As
teachers and school professionals, we know you are a trusted guide for your students,
and in particular, some of your more recently immigrated students may share
questions and concerns with you that you may feel like you need more
information to address. These concerns may require extra support perhaps
requiring students to seek mental health counseling and legal assistance.
The
U.S. Department of Education recently published a resource guide for educators to
support undocumented youth with a focus on secondary student access to higher
education. It is estimated that about 65,000 undocumented
students graduate high school each year, but only about 54 percent of all
undocumented young people have a high school diploma, compared to 82 percent
of those born in the U.S. Included in this guide are: tips for school personnel
to welcome immigrant
students and their families into the classroom; information
on deferred action for
childhood arrivals (DACA); (which offers some young people a temporary reprieve
from deportation and opens access to some jobs and scholarships); successful
school models that address specific immigrant student needs; and information on
scholarships available for undocumented students.
One
thing to remember is that all
students, regardless of immigration status, are guaranteed by law a right to a
free public education under the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision Plyer v. Doe. The U.S. Department of Education issued a fact sheet for
schools on educational services for immigrant students and those recently
arrived in the U.S., and together with the Department of Justice, published a
joint guidance letter , fact sheet and Questions and Answers reminding school
districts of their federal obligation to educate all students residing in their
respective district and how to enroll them. A
student’s immigration status isn’t something that teachers can or should
inquire about and school staff
are prohibited by federal law from taking action that may intimidate or “chill”
immigrant students from attending school.
We
will continue to support your work to teach about immigration critically and
thoughtfully with all students with our free lesson plans and resources
and to support your immigrant students.
Please
help us to disseminate this vital information by forwarding this email and tell
your colleagues about us.
Additional Resources:
- Navigating College Applications for Undocumented Students - a brief guide on our blog to assist school professionals in supporting undocumented students when applying to college with links to trusted resources.
- Public Education for All? Lessons From Plyer v. Doe – a high school lesson plan where students explore personal beliefs about immigration and education, and then do a close reading of an article about the landmark Plyer v. Doe Supreme Court decision.
Stay
Connected!
The
American Immigration Council offers free lesson plans, resources, book/film reviews, and grants to teach
immigration. We also welcome teacher and student book reviews and contributions
to our blog. Email us at teacher@immcouncil.org and follow us on
twitter @ThnkImmigration #teachimmigration.
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