US Dept of Justice: All children entitled to equal access to public education

Under Federal law, State and local educational agencies (hereinafter “districts”) are required to provide all children with equal access to public education at the elementary and secondary level. Recently, we have become aware of student enrollment practices that may chill or discourage the participation, or lead to the exclusion, of students based on their or their parents’ or guardians’ actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status. These practices contravene Federal law. Both the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Education (Departments) write to remind you of the Federal obligation to provide equal educational opportunities to all children residing within your district and to offer our assistance in ensuring that you comply with the law. 

Read full text of  the letter to school districts from the Department of Justice at this link: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201101.pdf

Questions and Answers for School Districts and Parents

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/qa-201101.pdf

 

Fact sheet

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-201101.pdf