On April 16, 2025, Equity for Children hosted a powerful event focused on the educational challenges faced by migrant families in New York City. The panel brought together advocates, educators, and researchers to shed light on how thousands of children arriving with their families many fleeing from Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia are navigating a complex public school system while facing housing insecurity and legal uncertainty. Among the featured speakers was Natasha Quiroga, a leading voice in education equity and immigrant rights, who offered a detailed overview of the barriers migrant families face and the policy shifts threatening their access to stable schooling.
Natasha Quiroga is the Director of Education Policy and InsideSchools at the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School. With nearly two decades of experience in civil rights and education justice, Natasha has spearheaded national initiatives to empower families, particularly those from immigrant and marginalized communities to navigate public education systems. Before joining The New School, she directed the PREP program at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and advised multiple education agencies on legal compliance. Her role at InsideSchools centers on making information about NYC public schools accessible, multilingual, and actionable for over one million parents and students annually.
During her presentation, Quiroga painted a vivid picture of the structural obstacles that many migrant families face today. From long school enrollment delays and the absence of childcare to language barriers and misinformation in shelters, the education system often leaves vulnerable children behind. Alarmingly, 81% of the 42,700 migrants currently in NYC shelters are families with children, many of whom remain unenrolled in school weeks or even months after arrival. Quiroga emphasized that fears of immigration enforcement, housing instability, and lack of clear guidance from city agencies are directly impacting school attendance and the mental health of young students.
In response, InsideSchools and its partners are filling critical service gaps. Through resource guides, multilingual workshops, YouTube tutorials, WhatsApp support, and in-person advocacy, they’ve helped over 1,300 families in 16 shelters and connected hundreds more to school enrollment, special education, transportation, and ESL programs. Their efforts demonstrate that with targeted support and accessible information, it is possible to empower migrant families and help children access their right to education even in moments of profound disruption. Equity for Children is proud to amplify this work and continue advocating for policies that protect and uplift every child, regardless of immigration status.
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