counselor on Middle Level

❏ Establish partnerships with community resources

❏ Carolina TESOL: non-profit that specializes in increasing the quality of education for ESL students

❏ Provides training for teachers and school professionals

❏ Youth Enrichment Programs

❏ Girls on the Run, YMCA, tutoring centers, etc.

❏ Resource guides

❏ http://www.wakegov.com/humanservices/social/Documents/Wake%20%20Resource%20Guide%202016.pdf

❏ Encourage and Advocate for Family Involvement

❏ Different cultures have different perspectives on family involvement in school

❏ Help parents of ESL students feel part of the community by first arranging for an interpreter (or inviting them to bring one) at a back to school night or parent/teacher conference

❏ Advocate for school communication being translated into parent’s native language

Resources for Elementary School Counselor on Macrolevel

❏ ADVOCATE!!!!!!!!!

❏ Join professional organizations such as ASCA, ACA, NCSCA and BE ACTIVE!!!

❏ Go to meetings and contact policy makers

❏ Stay up-to-date as new laws are put in place and know how that changes the population

❏ 5 steps according to the NEA:

❏ Isolate the issue

❏ Identify allies (in school, in community, in state)

❏ Be clear on the rights of these students

❏ Organize and educate others

❏ Identify outlets for change (think...how can I change _________ in __________?]

Moving From elementary school to middle school

- Train staff in multiculturalism

- Make sure your school is a positive, nurturing place for everyone

- Make students aware of safe places and adults in the building- Culturally responsive counseling and teaching should include

- Professionals who are culturally aware and competent

- Culturally relevant material

- Supportive learning community

- Grades already decline during transition

- Make sure EC/ESL support and services are transferred over- Placed in low academic tracks

- Confirm placements with elementary teachers if questionable

- Check in with middle school teachers to verify placement

Middle School- Focus on social and emotional development:

- Promoting an inclusive school environment

- fighting against isolation, loneliness, and depression

- Stereotypes, gender role expectations, and ethnic identity

- Cultural identity group

- Acculturation process is stressful

- Student groups for resiliency

- Engage parents and families

- Students reported a high level of parental involvement and support

- Language brokering is viewed as positive

Transitioning from middle school to high school

- Begin talking about postsecondary options in 8th grade if not sooner

- Stated that the school counselor/teacher and student relationship helped them be successful by providing information

- Placing students in appropriate levels of academic rigor

- Contact 8th grade teachers if necessary

- Accommodations and modifications are generally reduced

- Advocate for appropriate and continuous services if needed by the students

- Community support/summer programs

- Surround students with a positive environment and successful people

Middle School Resources- Colorín Colorado

- A bilingual resource site for educators and families of ESL students

- North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals

- Community resource for parents, educators and students aimed at increasing the high school graduation rate of Hispanic students and increasing the number of Hispanic students seeking higher education

- Growing Success for ELL’s Summer Conference

- Professional development opportunity for educators

- El Futuro

- Provides mental health and substance abuse services to Latino families in central North Carolina

High School Level❖ The Immigration Paradox

❖ Tips for Secondary Educators, Counselors, Personnel

❖ Legal Implications

❖ Group Counseling

❖ Supporting the Transition to Post-Secondary Life

➢ College

➢ Withdrawal

❖ Resources for families and educators - Marina

The Immigration Paradox ★Child immigrants and first and second generation Latino children have fewer

resources and faced more barriers and hardships than their later generation peers.

★However, First and second generation Latino children are higher achieving than their later generation peers.

As with other studies of Latino students, cultural and family values are linked to academic success and personal development in this population.

