Protecting Undocumented and Vulnerable Students
Abstract
From the Executive Summary:
In the wake of recent policy changes by the federal administration, charter schools in California are experiencing increased student anxiety, increases in student absences, and declines in parent participation in school activities. Many CCSA member schools are seeking guidance on the best ways to address these concerns and ensure that all students continue to receive the highest quality education. This guidance provides member schools with information about their legal obligations in providing education to undocumented students and actions that schools can take to fully protect the right to education of both undocumented children and children with undocumented parents. It addresses four areas: policies to facilitate enrollment of undocumented children and children living with caretakers who might be undocumented; practices to ensure proper compliance with federal privacy laws to protect all students’ sensitive data; policies for regulating law enforcement access to students at schools; and practices that schools can adopt to help parents and students in the event that a caretaker is arrested, detained, or otherwise unavailable.