New Kids on the Block: Refugee Students’ School-Based Experiences and Engagement in an Urban High School

Schools have been deemed as influential institutions for refugee youth. However, refugee students face many challenges adjusting to the US educational system. Drawing on the student engagement framework and situative knowledge, this study highlights the importance of schools to support students to take an active role in their learning, enabling them to shape their own experiences and the social and academic outcomes they want to achieve. Therefore, this study employs a phenomenological approach to examine refugee students’ experiences with schools and the facilitators and barriers for their engagement. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 refugee students who resettled to a Midwest City. Facilitators included a welcoming environment cultivated by educators and shared co-racial and ethnic similarities between school staff and refugee students. Barriers included a lack of English language acquisition, discrimination from educators and students, and unfamiliarity with school-based norms. Recommendations are offered on how to support refugee students to be more engaged within school contexts.