A Toolkit for School Communities to Work With Afghan Refugee Families - Build Knowledge Among the School Community

This section answers key questions that school staff might ask when thinking about how they can best support Afghan refugee students and their families.

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What is the difference between a refugee, an asylee, and an immigrant?

There are key differences between these three groups of individuals, and it’s important to remember that these designations represent just one piece of an individual’s life and do not solely define them. Being familiar with the following terms makes it easier to have conversations with Afghan refugee students and their families.

An immigrant is any person lawfully in the United States who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or person admitted under a nonimmigrant category, as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). However, some people who moved to the United States from another country may still identify as immigrants even after they became citizens.

A refugee is a person living outside their country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution, or for a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Some refugees may obtain refugee status, which is a form of legal protection that may be granted to people who meet the definition of refugee and are of special humanitarian concern to the United States.

An asylee is a person who meets the definition of refugee and who is already present in the United States or is seeking admission at a port of entry. An asylum seeker is someone who is seeking international protection from dangers in their home country (like a refugee), but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined legally.

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Are all Afghans in the United States refugees?

Not all Afghans living in the United States are refugees. There are different pathways to resettlement that Afghans can take depending on their needs and qualifications. Below is a brief summary of various pathways that Afghan families may have taken to arrive in the United States.

Visas: The United States provides immigrant visas based on family ties, employment, adoption, special immigrant categories, and the diversity visa. Common categories include family- or employer-sponsored visas.

Refugee status: Afghans are eligible to resettle in the United States through the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program Priority-1 if they qualify as refugees. Afghans being considered for refugee status must demonstrate that they were persecuted or have a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. They must also meet other eligibility requirements, such as security vetting and medical clearances.

Cooperation with U.S. entities: In 2021, some Afghan nationals became eligible for the Afghan Priority-2 Program. This program was established as a pathway to resettlement in the United States for qualified Afghans who worked with the U.S. government, U.S.-based media organizations, and U.S. nongovernmental organizations. Afghans under Priority-2 do not have to demonstrate persecution; rather, they are eligible because their employment is related to the U.S. government’s efforts in Afghanistan.

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I have heard that some Afghan families entered the United States as humanitarian parolees. What does that mean?

Most Afghan nationals arriving as part of the 2021 evacuation effort under Operation Allies Welcome were paroled (i.e., allowed entry) into the United States on a case-by-case basis, for humanitarian reasons, for a period of two years. They were eligible to receive work authorization during their parole and had to meet certain conditions, including medical screenings, critical vaccinations, and other reporting requirements.

One of the most important things for school staff to understand is that humanitarian parole status is temporary and is not a guaranteed pathway to more permanent status. Afghan students and families who have spent time as parolees are likely to have experienced additional stressors due to that uncertainty.

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What is a resettlement agency and how can they help Afghan families?

In the United States, resettlement agencies are organizations that welcome newly resettled persons and connect them with important services and resources. These nongovernmental agencies are contracted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement to initially sponsor a refugee or family entering the United States and help orient them to life in the United States by providing access to food, shelter, and medical and other health services. Resettlement agencies can also support families by helping them register children and youth for school and connecting them with programs to support their integration into the school community. School staff should reach out to their local resettlement agencies to coordinate efforts to support Afghan refugee students and families.

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I want to make sure we have appropriate translation services in our schools. What language do Afghans speak?

There is rich language and ethnic diversity in Afghanistan. Dari (also referred to as Afghan Persian) and Pashto are the official languages of Afghanistan and thus are the official languages of instruction in the Afghan public education system. Despite similarities between Dari and Pashto, it is important to remember that individuals typically communicate more effectively in one language or the other. It is estimated that 6 percent of the Afghan population speak English.

School staff should understand that not all Afghan students and families will speak the same language or share the same cultural values and norms. When setting up translation services, they should confirm which languages are preferred by Afghan families in their community.

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What is the historical and contemporary landscape of the school system in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan’s history has been marked by military conflicts as well as political and social upheaval. Given the impact of the country’s turbulent history on its education system, school staff should recognize that Afghan students and their families will have varying levels of prior access to formal education. Below is a brief, summarized timeline of education systems in Afghanistan in recent decades.

1960s – 1980s: Making education compulsory and increasing access

Afghanistan’s 1964 constitution enshrined the right of every citizen to receive an education and established compulsory primary education for all children, including girls. In 1973, the government was overthrown and a new constitution was established; this new constitution also emphasized education, making primary, secondary, and higher education free. The country had nearly 4,000 schools by 1978. However, civil war erupted that same year, destroying schools and weakening educational infrastructure.

1990s: The rise of the Taliban and restrictions on education, especially for girls

The Taliban’s 1995 rise to power caused additional disruption to the country’s education systems. The Taliban closed girls’ schools, prohibited women from attending universities, and altered curricula to include a much greater focus on religious subjects.

2001 – 2020: Rebuilding the education system and increasing access.

After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, school enrollment increased significantly and the number of schools in Afghanistan increased from 3,400 in 2001 to approximately 16,000 by 2015. However, the increasing enrollment was experienced largely by boys, and girls did not have the same access to education, especially in more rural areas of the country. Most schools were segregated by gender, with boys and girls studying separately. Approximately 21 percent of girls and 40 percent of boys completed primary school (grade 6) during this period, with much lower rates for girls in rural areas.

