Refugee Service Program
Overview
The Richardson ISD Refugee Service Program advocates to ensure educational equity for refugee and asylee students and families enrolled in RISD. Our department supports students’ social and cultural acclimation to the United States, in addition to enhancing academic performance.
Our collaborative work with students, families, schools, community stakeholders, and state and federal organizations enables us with the skills and tools to enhance student academic and social success.
We are committed to serving and providing all students and families with equal and quality educational experiences by dismantling social barriers and addressing their diverse needs to ensure they reach their full potential.
FAQs
Texas has experienced some of the highest national levels of refugee and asylee student enrollment. Refugee and asylee students face many obstacles and may struggle to adjust to a new environment after relocating from countries plagued by war, poverty, food insecurity, and other extreme challenges. Schools play a critical role in the inclusion and integration of refugee students and families.
The central goals of the department are to ensure that refugee and asylee students are prepared to succeed in and outside the classroom, strengthen academic performance, cultivate cultural awareness, promote civic engagement, enhance language skills, and aid in the social adjustment of refugee and asylee students and families.
RISD assists our refugee and asylee students in the transition to US schools by providing systemic and intentional implementation of programs and resources to support all students. The goal is to maximize student attendance, engagement, and achievement.
- School registration and orientation support
- Student tutoring and special education assistance
- Professional learning opportunities for campus and district staff
- Cultural enrichment and inclusion of refugee and asylee students and their families
- Enhancement of parent involvement in their children’s education through family engagement, outreach, and education.
- Support in developing collaborative partnerships between non-profit organizations, community providers, and school districts to create, implement, and evaluate services which effectively address the needs of refugee and asylee families.
Our Team
| Name | Title | Email Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yadira Coggins | Director of Student Welfare | yadira.coggins@risd.org | 469-593-9136 |
| Helen Barton | Refugee Services Learning Administrator | helen.barton@risd.org | 469-593-9123 |
| Anila Shah | Refugee Services Program Specialist | anila.shah@risd.org | 469-593-9124 |
| Kaoutar Ouahi | Refugee Services Intake Specialist | kaoutar.ouahi@risd.org | |
| Jessica Torres | Refugee Service Program Administrator | jessica.torres@risd.org | 469-593-9105 |
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