To All Robla School District Families,

I hope that we are all proud of our family heritage.  I am from a family of immigrants.  While I was born in California, my grandparents were not.  I now am privileged to live in the United States of America, but I am always aware of my family background.  Today’s announcement from the federal government regarding the end of the Deferred Action Child Arrivals (DACA) program will cause concern to some families in the Robla School District community because of their immigration status or the status of friends or loved ones.  This is a good time, then, to make sure our families understand a school district’s role in regards to immigration and student safety.

Please know that our highest priority is to continue to make sure that our schools will remain safe for ALL children.  We work very hard to make our schools places where students and their families feel that they are safe physically and where they will be treated with respect, no matter who they are or from where they come.  Indeed, one of values we hold very dear is how diverse our schools are.  We are very proud that our students come from many countries, speak many languages and that they have a variety of customs and beliefs.  This creates an environment where we can all work together with others who are different from us.

Please be aware that the following rules, laws and policies guide how we work with our students and their families.

• All children have a right to attend school regardless of their immigration status. States cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education because of their immigration status. Nor can a state require public schools to deny admission to students not lawfully present in the United States, verify the immigration status of students and their parents or guardians, notify students and parents or guardians of their suspected unlawful status, or report such information to state and federal officials. 
• Schools in the Robla School District do not inquire about a student’s immigration status. Questions about a student’s immigration status are unnecessary for establishing residency and may violate the Constitution and federal civil rights laws.
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally prohibits our schools from sharing student education records with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without parental consent, absent a court order or subpoena. Education records include records, files, documents, and other materials that contain information directly related to a student maintained by an educational agency or institution. 
• Robla School District officials do not report undocumented students or their families to ICE. To the extent a school knows the immigration status of a student or a student’s family, the school does not voluntarily report such information to ICE. 

Sincerely,

Ruben Reyes
Superintendent
Robla Elementary School District
[email protected]