UW–Madison Researchers Receive Spencer Foundation Grant to Advance Education for Children and Youth On the Move
June 23, 2026 | By Katie Grant, Office of Research & Scholarship Communications
The Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC) at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), University of Wisconsin–Madison, in partnership with the Educational Research and Action Platform (Plataforma de Investigación y Acción Educativa S.A. — PIASE), has been awarded a one-year Vision Grant from the Spencer Foundation to plan a major initiative aimed at improving education for children and youth on the move across Central America and Mexico.
The project, “Education on the Move for Children and Youth on the Move,” seeks to reimagine how education systems can better serve young people experiencing migration, displacement and transnational movement. The work will center on the perspectives and desires of these migrant community members. The planning effort will lay the foundation for a collaborative, multi-phase research and action initiative designed to expand access to equitable, high-quality and inclusive learning opportunities.
Led by principal investigators Caroline E. Parker (MLRC, UW–Madison), Maria Josefina Vijil (PIASE) and Sonia Morin (PIASE), the project brings together a cross-regional coalition of researchers, practitioners, policymakers and community leaders to co-design a more responsive and connected educational system. “Children and youth on the move have the right to shape what meaningful education looks like in their lives,” said Parker. “This project centers their voices and experiences as we imagine new ways to ensure continuity and opportunity in their learning.”
Children and youth on the move face significant and persistent barriers to education. Many are internally displaced, seeking refuge across borders, or returning to their countries of origin. Along the way, they often encounter housing instability, limited access to schooling, and challenges related to health, safety and well-being.
Recent estimates from UNICEF indicate that more than 4 million children in Central America and Mexico required humanitarian assistance in 2024, and studies suggest that more than half of children and youth on the move in the region are not enrolled in school. Shifting migration policies and increased deportations have further destabilized families and communities, compounding educational inequities and limiting opportunities for consistent learning.
This project aims to develop a bold new vision: an educational system that can move with learners, allowing children and youth to continue their education seamlessly as they cross regions and national borders.
As envisioned, the system would connect government agencies, schools, nonprofit organizations, and community groups across Central America and Mexico to share information, coordinate services, and support continuous learning pathways. It’s grounded in a vision of educational justice, one that acknowledges the realities of migration and seeks to provide flexible, inclusive and context-responsive learning opportunities.
As part of the planning grant project, the research team will:
- Engage children, youth, and families directly to understand their aspirations and educational needs
- Convene regional and international stakeholders, including NGOs, government agencies, and researchers
- Identify key components of a cross-border educational model
- Develop a research agenda to guide future implementation and study
Collaborators include leaders from organizations such as Fe y Alegría, the Jesuit Migrant Network, the Mexico City Migration Office, the Inter-American Dialogue, and other regional and international partners.
The long-term goal of the initiative is to design and implement educational approaches that not only support foundational learning but also foster critical thinking, resilience, and problem-solving skills — tailored to the diverse contexts and lived experiences of children and youth on the move.
By building a cooperative, transnational framework for education, the project aims to reduce learning disruptions and expand opportunities for some of the most vulnerable young people in the region.
About the Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC)
MLRC’s mission is to advance educational outcomes for multilingual learners through innovative and socially just research and research-practice partnerships. MLRC collaborates across research disciplines to bring together bodies of knowledge, theories and methodologies to answer complex questions that have an impact on multilingual learners’ school success.
About the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER)
WCER at UW–Madison’s #1-ranked School of Education is one of the world’s oldest and most productive education research centers. WCER has supported researchers and scholars in developing, submitting, conducting and sharing grant-funded education research for over 60 years. See wcer.wisc.edu for additional information.
