Colorado Schools are Strained with Huge Influx of Migrant Children
Colorado school districts are facing a daunting task as they work to enroll and educate thousands of non-English speaking migrant children who have recently arrived in the state. As the number of families illegally crossing the southern border increases, schools are struggling to keep up with the surge in students and the unique challenges they bring.
According to Adrienne Endres, executive director of multilingual education at Denver Public Schools, nearly 2,000 migrant students have arrived since July, with 400 of them arriving just this month.
The district is seeing full classrooms and is struggling to find space for these new students, as well as provide adequate resources for their physical and mental health needs.
But it's not just about finding space and resources. Teachers are going above and beyond to connect these families with housing resources and even organizing clothing drives for warm winter gear. It's clear that these educators are truly dedicated to making sure these children feel welcome and safe in their new city.
One of the biggest challenges facing these school districts is hiring enough bilingual teachers to meet the needs of these non-English speaking students.
But despite the difficulties, officials at Denver Public Schools say they see the larger importance of their work. "This isn't just crisis and strain, it's also building community and making sure kids are welcome and safe in a new city," Endres explains to media outlets.
The Department of Education makes it clear that citizenship is not a barrier to accessing education. And as U.S. school districts face the challenges of educating hundreds of thousands of migrant children, they are also demonstrating the values of inclusivity and compassion, regardless of one's background.
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It's time for the federal government to step up and provide the support and resources needed to help these school districts educate these new students. Our communities and our nation could eventually benefit from ensuring these children have access to a quality education but until that day, local resources are undoubtedly strained.