In a classroom at the Sharpsville Public School in Pennsylvania, a first-grade immigrant student sits with his teacher, Dana Smith, pictured in the background. According to data from Syracuse University, over 500,000 school-aged immigrant children have arrived in the U.S. since 2022. This influx has led to crowded classrooms, exacerbated budget shortages, and heightened challenges for teachers in bridging language barriers, igniting tensions in communities unaccustomed to immigration.
To evaluate the impact of immigration on public schools, Reuters conducted a survey of more than 10,000 school districts. Out of the 75 districts that responded, they collectively serve around 2.3 million students, roughly 5% of the total public school student population. Notably, one-third of these districts reported that the increase in immigrant students significantly affects their operations.
The responding districts span 23 states, with 42 of them indicating they are hiring more ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers and consultants. Fifteen districts described difficulties in communication with parents and a lack of interpretation services.
Take Nashville, Tennessee, as an example. From 2010 to 2020, international migration contributed to a 20% net increase in the city’s population. The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools serve students from over 130 countries, speaking 120 different languages, with nearly one-third of students communicating in languages other than English. The most common non-English languages include Spanish, Arabic, Kurdish, Somali, Burmese, and Vietnamese.
In Springfield City, Ohio, the school district stated, “Textbooks are not available in their language, resources are hard to come by, and Google Translate does not always meet our needs.”
White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez noted that the Biden administration has increased funding to address the teacher shortage and has requested an additional $50 million to support English learning initiatives.
In the Reuters survey, 17 districts expressed a need for extra state funding to assist immigrant students. Among these, 12 reported receiving additional funds, but they remain insufficient to hire a single ESL supervisor.
Ten districts revealed that teachers either lack adequate training or are not trained at all to meet the needs of new immigrant students. In contrast, 42 districts welcomed additional training for teachers and administrators.
This training encompasses strategies for teaching non-English-speaking students, handling diverse cultural norms, and helping children recover from trauma.
Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero highlighted that, apart from language barriers and differing educational backgrounds, the surge in immigrant numbers “has prompted our system to establish citywide processes not only for communicating with immigrant families but also for supporting their basic needs and preparing students for school.”
However, 11 surveyed districts expressed that new immigrants enrich the campus community, bringing fresh perspectives and resilience, providing learning opportunities for other students.