The aim of the study is to analyze the practices of integration of the children of Ukrainian civilians into Latvia's education system, and to develop policy recommendations. The study includes data on funding allocated by municipalities to support Ukrainian civilians, as well as the share of that funding used for non-formal education activities and camps.

The study compiles the experiences of teachers and school administrations, municipalities, stakeholders involved in educational integration, and Ukrainian civilians, as well as practices for inclusion of children into Latvia’s education system. The contents of the study are divided into three parts to address key questions about the characteristics of the regulatory framework, the resources of municipalities and schools in the context of access to education and main long-term challenges in the context of integration in Latvia’s education system.

The data collected show that the admission of Ukrainian civilians into Latvia’s education system is taking place under conditions in which state and municipal level institutions are still refining a long-term approach to the inclusion of newcomers. The results if the study indicate that educational integration is possible and partially functioning, but it is characterized by fragmented and uneven implementation, directly dependent on initiative of schools, availability of human resources, and involvement of municipalities.

The study’s conclusions are that the integration of Ukrainian civilians into Latvia’s education system is occurring in a fragmented way and depends on the initiative of schools. There is a lack of a unified long-term strategy, stable funding, and human resources. Although schools are the main stage of integration, they also assume an evaluation role, as there is a lack of clear and unified data-collection algorithms that would allow to assess the integration outcomes.

The study “Ukrainian Civilians in Latvia’s Education System: Practice and Challenges” is available here.