In recent years, the Icelandic education system has undergone substantial changes to address the increasing number of children from foreign backgrounds in its schools. Despite the presence of policies aimed at promoting equality and inclusive learning, students from migrant or minority backgrounds are often perceived primarily through their deficiencies, particularly their limited proficiency in the majority language, rather than being recognized for their strengths (May & Sleeter, 2010; Nieto, 2010). Research on teachers' perceptions in Iceland indicates that they often feel unprepared and unsupported in addressing the challenges associated inclusive education and cultural and linguistic diversity. Additionally, schools frequently lack the necessary resources to effectively support diverse groups of students (Gunnþórsdóttir & Aradóttir, 2021; Gunnþórsdóttir & Ragnarsdóttir, 2020; Ólafsson, 2020). Numerous studies have demonstrated the negative impact that teachers' limited cultural competence and inability to establish an inclusive learning environment has on the educational experiences of students from diverse backgrounds (Block et al., 2014; Gay, 2018). In this research, we seek to critically analyse school administrators´ and teachers´ perspectives on the educational opportunities and challenges of refugee children and youth in Iceland’s compulsory and upper secondary schools. The analysis of the interview data collected for the A Part and Apart? Education and social inclusion of refugee children and youth in Iceland (ESRCI) research in 2023 and 2024, with teachers and principals across Iceland, is currently ongoing. Preliminary findings show that teachers have limited support in their work but are often willing to go far beyond their area of responsibility to support their students.

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