Unaccompanied Children and Youth: Archived Resources

The following archived resources focus on the experiences of unaccompanied children that migrated to the U.S. during prior migration waves. These resources offer helpful background information for educators.

For updated information and ideas on how to best serve unaccompanied children in schools, see Unaccompanied Children in Schools: What You Need to Know.

News Coverage

Education Week

Education Week has featured in-depth coverage of the arrival of unaccompanied children in public schools, including the following stories:

The New York Times

Public media

Other news outlets


Research and Reports

Unaccompanied Child Migrants in U.S. Communities, Immigration Court, and Schools

The tens of thousands of unaccompanied school-aged children and youths who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in the spring and summer of 2014 had vastly different educational experiences depending on where they settled, according to this report from the Migration Policy Institute.  The report argues that the “most visible and immediate impact” of the surge of unaccompanied minors has been felt by local school districts.

No Childhood Here: Why Central American Children Are Fleeing Their Homes
The report from the American Immigration Council, written by migrant expert Elizabeth Kennedy, takes an in-depth look at the reasons children are leaving home and embarking on the dangerous journey to come to the U.S.