2021 – present: The return of the Taliban and restrictions on education

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reported that, in September 2021, the Taliban issued education policies that reimposed bans on girls’ attendance at secondary school, mandated gender segregation in schools, required that girls only be taught by women teachers in primary schools, and replaced secular curricula with religious studies. USAID also found that, since August 2021, girls’ secondary school attendance decreased in every province in Afghanistan, including Kabul (the capital of Afghanistan), while boys’ secondary school attendance decreased in eight provinces.

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I want to ease the transition for Afghan refugee students. What is the school system like in Afghanistan?

Understanding the context of schools in Afghanistan can help school staff successfully partner with Afghan families and meet Afghan refugee students’ needs. Below is a brief overview of the educational system in Afghanistan.

The school system in Afghanistan includes primary and secondary education, each consisting of two cycles with specific academic subjects and requirements.

At both the primary and secondary levels, classes are generally teacher-centered, emphasize rote memorization, and focus on whole group and lecture-based instruction. This means that small group work and student-led and inquiry-based learning, which are common in U.S. classrooms, may be new to many Afghan students.

Finally, Afghanistan’s political history has impacted the country’s education system, especially as it relates to the access and enrollment of students by gender, with girls continuing to experience limited access to education compared to boys. For more information on gender disparities in education, see the response to the previous question offering historical context for the education system in Afghanistan.

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Why is culturally responsive family engagement important when working with Afghan families?

When families, schools, and community agencies and organizations work together, there are many benefits to children’s learning and development. Family engagement is especially important for refugee families, as it is essential for a successful transition into the U.S. school system. Specifically, engaging refugee families can:

• Help children and parents adapt to their new country and educational system
• Provide a stable and supportive environment that can improve children’s social-emotional well-being
• Boost children’s learning and their academic achievement
• Build trust between families and schools, fostering collaboration and mutual understanding

When working with Afghan refugee families, school staff should remember that the culture of U.S. schools and their expectations for family engagement may be new to some families. In their home country, some families may not have closely and actively collaborated with schools because such action may have been viewed as interfering with professionals. While one should never assume that all Afghan families are alike, school staff should consider some cultural norms as they engage with Afghan families.

First, Afghan households tend to be multigenerational, with three to four generations living together in one home or property. School staff should recognize that the stress and trauma of moving to a new community are likely to be absorbed differently across the family, and that each member will have unique individual needs in addition to needs as a collective family unit.

Second, gender roles are important in Afghan families and may be considerably different than gender roles in their new communities. The authors of Supporting Afghan Students in Schools & Youth Programs the United States describe the dynamic succinctly: “[F]emale family members typically have more responsibilities inside the home, and male family members have more responsibilities outside the home.” While families’ displacement and resettlement may disrupt some of these cultural norms, being familiar with them can help school staff better understand and engage the Afghan refugee families with whom they work. Nonetheless, since every family is unique in its structure, relationships, and shared values, school staff should always confirm with families what works best for them.

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How can trauma-informed approaches be used to help Afghan refugee students who may have experienced trauma before, during, and after their migration to the United States?

Trauma-informed approaches in schools are essential for supporting children who have experienced trauma—especially refugee children, given the experiences they and their families may have faced before, during, and after arriving to the United States. Specifically, using trauma-informed approaches in schools can:

• Create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment that fosters a sense of belonging for refugee children—critical for their integration and adjustment to a new culture
• Provide refugee students with strategies to label and manage their emotions
• Equip refugee students with resilience-building skills that can help them navigate future challenges effectively

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I would like to learn more about the Afghan population to better understand the students and families I work with. Where can I find additional information?

The information provided in this toolkit explains a small fraction of the full history of Afghanistan and Afghan people. Below, you will find cultural resources to learn more about the nuanced experiences of Afghan refugee students and families. These documentaries, podcasts, books, and research can represent a starting point for developing empathy and cultivating understanding for these communities.

Flee

An animated documentary that tells the true story of Nawabi, a refugee who fled Afghanistan. Nawabi told NPR that being a refugee is “not an identity, it’s a circumstance of life.”

Afghan Voices: Books for Children and Young Adults

A library that brings a wide range of Afghan stories and voices to life. These books can support school and community discussions of current events as they unfold in Afghanistan.

What’s happening in Afghanistan one year after the U.S. withdrawal?

A podcast from the Brookings Institution that discusses the Taliban’s restrictions on civil society, the segregation of women and girls from public life, and the need for more creative policies to alleviate Afghan people’s suffering without helping the Taliban.

Educational Supports and Experiences in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program: Findings from a Descriptive Study

A research brief that summarizes findings related to education services and experiences in educational settings from the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Program. Section 4 focuses on URM high-school-aged youths’ experiences from six focus groups conducted with youth. Although this resource discusses a population that is not exclusively Afghan, it can provide greater understanding of potential challenges Afghan refugee students may face in school settings.

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How can I share this information with my school community?

The information in this toolkit has been packaged into a ready-to-go PowerPoint template to help you share these topics with your schools and communities at future meetings or via professional development sessions.