Refugee and Immigrant Student Welcome Program

The Refugee and Immigrant Student Welcome Program aims to support refugee and immigrant youth across New York State by funding activities such as expanding community school programs, providing school supplies, offering staff training on trauma and cultural sensitivity, hiring counselors and psychologists, and enhancing parental and family engagement. The initiative seeks to address both immediate and long-term educational challenges faced by these students, facilitate their integration into local schools, empower parents to actively participate in their children's education, and assist districts heavily impacted by refugee and immigrant populations, including unaccompanied minors. The contract, valued between $500,000 and $2,000,000, is open to all NYS counties and targets districts like Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Brentwood, and Uniondale, which have recently managed similar programs. Bidders are required to submit proposals by October 10, 2025, through the SFS platform, with the contract term running from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2031. The project emphasizes diversity and inclusion, with a goal of achieving 30% MWBE participation, and is not set aside for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. The contract is managed by the NYS Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance, with Jeanne Sinzinkayo serving as the primary contact. The program's overarching goal is to foster equitable educational opportunities and support systems for refugee and immigrant students and their families across all regions of New York State.