Venezuela/U.S. Curriculum Translation

*Should have had consistent schooling with minimal gaps in education

Venezuela Education System

School Year: September to June/July | Compulsory Education: 1st-9th | Graduation: 1st – 12th

Venezuela/U.S. Grading Scale

Venezuela Transition Supports

Venezuela Education Practice:

The classrooms in Venezuela are empty, not because of the school holidays, but because of the shortage of students and teachers. This is a consequence of the crisis caused by the Chavista dictatorship. Schools in the South American country are beginning to look for alternatives to replace teachers. In Venezuela, a teacher with the highest educational qualifications receives a basic monthly salary of 102,000 Bolivares (10 U.S.D.). Meanwhile, the basic family basket exceeds 20 U.S.D. daily (Loo 2018).

Besides the shortage of teachers, there is also a severe absence of students. According to the Living Conditions Survey (encovi) of 2018, 28 percent of students did not attend school due to the shortage of water, 22 percent due to the lack of food in the house, and 13 percent due to food shortage at school. Other factors contributing to the absence include the shortage of medicines, the low purchasing power of Venezuelans, and the lack of transportation (Loo 2018).

U.S. Educator Implications:

Students from Venezuela may have significant academic gaps due to poor education, inconsistent education, or no education at all. Gaining a clear picture of a student’s academic background may provide educators a clearer look at the challenges they are carrying. Additionally, students will need to be directly educated on how to utilize school building features (like water fountains and restrooms) as well as be educated about common U.S. practices to assist in their transition. Assigning a classroom buddy or school partner may help to ease the transition in to the new environment.

Strategies for Transition

• Get to know your students by building positive relationships.
• Provide multicultural education where texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives represent people from different cultural backgrounds.
• Allow a reasonable amount of transition time.
• Violence in the country has resulted in many people leaving and seeking asylum in other countries. Students from Venezuela may need additional social-emotional supports to assist in their transition to U.S. schools (Loo 2018).
• Food shortages are common in Venezuela; therefore, students may be food insecure. Saving and storing food from the cafeteria may be a common behavior. Help students understand what the acceptable food storage practices are. If possible, allow them to store food in a hygienic manner. Ensure they are connected to a National School Lunch Program. Connect families to local community resources as needed (Loo 2018).
• Electricity, clean water, and gas are limited resources in Venezuela. Students may not be used to common U.S. resources and will need modeling and patience as they transition to their new environment (Loo 2018).