Unaccompanied Children Program Care Providers Education Services Survey

Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Children Program Care Providers Survey: Education Services

Introduction:

Thank you for participating in our survey on the educational services provided by care providers in the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program. The UC Policy Unit is currently evaluating ORR’s education policy for unaccompanied children to assess whether it adequately addresses the unique and individual needs of the children in our care. This survey aims to gain insights into the current state of educational services and identify areas of improvement in education service delivery. Your input is invaluable to our ongoing efforts to understand how programs are supporting the educational needs of unaccompanied children.

The Unaccompanied Children (UC) Policy Unit is currently evaluating ORR’s education policy for unaccompanied children to assess whether it adequately addresses the unique and individual needs of the children in our care. This survey aims to gain insights into the current state of educational services and identify areas of improvement in education service delivery. The responses to these questions will be used to evaluate ORR’s policy and technical assistance support. Responses will not be used to evaluate your program. Responses will be separated from the respondents’ identity, even if they opt to identify themselves for further information.

Participation in this survey is optional. The data collected will be exclusively accessed and utilized by program analysts to evaluate ORR’s policy and technical assistance support. Your responses will not evaluate your program. Additionally, they will be recorded as anonymous and separated from your identity, even if you choose to provide further information about yourself.

Who Should Complete This Survey?

The ideal survey respondent is someone who is most familiar with a UC Program’s educational services. This can be an Education Lead, Lead Teacher, or other administrative position that is responsible to making decisions, planning, and assuring compliance with UC education service requirements.

Please complete and return the survey by [insert deadline date].

Section I: Program Demographics

1. In what state are you providing care for children?

• Insert drop down menu

  • 50 States and Washington D.C.

2. In what type of setting does your program occur?

• Insert drop down menu

• Group Home

• Influx Care Facility

• Long Term Foster Care

• Residential Treatment Facility

• Shelter

• Staff Secure

• Therapeutic Group Home

• Therapeutic Staff Secure

• Transitional Foster Care

3. What is the total number of children in your program?

• Less than 25

• 25-49

• 50-100

• 101-250

• 251-500

4. What is the age range of the children in your program? (Select all that apply)

• Under 5 years

• 5-10 years

• 11-13 years

• 14-18 years

5. What is the average class size in your program?

• Less than 10

• 10-20

• 21-30

• 31-40

• More than 40

6. What is the average length of stay for children in your program?

• Less than 1 month

• 1-3 months

• 3-6 months

• More than 6 months

Section II: Education Staff

7. What is the total number of teachers employed in your staff?

• Insert short answer to insert raw number

8. What is the total number of teacher aides employed in your staff?

• Insert short answer to insert raw number

9. What us the total number of youth care workers employed in your staff?

• Insert short answer to insert raw number

10. On average, what is the ratio of teachers to children in your program?

• Short answer

11. Please provide the total number of teaching staff members in your program who meet the listed qualifications.

Number	Qualification
	Bachelor’s Degree in another field (non-education)
	Master’s Degree in Education
	Master’s Degree in another field (non-education)
	State Education Certification
	Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL) Certificate
	Phycological First Aid Certified (or equivalent)
	1+ Year of classroom experience at a K-12 school system
	Spanish Fluency
	Other Language (not English or Spanish) fluency
	No teaching experience
	No post-secondary education

Section III: Current Educational Programming

1. Educational Assessment

12. How do you assess the academic level of children at admission? (Check all that apply)

• Observational assessments

• Oral interviews

• Written tests

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

13. What methods are used to identify the educational needs of each child upon admission? (Check all that apply)

• Consultation with educators

• Formal testing

• Individual interviews

• Psychological evaluations

• Other (please specify)

• None / Not Applicable

14. Have you faced any of the following challenges when conducting the educational assessment at admission? (Check all that apply)

• Language barriers

• Lack of prior educational records

• Staffing constraints

• Resource limitations

• Other (please specify)

• None / Not Applicable

15. How often are children reassessed?

• Weekly (Every 7 days)

• Bi-Weekly (Every 14 days)

• Monthly (Every 30 days)

• At time of discharge or transfer

• Other (please specify)

• Never

2. Educational Program Development

16. Are you required to adhere to local educational standards and requirements?

• Yes

• No

• Unsure

17. If yes, please describe how you adhere to local educational standards and requirements.

[Open-ended response]

18. How is the curriculum for your educational program developed? (Check all that apply)

• Developed uniquely by our program

• Created by an external contractor

• Aligned with local and state education standards

• Other (please specify)

19. Could you describe in detail how your program develops its curriculum, including specific examples of how you design and implement educational content? (For instance, mention any specialized programs, collaborative efforts, use of community resources, scheduling, etc.)

