Contact Information:
Whitney Eich
Whitney.Eich@dshs.wa.gov
Washington State is one of many states receiving Refugee School Impact funds from the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. RSI program’s goals are to promote academic performance and successful integration of eligible children through facilitating education access, and increasing school districts’ capacity to support children, youth, and families.
RSI funds are set aside to serve many different refugee and immigrant populations through different channels. Please view the table and drop-down subsections below for more information about each part of this program.
Program
|
Population(s) Served
|
Refugee School Impact
|
Any ORR-eligible* refugee children, ages 5-18
|
Ukrainian Refugee School Impact
|
Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees
|
Afghan Refugee School Impact
|
Afghan Humanitarian Parolees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders
|
Early Refugee School Impact
|
ORR-eligible* refugee children, ages 0-5
|
Afghan Refugee School Impact Support to Schools
|
All school-aged Afghan Humanitarian Parolees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders
|
Afghan Youth Empowerment Program
|
ORR-eligible* youth ages 14-22
|
*To view a list of ORR-eligible populations, visit the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s webpage on Eligibility and Benefits.
Refugee School Impact
-
Short term para-educator support for new arrivals to help them navigate their first days of school
-
In-class tutoring for struggling students
-
After school tutoring during the week and on weekends
-
Assistance with completing high school requirements for high school students
-
Workshops for parents on topics such as school navigation, bullying, literacy, math activities for home, high school preparation, and college readiness
-
Training for community organizations to strengthen their knowledge of curriculum and instructional practices in schools
-
Training for school district staff to better understand refugee groups and the refugee experience here
-
Are children ages 5-18, or the parents of eligible children.
-
Have been in the United States less than five years.
-
Have an immigration status that makes them eligible for federally-funded refugee services from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). For more information about ORR eligibility, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
School District
|
District Coordinator
|
Partnering Community-Based Organization(s)
|
Auburn
|
Peter Lamb
Email: plamb@auburn.wednet.edu
|
|
Bellingham
|
Amy Carder
|
|
Central Valley
|
Cindy Sothen
Email: csothen@cvsd.org
|
|
Edmonds
|
Nichole Rodriguez
|
|
Everett
|
Megan Rude
Email: mrude@everettsd.org
|
|
Federal Way
|
Sonia Nicholson
Email: snicholson@fwps.org
|
|
Highline
|
Bernard Koontz
|
|
Kennewick
|
Sarah Del Toro
Email: sarah.deltoro@ksd.org
|
|
Kent
|
Susanne Whitlock
|
|
Mukilteo
|
Elena Kelley
Email: kelleyle@mukilteo.wednet.edu
|
|
Spokane
|
Heather Richardson
Email: Heatherri@spokaneschools.org
|
|
Tacoma
|
Minh-Anh Hodge
Email: mhodge@tacoma.k12.wa.us
|
|
Tukwila
|
Veronica Birdsong
Email: birdsongv@tukwila.wednet.edu
|
Ukrainian Refugee School Impact, and Afghan Refugee School Impact
-
After school tutoring during the week and on weekends.
-
Field trips and outdoor learning activities.
-
Summer programs and activities.
-
Assistance with completing high school requirements for high school students.
-
Workshops for parents on topics such as school navigation, bullying, literacy, math activities for home, high school preparation, and college readiness.
-
Training for community organizations to strengthen their knowledge of curriculum and instructional practices in schools.
