Idaho's Newcomers

About 2,690 immigrant students attended Idaho schools in 2015-16 — slightly less than 1 percent of the state’s overall student enrollment. Debate over refugee education has little to do with test scores or graduation rates. The debate instead centers on national and homeland security. In this series, journalist Kevin Richert and multimedia specialist Andrew Reed met with students, educators and Idahoans most affected by the debate. Here are their findings.

In Boise’s Bridge Programs, immigrants learn to be students

Newcomers spend up to two years in Boise's intensive English language program.

Refugee education programs become embroiled in national debate

Idaho's refugee education programs are small and scattered. And their future rests with a debate over national security and terrorism.

Refugee education hinges on a co-teaching model

'We've called them arranged marriages:' Twin Falls teams English language teachers with subject experts.

Twin Falls reaffirms support for refugee program

For three decades, Twin Falls has provided an unlikely landing spot for refugee students from all over the world. And most residents want to keep it that way.