St. Paul school district halts enrollment slide. The secret: listening to immigrant communities.

Lincoln Literacy addresses language barriers for immigrants and refugees through a volunteer-based ESL program that offers over 100 classes across nine locations in Lincoln, Nebraska. The organization's model includes community classes, workplace partnerships where employers pay for on-site instruction during work hours and a student-centered curriculum that adapts to real-world communication needs. The group has been operating since 1975.

ourBRIDGE for Kids is a school-based program that helps English language learners improve their language skills. Since the pandemic increased rates of chronic absenteeism among English language learners, ourBridge shifted its focus to also provide family services to provide comprehensive support, like secure housing and grocery delivery, that helps keep youth in school.

The town of Clinton, Iowa was struggling both economically and with student retention until a partnership with an American businessman and a Chinese company brought 72 Chinese students to fill empty seats in the public high schools. Not only does this stir up the local economy with businesses jumping at the chance to serve a new audience, but the students all benefit from the cultural and educational exchange. The Clinton school board and district representatives all voted unanimously for the program, and both sides are looking forward to continuing to develop and grow the program.

Boston professors visit countries and homes of foreign students to better understand their culture and gain insights about how to better teach them. The goal is to reach across cultural divides to help a big part of the student population — emigres from faraway lands — that is plagued with low standardized test scores and high dropout rates. Accompanying photojournalism: http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/bigpicture/2015/09/12/seeking-cultural-connections/L3mIQAQM3v9YT9A2K4JliL/story.html

In partnership with other local organizations and advocacy groups, Communities for Kids trains providers to offer Spanish-language childcare, as the state lacks sufficient access to culturally responsive, bilingual care. The training is free and has already licensed several individuals who now run their own Spanish-speaking childcare centers.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood’s bilingual support team helps guide Spanish-speaking residents through the process of applying for a child care license, providing resources and training materials in applicants’ native language. The team is currently working with 69 professionals who are already licensed as well as 25 Spanish speakers in the midst of the application process.

Mexico's Pilot Program for Licensed Physicians brings Mexican doctors to the states to address the lack of culturally relevant healthcare and Spanish-speaking healthcare providers, particularly in rural areas with large immigrant populations. Currently, the program has 30 Mexican doctors working in various counties throughout the state.

The Fresno Center provides immigration services and culturally relevant mental health care to members of the Southeast Asian community. The Center provides therapy in native languages and works to destigmitize mental health in an effort to heal decades of generational trauma.

To help address rising mental health concerns among children, the Acorn Center for Early Education and Care provides training from social workers and psychologists for its staff and focuses on teaching preschoolers how to express and manage big feelings. The center’s parent organization, the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, also provides support and resources for parents and works to guide them through challenges.

El Busesito, which means “the little bus” in English, operates four retrofitted buses that provide bilingual preschool education on wheels for Latino immigrant families in five neighborhoods. The free early childhood education has improved developmental progress and school readiness for the nearly 100 children it serves. Valley Settlement, the nonprofit that runs El Busesito, also offers family engagement programs for the communities.