Refugee School Impact Program

Refugee School Impact Program is a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), that funds state and state-alternative programs supporting school districts impacted by school-aged refugees and other ORR-eligible populations.

Programs may serve ORR-eligible individuals from birth through age 18, including an Early RSI component for children ages birth to five authorized since October 2021. The program prioritizes new arrivals within their first year and can serve those in the U.S. five years or less who face ongoing integration and academic challenges. Funding is distributed as a formula Set-Aside under Refugee Support Services.

Refugee School Impact Program | The Administration for Children and Families Click Here to Report Suspected Child Care Fraud Refugee School Impact Program The Refugee School Impact (RSI) program provides grants to state and state-alternative programs to support school districts impacted by school-aged refugees and ORR-eligible populations. Grantees may provide RSI program services to all ORR-eligible individuals from birth to age 18.

As of October 2021, ORR expanded the RSI program to include Early RSI, authorizing participation of children from birth to five years old. RSI and Early RSI program services prioritize new arrivals within their first year of arrival, yet can serve those who have been in the U.S. five years or less and continue to face integration and academic challenges. Both youth and their families may receive services from the RSI program.

The central goals of the program are to ensure that ORR-eligible children are prepared to succeed in formal schooling, promote access to child care, strengthen academic performance, and aid the social adjustment of newly arriving refugee youth and their families.

States are encouraged to design services according to the needs of their communities and schools through partnerships with state school officials, resettlement agencies, child care programs, health and mental health providers, community- and faith-based organizations, and other local service providers.

Funding may be used to provide: Specialized services and support for eligible children and youth Holistic support to families learning to navigate the U.S. education system Capacity development for school staff, systems, and child care providers Facilitation of child care access Support for early childhood education Other activities designed to support the successful integration of school-aged children and their families, including resources to serve new populations Schools, including early childhood education programs, are important for the integration of refugee youth and their parents.

Local RSI programs help refugee youth and their families connect to the school and larger community, cultivate cultural awareness for both the refugees and the communities in which they resettle, promote civic engagement, and enhance language skills. States and state-alternative programs receive funding for RSI as a Refugee Support Services (RSS) Formula “Set-Aside” program.

States and state-alternative programs sub-contract with local school systems or social service providers to administer the programs and provide direct services. RSI program funding is available in states receiving sufficient eligible population arrivals, between the ages of 0-18, during the previous two fiscal years. To learn more about RSI program allocation methodologies, view the most recent Dear Colleague Letter .

To learn more about the program, view Policy Letter 22-07 (PDF). Contact your State Refugee Coordinator (SRC) to find local RSI programs.