Afghan refugees in Sacramento schools are slipping through the cracks | Opinion

When Mastora Matin arrived in Sacramento in 2021 with her family after fleeing Afghanistan, she entered a school system that promised opportunity but was difficult to navigate. Her parents, unfamiliar with the American education system and limited by language barriers, struggled to communicate with school staff and understand available services.

Like many newly arrived Afghan students, Matin faced the challenge of adapting to a new language, a new culture and a new educational environment while carrying the weight of displacement and uncertainty about the future.

Her experience is not unique. It reflects the reality facing many Afghan refugee families across Sacramento today.

Sacramento is home to one of the largest Afghan communities in the country. Since the fall of Afghanistan’s republic in 2021, thousands of Afghan refugees have resettled throughout the region. Their children now attend schools across Sacramento County.

While many are succeeding, educators, community organizations and families are increasingly concerned about another group of students who are quietly falling behind academically, becoming disengaged from school and facing a growing risk of dropping out before graduation.

As the founder of a Sacramento nonprofit serving refugee and low-income students, I have spent years working directly with students, parents and educators. During that time, community organizations like ours have increasingly been approached by schools districts, including the San Juan Unified School District, seeking help with challenges affecting Afghan students and families.

The concerns are often consistent: Many schools struggle to effectively communicate with parents who are unfamiliar with the American education system. Families often do not understand graduation requirements, attendance policies, college pathways, credit recovery options, special education services or the resources available to support struggling students. Language barriers frequently compound these challenges.

As a result, students can begin falling behind long before families fully understand that a problem exists.

Educators also report challenges supporting students with interrupted education. Some Afghan students experienced significant disruptions in schooling due to war, displacement and migration. Upon arrival, many are expected to learn English, adapt to a new culture and perform academically at grade level simultaneously.

Students who are intelligent and motivated may still struggle academically, fail courses, accumulate insufficient credits or become discouraged when they cannot keep pace with classmates who have benefited from uninterrupted educational experiences.

Mental health and belonging are equally important concerns. Many refugee students are navigating trauma, cultural adjustment, social isolation and the pressures of helping their families rebuild their lives in a new country. Some students struggle to find a sense of belonging and connection within their schools.

When students lose their connection to school, attendance declines. Subsequently, academic performance suffers. And when this persists without intervention, dropout risks increase.

This should concern every Sacramento resident. The consequences of educational failure extend far beyond individual students. Young people who become disconnected from school face greater risks of unemployment, chronic poverty, housing instability, substance abuse, mental health challenges and involvement with the criminal justice system.

Communities often bear the costs through increased spending on social services, healthcare, public assistance, public safety and correctional systems. At a time when employers across California are struggling to find skilled workers, Sacramento cannot afford to allow talented young people to fall through the cracks.

Fortunately, solutions already exist. Schools, community organizations, faith institutions and mentoring programs have demonstrated that targeted support works. Parent education workshops help families navigate the school system. Mentorship programs connect students with successful role models who understand their experiences.

Tutoring, academic coaching, culturally responsive family engagement and expanded mental health and wellness services help students overcome barriers and remain engaged in school.

I have personally witnessed Afghan students from Sacramento gain admission to UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and other highly competitive institutions. Their success demonstrates that the issue is not a lack of talent or ambition, it comes down to whether students have access to the support systems necessary to realize their full potential.

School districts alone cannot solve this challenge. Success requires meaningful partnerships among schools, community organizations, families, mental health providers, higher education institutions, faith communities and local governments. Much is still to be learned to better understand the educational, social and mental health challenges facing Afghan students and to identify the interventions producing the strongest outcomes.

The question is not whether Afghan students can succeed. It is about whether Sacramento will act quickly enough to ensure that an entire generation of refugee students does not slip through the cracks.

Zarif Aminyar is an alumnus of Harvard and Columbia, a professor at Campus Sacramento and founder of the American Center for Empowerment in Sacramento.