Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

A Critical Review Of The Best Practices For Displaced Students In Orange County Public Schools, Nicole Hubert

Honors Program Theses

In September of 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the island of Puerto Rico, resulting in the displacement of 35,000 people to Central Florida. Consequently, approximately 4,000 displaced students were enrolled in Orange County Public Schools, one of the largest and most racially diverse school districts in both Florida and the United States. Displaced students did not receive the attention deserved leading to academic and psychological difficulties. This critical review recommends curricular best practices specific to displaced English Language Learner (ELL) students, including ELL specific approaches, technology-based approaches, and models for trauma-related care. Additionally, administrative best practices are proposed to address issues …