[Open-ended response]

20. How long does your curriculum continue without repeating?

• Less than a month

• 1-3 months

• 3-6 months

• 6-12 months

• More than a year

• Continuously developing

21. How do you adapt the curriculum for children who cannot read or write? (Check all that apply)

• Intensive literacy classes

• Visual and audio learning supports

• Hands-on, experiential learning activities

• One-on-one tutoring support

• No adaptation

• Other (please specify)

22. How do you adapt the curriculum for children who do not speak English or Spanish? (Check all that apply)

• Language immersion programs

• Bilingual education support

• Use of translation technology and services

• Use of interpretation services

• Employing multilingual care providers

• No adaptation

• Other (please specify)

23. How do you adapt the curriculum for children 17 years and older? (Check all that apply)

• Vocational skills training

• College prep

• Work experiences and internship opportunities

• Training planning and support services

• No adaptation

• Other (please specify)

24. Which organizations, if any, have you partnered with to develop your education program? (Select all that apply)

• Community organizations

• Corporate affiliates/supporters/contributors

• Educational technology companies

• Federal government agencies (e.g., US Department of Education, US Department of Health and Human Services)

• Libraries and cultural institutions

• Non-profit organizations

• Professional education associations

• State and Local child welfare agencies

• Schools and/ or local school districts

• State and Local health departments

• Tutoring centers

• Universities and colleges

• Other ORR care provider

• Not Applicable

• Other (please specify)

25. How do you ensure learning materials reflect cultural identity and sensitivity of the children served in your program? (Select all that apply)

• Multicultural content in curricula

• Input from culturally diverse staff

• Regular reviews for cultural appropriateness by staff

• Consultation or review from a third party

• Feedback from children

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

26. What types of advanced learning opportunities do your program provide? (Select all that apply)

• Independent study

• Special projects

• High school equivalence (e.g., GED )

• College preparatory

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

3. Support Staff

27. How do teacher aides (not youth care worker) typically assist in the classroom? (Select all that apply)

If youth care workers are the only support to teachers in the classrooms, choose “Not Applicable” and continue to the next question.

• Provide one-on-one support to children

• Assist with small group instruction

• Help with classroom management

• Provide instructional support to the teacher

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

28. How do youth care workers support children during educational services? (Select all that apply)

• Provide emotional and behavioral support

• Facilitate access to educational services

• Coordinate with educational and other support staff

• Engage in classroom activities with children

• Provide line of sight supervision

• Do not assist with educational services

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

29. How do clinicians support children during educational services?

• Provide one-on-one support to children

• Provide emotional and behavioral support

• Facilitate access to educational services

• Coordinate with educational and other support staff

• Engage in classroom activities with children

• Do not assist with educational services

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

4. Class Grouping

30. How are children separated into classes?

• Academic development

• Age

• Gender

• Level of literacy

• Linguistic ability

• Social and emotional development

• Special needs

• Advanced Studies

• No separation

• Other, please specify

31. How do you tailor educational services to each child’s academic development? (Select all that apply)

• After-school tutoring

• Differentiated instruction

• One-on-one sessions

• Peer tutoring

• Personalized learning plans

• Small group sessions

• Special education services

• Online supplemental resources

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

32. What strategies are employed to address varying linguistic abilities in children?

• English as a Second Language (ESL) classes

• Bilingual education

• Immersion programs

• Language support aides (e.g., translation or interpretation services)

• Other (please specify)

• None

Section IV: Children with Specialized (Specific) Educational Needs

33. How would you rate the quality of resources (e.g., appropriate staffing, educational materials, adaptive technologies) available in your education program for children with specialized (specific) educational needs served in ORR care?

• Poor: Resources are low quality and do not meet needs effectively.

• Fair: Resources are below average and only partially meet needs.

• Good: Resources are adequate and meet basic requirements.

• Very Good: Resources are of high quality and meet most needs effectively.

• Excellent: Resources exceed expectations in quality and effectiveness.

