Exploring Afghan refugee families and the home-school connection: A principals’ perspective

In August of 2021, the United States pulled troops out of Afghanistan after a 20-year presence. This is marked as one of the longest occupations in a region in US history. Within the last few years, American schools have seen an increase in Afghan refugee students and families. For refugee youth, schools are the primary place for developing context and are one of the most influential institutions to develop relationships. Principals' belief in family engagement is crucial for its success in improving student learning (Constantino, 2007). Research consistently demonstrates the positive impact of family engagement on student success, with vulnerable populations experiencing even greater benefits from strong home-school partnerships (Bienia & Young, 2020). However, despite this evidence, literature specifically exploring the principal's role in fostering these connections remains somewhat limited. This gap is particularly significant when considering the unique needs of Afghan refugee families. Recently arrived Afghan refugee students, can face academic and social challenges, making parental support even more critical. Yet, little is known about how school leaders perceive their role in building relationships with these families and navigating barriers. To address this, this qualitative study explored the perspectives of seven school principals and assistant principals on their experiences establishing home-school connections with Afghan refugee families. The findings revealed that while participants demonstrated cultural sensitivity in their interactions with Afghan students, they encountered significant challenges connecting with families. Participants also found it difficult to build relationships with families before needing to contact them about discipline or logistical problems. These findings underscore the need for ongoing professional development in cultural sensitivity and competence for school leaders working with refugee population

Author

• Webb, Rachael L.

Identifier

hdl:10057/29174

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:soar.wichita.edu:10057/29174