Problems and possibilities : equitable education for Australian refugee and immigrant youth and their families

This chapter examines the new compulsory schooling age in multicultural Sydney, Australia. For the past two years high schools have needed to respond to an increase in the number of years that students stay in school. In schools in south-western Sydney this has presented challenges, largely because these are the most culturally diverse schools and among the most socio-economically depressed. In addition, a number of schools have become residualized due to policies of school choice, while others find they are increasingly working with growing numbers of refugees and immigrant students. While there are many problems and difficulties for some communities the chapter explores how one school has been able to respond in innovative ways. This school has worked in two main arenas—curriculum changes that benefit students in a low socio-economic area and developing stronger ties with refugee and immigrant parents and the wider community of the school.