	Poor	Fair	Good	Very Good	Excellent	N/A
Children with interrupted or no education
Children not proficient in English or Spanish
Children with disabilities
Children who cannot read or write in their primary language
Children who have experienced trauma, including but not limited to trafficking, violence, family separation, forced displacement
Pregnant or parenting teens
Children who identify as LGBTQIA2S+

34. How would you rate the quality of educational services available in your education program for children with specialized (specific) educational needs served in ORR care?

• Poor: Services are low quality and do not meet needs effectively.

• Fair: Services are below average and only partially meet needs.

• Good: Services are adequate and meet basic requirements.

• Very Good: Services are of high quality and meet most needs effectively.

• Excellent: Services exceed expectations in quality and effectiveness.

	Poor	Fair	Good	Very Good	Excellent	N/A
Children with interrupted or no education
Children not proficient in English or Spanish
Children with disabilities
Children who cannot read or write in their primary language
Children who have experienced trauma, including but not limited to trafficking, violence, family separation, forced displacement
Pregnant or parenting teens
Children who identify as LGBTQIA2S+

How would you rate the adequacy of trainings available in your education staff for children with specialized (specific) educational needs served in ORR care?

• Poor: Trainings are low quality and do not meet needs effectively.

• Fair: Trainings are below average and only partially meet needs.

• Good: Trainings are adequate and meet basic requirements.

• Very Good: Trainings are of high quality and meet most needs effectively.

• Excellent: Trainings exceed expectations in quality and effectiveness.

	Poor	Fair	Good	Very Good	Excellent	N/A
Children with interrupted or no education
Children not proficient in English or Spanish
Children with disabilities
Children who cannot read or write in their primary language
Children who have experienced trauma, including but not limited to trafficking, violence, family separation, forced displacement
Pregnant or parenting teens
Children who identify as LGBTQIA2S+

Section V: Services for Children with Disabilities

35. Do you currently, or have you in the past, served children with disabilities?

• Yes

• No

36. Is there a team or specialist responsible for coordinating the educational services for children with disabilities?

• Yes

• No

• In some cases

• Not Applicable

37. What type of educational services do children with disabilities receive?

• Special Education (e.g., resource room, pull out services, self-contained, itinerant services)

• Inclusive Classroom Setting

• One-on-One Tutoring

• Speech Therapy

• Occupational Therapy

• Assistive Technology

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

38. How would you rate the timeliness of providing services to children with disabilities?

• Always provided promptly

• Usually provided within a reasonable time frame

• Sometimes delayed but eventually provided

• Often delayed, causing concerns

• Rarely provided in a timely manner

39. How often are the educational plans for children with disabilities reviewed and updated?

• Daily

• Weekly

• Bi-weekly

• Monthly

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

40. What are the most challenging issues in appropriately accommodating children with disabilities? (Select all that apply)

• Not enough staff for necessary supervision

• Difficulties including children with disabilities in all activities

• Disruptions to other children

• Administering medications

• Lack of training

• Inadequate educational space

• Child provided with assistance (e.g., Interpreter, one-on-one aide)

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

41. What challenges, if any, have been encountered in providing educational services to children with disabilities? (Select all that apply)

• Lack of accessible classrooms

• Language barriers

• Limited trained staff

• Discrimination or bullying

• Inadequate educational materials

• Insufficient funds

• Other (please specify)

• Not Applicable

42. Are there any collaborative efforts between your program and local educational or community agencies to support the educational needs of children with disabilities?

• Yes, extensively

• Yes, but limited

• No

• Not Applicable

43. If yes, please describe:

44. In your opinion, what additional support or resources are needed to improve the educational services for children with disabilities?

Short answer

V. Additional Comments

45. What improvements or changes should be considered for ORR’s education policy for unaccompanied children?

[Open text box]

Thank you for completing our survey. If you are willing to be contacted for further questioning or to provide additional feedback at a later date, please indicate your consent below.

VI. Optional

45. Are you interested in providing additional feedback in the future?

• Yes

• No

46. If yes, please provide your name, title, program and email address below.

THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) STATEMENT OF PUBLIC BURDEN: The purpose of this information collection is to gain insights into the current state of educational services and identify areas of improvement in education service delivery. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.5 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. This is a voluntary collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number is 0970-0531 and the expiration date is 09/30/2025. If you have any comments on this collection of information please contact UCPolicy@acf.hhs.gov.