The Refugee School Impact Grant (RSIG) was initiated by ORR to lessen the impact on school systems with high concentrations of refugee students and seeks to help refugees in Davidson, Rutherford, Shelby and Knox counties adjust to the American public school system.  Specifically, the RSIG provides school orientations for refugee parents and students, specialized after-school and/or summer programming for refugee students, training for teachers of refugee students, and a liaison in each county to aid in facilitating communication between schools and refugee families.  In the current fiscal year, Davidson County School Impact grant recipients include Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. and the Nashville International Center for Empowerment. School Impact services in Shelby County are administered by Catholic Charities of West Tennessee and in Knox County by Bridge Refugee Services, Inc.

Catholic Charities of Tennessee in Nashville provides school-readiness programming for newly arrived students as well as after-school tutoring, homework help, and RSIG liaison case management. In addition to working with students, Catholic Charities conducts a teacher training program to assist the teachers of refugee students in meeting the educational and cultural needs of their refugee students and an orientation program for refugee students and parents specific to the Metro Nashville and Rutherford County Public School Systems.

The Nashville International Center for Empowerment focuses on Cultural Exchange workshops to increase awareness for teachers and school staff of refugee issues and refugee children’s integration in public schools in both Metro Nashville and Rutherford County.

Catholic Charities of West Tennessee in Memphis provides school orientations for refugee students and parents as they enter public schools. They also work as liaisons with the Shelby County Public Schools to bridge the gap and encourage communication between refugee students, parents and teachers.

Bridge Refugee Services offers parent and student orientations to help newly arrived refugees become integrated in the Knox County Public School system. They also provide after-school programming that includes tutoring and homework help. Training workshops for teachers and school staff on refugee children’s issues are also conducted. Bridge RSIG staff maximizes their role as a liaison for students, parents and teachers to make the transition less difficult for all parties.