-
Are children ages 5-18, or the parents of eligible children; and
-
Have an immigration status that makes them eligible to receive benefits and services under the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriation Act*; or
-
Have an immigration status that makes them eligible to receive benefits and services under the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act.*
Organization
|
Location
|
Contact Information
|
Population(s) Served
|
|
Afghans
|
Ukrainians
|
|||
Seattle
|
Abdi Haro
Email: haro@bcgwashington.org
Ayanle Ismail
Email: ayanle@bcgwashington.org
|
ü
|
|
|
Kennewick
|
Theresa Roosendaal
Mila Doroshchuk
|
|
ü
|
|
Bellevue
|
Veronika Korovianska
Email: Verk@Codingforall.Net
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Seattle
|
Mona Han
Email: monahan@rootedbrilliance.org
|
ü
|
|
|
International Rescue Committee
|
SeaTac
|
Jennifer McLaughlin
Jesse Nevins
Email: jesse.nevins@rescue.org
|
ü
|
|
Spokane
|
Marianne Sfeir
Email: marianne.sfeir@rescue.org
Margaret Hinson
Email: margaret.hinson@rescue.org
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Seattle
|
Tamthy Le
Email: tamthy.le@kandelia.org
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
SeaTac
|
Najib Nezhat
Email: nnazhat@lcsnw.org
Heather Brandt
Email: hbrandt@lcsnw.org
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Everett
|
Van Dinh Kuno
Email: vkuno@everettcc.edu
Tarseny Aphkas
Email: taphkas@everettcc.edu
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Seattle
|
Mahnaz Eshetu
Email: grants@rewa.org
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Spokane
|
Zhanna Oberemok
|
|
ü
|
|
Everett
|
Galina Volchkova
Email: Gvolchkova@voaww.org
|
|
ü
|
|
Kent
|
Vidhya Chintala
Email: vchintala@wr.org
|
ü
|
ü
|
Early Refugee School Impact
The Early Refugee School Impact set-aside funding is designed to promote access to child care, to ensure that Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible children are prepared to succeed in formal schooling, and to support parents of young children through engagement activities.
Services include, but are not limited to:
- Preschool/daycare systems navigation support.
- Parent workshops.
- Play and learn groups.
- Developmental screenings.
- Child development support.
Eligibility
Individuals may be eligible for services if they:
- Are children between the ages of 0-5, or the parents of eligible children.
- Have been in the United States less than five years.
- Have an immigration status that makes them eligible for federally-funded refugee services from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). For more information about ORR eligibility, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Services and Service Providers
Organization Name
|
Description of Services
|
County Served
|
Population Served
|
LEAP (Leadership, Early
Learning, Access Program),
a home based early learning program that includes parent education
workshops and preschool/daycare
systems navigation support.
|
King
|
Parents and children ages 0-5, emphasis on the Afghan Population
|
|
School Readiness Program, with a Drums Alive class, Parent to Parent peer group, school readiness
playgroup, and developmental screenings.
|
King
|
Parents and children ages 3-5, emphasis on the Ukrainian Population
|
|
Family Support and Daycare/Preschool Systems Navigation ; Developmental
Screenings
|
King
|
Parents and children ages 0-5
|
|
Family Support and Daycare/Preschool Systems Navigation ; Developmental
Screenings; Early Learning Home Visits ; Parent Child Learning Sessions; Early Childhood Parent Workshops
|
Primarily King and Pierce, some limited services in Thurston and Whatcom
|
Parents and children ages 0-5
|
|
Family Support and Daycare/Preschool Systems Navigation; Early Childhood Parent Workshops; Developmental Screenings and Child Development support.
|
Snohomish
|
Parents and children ages 0-5, emphasis on the Ukrainian Population
|
|
Community-Minded Enterprises, in consortium with Thrive International, Spokane Slavic Association, and World Relief Spokane
|
Family Support and Daycare/Preschool Systems Navigation; Play and Learn Groups; Developmental Screenings
|
Spokane
|
Parents and children ages 0-5
|
Afghan Refugee School Impact Support to Schools
School Districts that have received funding for this program include:
|
Auburn
|
Edmonds
|
Federal Way
|
Highline
|
Kennewick
|
Mead
|
Mukilteo
|
Puyallup
|
Renton
|
Seattle
|
Shoreline
|
Spokane
|
Tacoma
|
Tukwila
|
Vancouver
|
-
Are children ages 5-18, or the parents of eligible children.
-
Have an immigration status that makes them eligible to receive benefits and services under the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriation Act. For more information about ASA eligibility, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Afghan Youth Empowerment Program
The Afghan Youth Empowerment Program is co-funded by the Refugee School Impact Program, and the Refugee Health Promotion Program. The program coordinates culturally relevant and appropriate group activities, support groups, and workshops tailored to Afghan refugee youth (ages 14 – 22) in King County.
Eligibility
Individuals may be eligible for services if they:
- Are between the ages of 14 and 22.
- Have been in the United States less than five years.
- Have an immigration status that makes them eligible for federally-funded refugee services from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. For more information about ORR eligibility, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Service Provider
Organization |
Location |
Contact Information |
Afghan Health Initiative |
King County/South King County |