This Bronx summer jobs program for undocumented youth also helps migrant families

The Migrant Education Program, which offers educational and social services to migrant worker families in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, is growing in popularity among the valley’s migrant worker population, and has recently begun to focus on getting migrant students geared up for college .

A nonprofit organization, the Internationals Network for Public Schools, delivers a first-class education to the children of illegal immigrants, helping to break the cycle of poverty and provide them a path to advance in life.

About half the states in the US don’t allow undocumented students to receive in-state tuition. In Georgia, a state law banned undocumented students from enrolling in the top five universities in the state. In response, three University of Georgia professors created “Freedom University.” “Here, we’re working together because we’re struggling together.” Students don’t get course credit, but they get SAT prep, and recommendation letters. Many have gone on to attend university out of the state.

DeWitt Clinton High School offers formal career pathway programs that allow students to gain real-world work experience and sometimes even earn industry credentials while completing their high school diploma requirements. There are pathways available for everything from visual arts to agriculture to health care careers, and the high school has seen its graduation numbers go up and absenteeism rates drop since establishing the programs.

The Umayya Danejo Foundation provides financial support to help out-of-school children enroll in classes and complete exit examinations. The organization also runs a food aid program and has a partnership with tailoring centers where students can learn hands-on trade skills.

At the Kiishi Readers Club, students in Oyo state can borrow books and attend lectures and discussions to help develop their reading, writing, and leadership skills. Students who have participated in the club say the experience has helped them improve their academic performance and given them more confidence in their public speaking abilities.

Los Angeles Community Colleges are now offering subject-matter courses taught in students’ native languages, including Spanish, Russian, and Korean. The tuition-free vocational classes allow students to earn certificates in a trade or work toward a GED, all while learning in the language they’re most comfortable speaking.

Ethnic Azeri students face disproportionate barriers in achieving university education compared to Georgians. One of those reasons is due to language barriers. Isolated from Georgian society, it's not uncommon for Azeri communities to not speak Georgian fluently. The center has now expanded into a network of multiple centers. One center serves as many as 160 children. It’s working. Some of the centers had a 100% success rate in helping Azeri students enter college.

A nonprofit in Lithuania is providing resources for children from the Roma community in order to decrease the rate of students who drop out of school early. The historically-marginalized group faces social stigmas and economic challenges. A day center offers a space to participate in extracurricular activities and volunteers also visit children who skip school with offers of homework help. Their efforts have resulted in a gradual increase of Roma children who stay in school.

The University of Texas at El Paso, among other universities such as Princeton or Georgia State, are making concerted efforts to ensure the success of their first generation or low-income students in a student body that is 80% Hispanic. They use outreach efforts to connect with parents and get them familiar with the college environment, offer summer orientations to get new students familiar with campus resources, and simplify their application process to reduce the paperwork and offer support in the process. For many first generation students, their family's support is key to their success in college.