Did You Know? A Guide for Educators of Multilingual Students

• A State may not deny access to public education to any child residing in the State, including children who are not citizens and do not have immigration documentation. The Supreme Court made this clear nearly forty years ago in a case called Plyler v. Doe.
• School districts are required to enroll students in public elementary and secondary schools no matter the student’s citizenship or immigration status or that of their parent or guardian.
• School districts are required to not request information about the citizenship or immigration status of students or their families with the purpose or result of denying them access to educational opportunities.
• Students who are English learners have a right to appropriate language assistance services, and parents and guardians have a right to receive communications from their children’s school in a language they can understand.
• Staff training at the school and district level is encouraged. Ultimately, the state and district have the legal responsibility to ensure that they are complying with Federal law. Staff training helps facilitate that compliance.

References

U.S. Department of Education. (2021, July 21). Students, Immigration Status, and the Right to Public Education. Homeroom The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Education. https://blog.ed.gov/2021/07/students-immigration-status-and-the-rightto-public-education/