Emergent Bilingual English Learners (EBEL) —who make up nearly one in five Texas public school students—demonstrate strong engagement and resilience. They show lower rates of chronic absenteeism and disciplinary actions than their peers, yet systemic inequities continue to hinder their academic outcomes. Persistent shortages of bilingual-certified teachers, high student–teacher ratios, and uneven resource distribution across districts create structural barriers that limit these students’ success (CHILDREN AT RISK, 2024).

Findings from Charting Success: Evaluating the Classroom Experiences of Children of Immigrants in Texas demonstrate that targeted investment in bilingual education and federal Title III funding can substantially improve EBELs’’ performance on state assessments. These results underscore the value of sustained, equitable funding and the potential of community-school partnerships to address disparities in opportunity and outcomes. Building on that analysis, this paper explores how wraparound services—comprehensive, family-driven interventions that address the social, emotional, and non-academic needs of students—contribute to the well-being and educational success of EB and immigrant youth in Texas.

Both national and statewide research finds that wraparound models support student growth by connecting schools with networks of community partners offering mental health care, food and housing support, academic tutoring, and enrichment programs (Houston ISD, 2020; Yu, Haddock, & Womack, 2022). When implemented with fidelity, these programs help close opportunity gaps by addressing both academic and socio-economic barriers. Students who benefit from such supports demonstrate measurable gains in literacy, attendance, and graduation rates (Ammar et al., 2021; Hiett, 2019; Meloche et al., 2020).

Ultimately, education functions as both a learning pathway and a public health determinant. By linking academic achievement to health, stability, and family engagement, wraparound services not only improve classroom outcomes but also foster healthier, more resilient communities. Children At Risk (C@R) aims to build off this research and examine the intersection between educational and well-being outcomes among EBELs, identifying how wraparound approaches can strengthen equity across Texas districts, through this Charting Success: Supporting the Whole Child for Academic Excellence report.