ϳԹrecognizes the importance of immigrants in the history of the United States and the resulting blend of cultures enriches our nation. ϳԹalso believes that all children, regardless of their immigration status, have the right of access to quality public education, adequate food and shelter, and basic health care services.
School-age children from immigrant and mixed-status families may themselves be undocumented, in various forms of immigration status, legal permanent residents, or U.S. citizens. They may live with family members and caregivers who are also of varying types of immigration status. Policies that create additional barriers to accessing free K-12 public education premised on immigration status harm not only undocumented immigrant students, but also students with legal immigration status and US citizen children.
Moreover, the separation of a child from their family creates toxic stress and trauma that can have significant and lifelong harm on a child’s brain and physical development, undermining their health and well-being and their ability to learn and thrive into adulthood. Children entering the United States, either unaccompanied or accompanied by a parent or adult family member, must be treated with dignity and respect, should be adequately cared for, and must be reunited with their family as soon as possible under U.S. laws and policies.
ϳԹsupports the following statements:
Schools and Education
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ϳԹsupports policies that create a safe and supportive school environment for all families and students, including students in immigrant and mixed status families, and protecting and preserving public school attendance, student learning and well-being are paramount to our country’s future and success.
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It is in the national interest to ensure that all children, regardless of their immigration status, have the opportunity to reach their full potential and become productive members of society. Access to a free public education is the most effective method of securing this opportunity, and should not be denied to any child, regardless of their status.
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Numerous federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies declare that all school-aged children, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to have access to a high quality and free public K-12 education. In Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982), the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that undocumented immigrants’ rights under the U.S. Constitution meant that schools must provide free public education to all students regardless of their immigration status or that of their parents or guardians. Additionally, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits public schools receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin, which includes ensuring meaningful language access for students with limited English proficiency (LEP).
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School-age children with undocumented and other immigration statuses, as well as children in mixed status families, may not be constructively denied a free education through any methods of coercion, discrimination, data collection intending or resulting in an adverse disparate impact, inappropriate use of immigration or citizenship status to determine a student’s residency in the district, or profiling or interference via threats of deportation. To allow such would be a foreclosure upon their future contributions to our society.
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Public schools are institutions of learning, not immigration enforcement agencies, and should not be placed in the position of determining the legal status of immigrant children nor be required to enforce immigration laws. Furthermore, school districts should not voluntarily collect information on students’ immigration status or report undocumented students to federal, state or local authorities carrying out immigration enforcement because such actions may cause harm to the overall school environment and students’ educational outcomes. These actions may also constitute a denial of access to education under Plyler v. Doe, federal laws, and/or state and local laws, regulations, and policies. If a school does seek such information, families should be allowed to opt out of the collection of such data.
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“Protected areas” should be designated in law and policy as places where federal, state, and local authorities carrying out immigration enforcement refrain from immigration enforcement actions. Designation of these “protected areas” contributes to a safe and supportive school environment, as well as physical and mental health, and well-being of students. “Protected areas” must include any area where children and students are most likely to be affected, including but not limited to: school buildings and grounds (including preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, and other institutions of learning, such as vocational and trade schools), as well as places where schools partner and collaborate to serve children and families, such as but not limited to playgrounds, recreation centers, childcare centers, before- or after-school care centers, foster care facilities, group homes for children, bus stops, and off-site locations for children’s educational activities like a children’s museum, and health care locations.
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ϳԹsupports compliance with long-standing federal laws under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) for schools to maintain confidentiality of all personally identifiable information in education records related to students, including information that may pertain to the immigration status of children and their caregivers. ϳԹsupports the maintenance of official school records, electronic or otherwise, to the extent required by the state and school district for educational purposes only. Unrestrained access to school records to determine such status is not only unlawful, but also can be discriminatory and pose a threat of adverse and unintended consequences harmful to the individual students, their family members and caregivers, and to other students and the school environment as a whole.
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ϳԹsupports policies that prohibit, prevent, and address bullying and cyberbullying, including that pertaining to immigration status. Bullying is defined as the verbal or physical acts that harass, intimidate, or harm others. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online. States have different laws prohibiting bullying in schools and online. Schools are required to develop and implement bullying prevention policies and address acts of bullying, particularly when it involves discrimination. PTAs must ensure such policies are developed and implemented
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ϳԹsupports policies that prohibit, prevent, and address discrimination on the basis of race, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, age, physical and academic ability, sexual orientation, and immigration status.
Health and Safety
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ϳԹsupports federal, state, and local child nutrition programs, including school meals, to continue to offer all children-regardless of immigration status-a fundamental benefit that fights hunger and enhances children’s physical, academic, and emotional growth.
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Federal, state, and local entities have a responsibility to contribute to the well-being of children by offering health care and other social services needed in their areas. Longstanding research and studies have shown that denying these services to children, regardless of their immigration status, can endanger communities and create serious health and social concerns.
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The 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement (Flores) lays out the protections and expectations regarding the detention, release, and care of all children – both accompanied and unaccompanied undocumented children – arriving in the United States.
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The separation of families for purposes of immigration enforcement, management, or detention is never in the best interest or well-being of children. Children should not be used as a deterrent to enter the United States.
ϳԹurges policymakers to work together to address immigration in a fair, appropriate and equitable way, to provide real solutions that benefit our nation’s diverse families. Our association is committed to promoting the safety and well-being of all children, regardless of their immigration status, as well as protecting children from separation from their parents or family members.
PTAs are encouraged to include and welcome all children and families to enjoy the benefits of ϳԹparticipation, including, wherever possible, hosting all meetings and events at locations that would be designated protected areas under federal, state, and local law. PTAs are also encouraged to work with members of their local school community to safeguard the rights and services for children in immigrant and mixed status families, for example by working to pass Safe Zones resolutions to ensure that school districts have a policy in place for when an authority carrying out immigration enforcement shows up at school.
Supporting all children by providing access to free high-quality education, food, secure shelter, and healthcare allows them to become contributing members of society. It is in the national interest to ensure all children, including children in immigrant and mixed status families, have the opportunity to reach their full potential and become productive members of society.
Adopted: by the 1996 Board of Directors
Amended: by the 2017 Board of Directors
Amended: by the 2025 Board of Directors