La migración es un tema candente estos días, pero las personas que estudian para convertirse en profesores bilingües en una universidad de California están haciendo un esfuerzo para bajar la temperatura.

El programa de credenciales bilingües de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego envía a los futuros profesores en un viaje de cuatro días a escuelas empobrecidas en Tijuana, para ayudarles a entender las condiciones que muchos de sus futuros estudiantes experimentan.

Erika Sandoval, de Santa Clarita, cursa su primer año en el programa. Ella misma migró a los Estados Unidos desde México a los nueve años.

"Volver atrás y escuchar sus historias," dice Sandoval, "-algunos de ellos tenían familia en Estados Unidos, otros intentaban cruzar la frontera- eso me recordó a cuando mis padres también habían tomado la decisión de venir a este país. Fue muy emotivo, la verdad."

Los maestros visitan una escuela en un albergue para migrantes, también otra que tiene un programa para estudiantes ciegos y una tercera que está en uno de los barrios de menores ingresos de la ciudad.

Sandoval dice que los niños pueden estar en la escuela en Tijuana una semana y en California la siguiente. Por lo tanto, la empatía obtenida en un viaje transfronterizo puede mejorar la eficacia docente en el futuro.

"Cuando eres capaz de conectar con ellos y generar esa confianza, hay una comunidad contigo," agrega Sandoval, "y son capaces de involucrarse en lo que les estas ensenando."

Sarah Maharonnaghsh es profesora en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego y ayuda a organizar los viajes. Dice que los maestros en formación suelen quedar impresionados con el comportamiento de los niños de Tijuana, a pesar de que no tienen tareas en el jardín y los útiles escolares son escasos.

"No hay nadie supervisándolos en el patio de recreo y todos parecen portarse bien," Maharonnaghsh. "O si hay una caja de crayones, los niños la comparten entre ellos. Entonces, simplemente ven ese componente colectivo de la cultura mexicana."

Afirma que el programa hace hincapié en el respeto a la cultura de los alumnos y ayuda a los profesores a centrarse en las virtudes de los niños y no en sus carencias.

La Fundación Lumina proporcionó apoyo para este informe.





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Mixed responses continue to swirl about the new federal law offering tax incentives to people who donate to organizations providing scholarships to private K-12 schools.

School choice proponents are calling the Educational Choice for Children Act a win for all students, while opponents said the program will only benefit wealthy families. Starting in 2027, people who donate up to $1,700 to organizations offering K-12 scholarships will be 100% reimbursed through federal tax credits.

Brian Jodice, national press secretary for the American Federation for Children, emphasizes it is not a voucher program but rather a donor-driven initiative to provide families with more schooling options.

"It doesn't impact state budgets. It doesn't impact the federal budget," Jodice pointed out. "It allows people to donate to these scholarship granting organizations and get a tax credit, so (it) incentivizes the donors to go do that, which we think is a good thing. But then it also incentivizes families to be able to go apply for it and let their students benefit from it."

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said more than 138 million people nationwide could be eligible for the tax credit. It predicted about 43% will participate which would cost the federal government more than $100 billion per year. States must opt in to participate.

Illinois recently failed to extend its tax credit scholarship program for low-income families. Opponents argued the scholarships would benefit those who are already in private schools rather than providing an opportunity for lower-income families to switch from public to private school. In Chicago, families who make up to about $225,000 could apply to receive scholarships.

Maura McInerney, legal director at the Education Law Center, said the program is a tax shelter, benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the poor and public schools.

"We've seen this occur in other states and there's no accountability for these dollars and how they're spent," McInerney emphasized. "The only criterion for receiving a voucher is actually a high family income limit. So essentially this money will potentially benefit students who are already in private schools."

She added the program opens the door to discrimination since there is no oversight on what qualifications scholarship-granting organizations can impose on applicants. The program also does not have a cap, which McInerney said makes it especially concerning.

Federal law said the governor or a designated agency will decide if a state participates in the program. So far, Gov. JB Pritzker has called the new federal budget a setback for students across the nation which will increase barriers to success.


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Uncertainty about the current job market is influencing high school graduates' choices for a career.

Parents are generally the go-to for guidance, but a new poll suggests they have limited knowledge of post-high school educational options such as certification programs or apprenticeships.

The Indiana Department of Education reports that in 2024, Indiana achieved its highest-ever state high school graduation rate, at nearly 91%.

Jeff Bulanda, vice president of the American Student Assistance Center for Career Navigation at the nonprofit Jobs for the Future, said too often, family conversations about post-graduation plans occur too late.

"Young people actually really trust and rely on their parents' guidance," said Bulanda. "Ninety percent of young people said they rely on their parents' guidance when it comes to education and careers."

The Gallup Panel findings revealed more than half of families know "a great deal" about working at a paid job or earning a bachelor's degree. And just over half of all parents reported they "frequently" have those conversations with their high-school-age child, rising to 65% among parents with high school seniors.

Experts note without early and well-informed discussions, students are often forced to make life-shaping decisions on their own.

Working parents' schedules and not enough high school guidance counselors nationwide can add to students feeling unprepared.

Bulanda added that Jobs for the Future is working to build an online navigation tool to steer students to potential career pathways that align with their interests and inform graduates entering the workforce about the right questions to ask.

"Does this employer offer tuition assistance or some form of education benefit," said Bulanda, "where they may start in a front-line job but have the ability to earn money, as well as have their employer pay for their education?"

Bulanda stressed that today, fewer than three in 10 high schoolers say they feel very prepared to pursue postsecondary options.

He emphasized that the key is to take a step back and consider all potential funding sources at the state and local level, where short-term training program grants often help move students into in-demand careers.

The Indiana Department of Education reports almost 250,000 students enrolled in Indiana's colleges and universities for the Fall 2024 academic year.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

School funding is ranked as the top education priority in a spring survey of 850 Marion County voters by the education organization RISE Indy.

With 73% of Indianapolis' public school students in grades 3-8 reading below grade level, respondents indicated they want stronger schools and believe policymakers are the gatekeepers for improvement. RISE Indy specializes in closing the academic achievement gap for historically marginalized communities.

Jasmine Jackson, chief of staff for the group, said a child's access to a good school should not be determined by income, networking or their ability to get to a "certain" school.

"The political work allows us to support education champions and keep them honest and accountable," Jackson explained. "Our policy work allows us to work with elected officials to promote kids. And our programmatic work allows us to train them through literacy, through board governance."

U.S. News and World Report said almost 38% of students in Indianapolis public schools are Black, slightly more than 36% are Hispanic and 21% are white.

Among survey respondents, 33% ranked school transportation as a top priority. Parents want the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, a group created by the Indiana General Assembly to manage public education, to also address transportation challenges.

Jackson believes not just access but school choice should not sway the alliance's decisions.

"Voters desire one system that addresses transportation for all Indianapolis students, regardless of whether they're in IPs or public charter schools," Jackson emphasized. "We need a combined transportation system that is efficient, safe, students are not on the bus for over an hour one way to school."

According to the poll, 83% of respondents support a combined transportation system to streamline operations, reduce costs and improve service reliability. The Indianapolis Public Schools website indicates its school buses cover approximately 20,000 miles per school year.


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