For a detailed review of studies that measure this paradox, refer to the article: “Investigating the Immigrant Paradox: Latino Adolescents’ Academic Attitudes” (Aretakis, et. al)

Tips for secondary educators, counselors, personnel

❖ Create open and welcoming environments

➢ Embrace and value diversity and the cultural backgrounds of all students

➢ Withhold judgment and biases about immigration status

➢ Establish safe spaces that allow undocumented youth to share freely, engage with, and lead their peers

❖ Build staff Capacity and Knowledge

➢ Learn about the policies and laws affecting undocumented students’ access to education

Tips for secondary educators, counselors, Personnel

❖ Share information and resources with youth and families

➢ Highlight the opportunities that exist to help undocumented youth access postsecondary education

➢ Help to connect undocumented youth and their families to community resources and stakeholder organizations for more support

➢ Share information with undocumented youth and families about DACA consideration and renewal and support students requests for education records

❖ Actively engage families and community organizations

➢ Be empathetic and build positive relationships with undocumented youth and their families

➢ Engage families of undocumented youth by ensuring communications are in a language and format understandable to parents

➢ Be proactive and create frequent, flexible engagement opportunities

➢ Leverage the leadership of undocumented college students and the community

Tips for Secondary Educators, Counselors, Personnel

❖ Provide Additional Academic Supports, if needed

➢ Support in navigating the higher education admissions process

➢ Provide ongoing support and individual help beyond the college application and admissions process

➢ Advocate for dual enrollment opportunities that are open to all secondary school students regardless of citizenship status

Legal Implications- DACA (DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS)

Since 2012, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has granted DACA status- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals- to youth who were brought to the U.S. as children. During this time they can live, work, and attend school with the guarantee that they will not be deported for an initial 2-year period.

School Counselors should:❖ Know and communicate the requirements for DACA status and renewal to students who may qualify

❖ Reach out to parents of students who may be eligible for DACA

❖ Help students with DACA status explore post-secondary options: obtain work permits, apply for private scholarship money for college

To qualify for DACA, students must meet the following criteria:❖ Arrive in the U.S. before their 16th birthday

❖ Have no lawful status

❖ Have resided continuously in the U.S.

❖ Be in school or have graduated from school

❖ Have no felonies or significant misdemeanors, or 3 or more other misdemeanors

For exact information on DACA requirements, refer to the government document at: http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/cons ideration-deferred-action-childhoodarrivals-daca

Legal Implications- THE DREAM ACTPart of the 2010-2012 Department of Defense’s military recruitment strategy

Unlike DACA, students are eligible for some federal financial aid

Requirements for students under The Dream Act:❖ Must have entered the U.S. while still under age 16

❖ Must have lived in the U.S. for 5 years continually

❖ Have a high school diploma

❖ Enrolled in college or served in the military 2 years

❖ Good character

❖ No crime record

❖ Application fee

For more information and exact requirements for The Dream Act, refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/DREAM-Act-WhiteHouse-FactSheet.pdf

Group CounselingAchieving Success Every Day❖ Three Main Goals

➢ Provide ESL students a safe environment outside of their regular classrooms to allow them to interact with other peers and adults

➢ Enhance ESL students' self-esteem through group activities

➢ Improve ESL students' academic performance

❖ Assessment - Review - Acquaintance - Challenge - Empowerment - Support

(Shi & Steen, 2012)

SEL Group Interventions

Social-Emotional Learning interventions have proven successful among white adolescents in schools. A study from University of California at Riverside confirms that SEL groups are effective for the Latino adolescent population as well.

StrongTeens program adapted as JovenesFuertes for latino culture and translated into Spanish. Results were:

➢ Knowledge of social-emotional learning ➢ Increased social-emotional resiliency ➢ Decrease in problem behaviors ➢ Decrease in acculturation stress for Latino

ELLs ➢ Evidence-base for SEL programming as both

as preventative measure for latino adolescents in schools

Transition to Post-Secondary Life: CollegePaying for College

❖ ASK!

❖ DACA Students

➢ Not eligible for Federal student aid

➢ ARE eligible for private scholarships and grants

➢ ARE eligible for sponsorship

❖ Eligible Noncitizens

➢ ARE eligible for Federal student aid

❖ Partnering with the right colleges

➢ First Generation Programs, ESL Programs

➢ Be careful of For-Profit institutions

➢ Private Schools have lots of funding for potential scholarships

➢ Community Colleges

Transition to Post-Secondary Life: drop-outsIn spite of the immigrant paradox, there are still high numbers of Hispanic high-school dropouts. Unique factors lead to drop-outs in this population:➢ Collectivist culture; family loyalty (correlated with both academic achievement and drop-out)

➢ Students have jobs that conflict with school and homework

Many additional factors affect drop-out in this population including: poverty, pregnancy, low-academic achievement, lack of academic motivation/aspiration (Velez, 2001) and lack of academic self-efficacy and self-determination (Luginbuhi, 2016).

