1/ Funds are distributed based on the State's percentage of all eligible immigrant students.

Bilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Education

3. Refugee education

(Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986, P.L. 99-605)

1989 Authorization: Indefinite 1/

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1/ The authorizing legislation expires on September 30, 1988. extension is authorized under GEPA.

A one-year

Purpose and Method of Operation

The Refugee Education program, also known as the Transition Program for Refugee Children, provides grants to school districts to help cover the cost of education for refugee children. Awards are made to State educational agencies which in turn make grants to local school districts. The program is current funded. However, funds appropriated and awarded in one fiscal year are generally used for activities carried out in the subsequent fiscal year.

From 1980 to 1986 funds for Refugee Education were appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services and transferred to the Department of Education. The Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986, P.L. 99-605, transferred the authorization to the Department of Education.

Accomplishments

In 1987, awards were made to 47 States.

1989 Budget Proposal

The Department proposes to fund this activity at the 1988 appropriation
level. Proposed regulations will establish a threshold for LEA eligibility
to participate in this program. Under the recently proposed regulations
LEAS must have at least 20 eligible students to qualify for a grant. The
intent of these regulations is to limit participation to those districts
in which the presence of refugee children creates a significant burden.
The Department estimates that this requirement will eliminate approximately
10 percent of those students currently participating and concentrate re-
sources on the remaining 90 percent. Currently, some LEAS with a single
refugee student participate and receive less than $200. The new regulations
would provide a minimum grant of approximately $4,200. The new regulations
will also emphasize that these grants are to be used for special services
for refugee students rather than reimbursing local schools for basic costs
of instruction.

1/ This estimate reflects the provision of proposed new regulations to require that LEAS have at least 20 eligible students to receive a grant.