Assign a compensated navigator to each family to connect English learner households with learning and support services¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The guide recommends assigning a "navigator" to each family, particularly for students learning remotely. Navigators may be educators, support staff, community members, or trusted families; they gather input and refer households to mental and physical health supports, summer acceleration opportunities, and technology support. The guide cites Metro Nashville Public Schools, which "quickly formed a corps of 5,600 navigators from their current district employees to support students and families."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Navigators must be compensated for their time, kept up to date on district and community resources, and trained in culturally competent communication and family privacy protections, especially for undocumented or mixed-status families

Constraints¶

• Districts must keep linguistic needs and other family circumstances in mind when assigning navigators

Target Learners¶

• English learners and families, especially those with students learning remotely

Target Learning Goals¶

• Access to learning opportunities and critical student supports during interrupted schooling

Related Strategies¶

• Hire peer family care navigators and build county-level coordinated care systems for English Learner families
• Provide navigator support through enrollment and financial aid, plus continued support after enrollment
• Assign trained adult advocates with low caseloads to students at risk of dropping out
• Connect participating families to community resources and act as family-school liaisons
• Remove language and participation barriers by communicating with families in multiple languages through varied channels with interpreters available
• Partner with immigrant-serving community-based organizations to engage linguistically diverse families and sustain feedback loops

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• The Next100, UnidosUS, and The Education Trust. (2021). Action Guide: Targeting Resources From the American Rescue Plan to Address the Needs of English Learners. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED614289