What you as a school counselor can and should do when a Hispanic student requests a withdrawal:➢ Clearly communicate the importance of a high school diploma and realistic post-secondary options for

students choosing to withdraw

➢ Respect the individual’s culture and values, and the values of the family

➢ Incentivize the student’s option to stay in school; work with them where they are (ie. modified schedule, additional supports)

Resources for high school counselors, students, families➢ Resource Guide: Supporting Undocumented Youth

➢ SLI: Students’ Latino Initiative; http://ncsli.unc.edu/

➢ Hispanic Heritage Month (September); http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/ or http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.org/

➢ JovenesFuertes; http://www.jovenesfuertes.org/inicio/es

➢ Hispanic Scholarship Fund; http://www.hsf.net/

➢ Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; http://www.hacu.net/hacu/Scholarship_Resource_List.asp

➢ The North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals; http://thencshp.org/resources/for-students/

➢ Triangle for Latino Student Success; https://www.hiponline.org/programs/education/north-carolina-triangle-for-latino-student-success

➢ Wake County Latino Resource Guide; http://www.wakegov.com/humanservices/espanol/Documents/Latino%20Resources%20Guide%202013.pdf

➢ El Centro Hispano; https://www.elcentronc.org/

References A - GAllen, A., Scott, L. M., & Lewis, C. W. (2013). Racial Microaggressions and African American and Hispanic Students in Urban Schools: A Call for Culturally Affirming Education. Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning, 3(2), 117-129.

Aretakis, M. T., Ceballo, R., Suarez, G. A., & Camacho, T. C. (2015). Investigating the immigrant paradox and Latino adolescents’ academic attitudes. Journal Of Latina/O Psychology, 3(1), 56-69. doi:10.1037/lat0000031

Baker, W. L. (2011). High school dropout: Perceptions and voices of African American and Hispanic students (Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University).

Castro-Olivo, S. M. (2014). Promoting social-emotional learning in adolescent Latino ELLs: A study of the culturally adapted Strong Teens program. School Psychology Quarterly, 29(4), 567-577. doi:10.1037/spq0000055

Department of Education. (2011). Winning the Future: Improving Education for the Latino Community. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/WinningTheFutureImprovingLatinoEducation.pdf

Department of Education (2015). Questions and answers on the rights of limited-English proficient students. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/qa-ell.html

Department of Education (2015). Resource guide: Supporting undocumented youth. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/focus/supporting-undocumented-youth.pdf

References h-zHays, D. G., & Erford, B. T. (2010). Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Educational, Inc

Hawkins, C., & Gomez, B. (2012). Undocumented Hispanic Students Pursuing Higher Education in the US: A Dream Deferred. Journal of Research on Women and Gender, 3(2).

Hemphill, F. C., & Vanneman, A. (2011). Achievement Gaps: How Hispanic and White Students in Public Schools Perform in Mathematics and Reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2011-459. National Center for Education Statistics.

Luginbuhl, P. J., McWhirter, E. H., & McWhirter, B. T. (2016). Sociopolitical development, autonomous motivation, and education outcomes: Implications for low-income Latina/o adolescents. Journal Of Latina/O Psychology, 4(1), 43-59. doi:10.1037/lat0000041

Madrid, E. M. (2011). The Latino achievement gap. Multicultural Education,18(3), 7.

National Education Association (2002-2015). Five steps to ELL Advocacy. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/63594.htm

Shi, Q., & Steen, S., PhD. (2012). USING THE ACHIEVING SUCCESS EVERYDAY (ASE) GROUP MODEL TO PROMOTE SELF-ESTEEM AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) STUDENTS.Professional School Counseling, 16(1), 63-70. Retrieved from http://libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1312675887?accountid=14244

Supporting Undocumented Youth - US Department of Education. (2015, October 20). Retrieved November 15, 2016, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/focus/supporting-undocumented-youth.pdf

Vélez, W., & Saenz, R. (2001). Toward a comprehensive model of the school leaving process among Latinos. School Psychology Quarterly, 16(4), 445-467. doi:10.1521/scpq.16.4.445.19897