A new survey revealed the impact the migrant surge in the United States has had on schools. Reuters polled 75 school districts across 23 states. A third of districts said the increase in migrant children had a significant impact leading to budget issues and language barriers.
Additionally, 42 districts said they had to hire more instructors to teach students how to speak English. Another 15 districts said they had difficulties communicating with parents without proper help from interpreters.
When it came to budgets, 17 districts said they requested additional state funds to help immigrant students.
According to immigration court records, more than half a million school-age migrant children have arrived in the U.S. since 2022.
Denver has seen a major increase in migrants enrolled at its schools. During the 2022 to 2023 school year, Denver Public Schools had 1,532 migrant students. In the 2023 to 2024 school year, there were 3,935 migrant students enrolled in classes.
Survey respondents were asked whether they feel they are trained to meet the needs of migrant students. A majority said they were either well trained or partially trained.
The survey results also revealed 11 respondents said the newcomers had enriched the school community and brought new perspectives that could help other students learn.
All children in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status, have a right to free public education. But, the federal government does not cover the educational services entirely.