The Lynch School of Education and Human Development has received a two-year, $574,488 award from the William T. Grant Foundation to study how public school educators interpret and respond to rapidly changing immigration policies, with Lynch School Associate Professor Rebecca Lowenhaupt as principal investigator.
Rebecca Lowenhaupt
Lowenhaupt leads an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Boston College, the University of Washington, Rutgers University, and Harvard University. Launched on June 1, the mixed-methods project will partner with six school districts in distinct immigration contexts across the U.S., working to find ways to support their students.
"The ongoing changes to the immigration system are threatening immigrant-origin students’ socioemotional well-being and exacerbate existing inequalities in many ways," said Lowenhaupt. "These policies also impact educators, who navigate these challenges as they work to support these youths and their families in the midst of uncertainty. Our initial research has shown that educators are feeling an impact on their day-to-day work, as well as their own personal sense of well-being. Simultaneously, we're seeing how they innovate new practices in response to ongoing concerns about their students."
Through qualitative case studies, survey research, and design-based implementation research with district partners, the team will document, develop, and share these innovative practices in an effort to support immigrant-origin students.
The New York City-based William T. Grant Foundation, founded in 1936, invests in high-quality research focused on reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States.
–Phil Gloudemans | University Communications