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School & Education

School & Education Resources

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All children in the U.S. have the right to attend free public school and have access to a meaningful education, regardless of their immigration status, language, country of origin, or prior formal education. The resources in this section will help providers better understand and educate unaccompanied children and their sponsors about their educational rights, and can serve as tools for providers to advocate for families’ equal access to educational services in their communities. Rights of English Learner (EL) Students and Limited English Proficient (LEP) Caregivers Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974, public schools must ensure that English Learner (EL) students can participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs. The following documents from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights outline the rights of EL students and Limited English Proficient parents/caregivers in schools: Reporting Discrimination:

In Plyler v. Doe (1982), the Supreme Court held that schools may not deny enrollment based on a student or family’s immigration status, nor engage in practices that may “chill” or discourage participation, or lead to the exclusion of students based on their or their parents’/caregivers’ actual or perceived immigration status. 

The following are documents issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights outlining guidance for acceptable school enrollment procedures, including regarding required documents for enrollment. Providers working with UCs can use these as advocacy tools to help facilitate an unaccompanied child’s school enrollment.

Other school enrollment resources:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that ensures that all children with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate public education to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.

When a student between the ages of 3 and 21 is believed to have a disability that has a substantial impact on their learning or behavior, the student is entitled to an evaluation in all areas related to the suspected disability, leading to the creation of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Who is Eligible for Special Education Services?

Types of Special Education Supports and Services

Steps for Getting Special Education Assistance (resources from the Center for Parent Information & Resources)

Rights of Families

The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that establishes educational rights and services for homeless youth. The McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness includes a child who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This may include youth and families who share housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or other crisis. 

McKinney-Vento services for students include immediate school enrollment, transportation to their local school or school of origin, academic assistance, referral to community services, free school meals, fee waivers, and counseling for higher education.

The law also requires every school district to appoint a local homeless education liaison.

The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) operates the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance center for homeless education and has a wealth of resources for providers on this topic:

Are you an educator looking to learn more about how to support your students? Explore the resources below for more information.

Our UC Resource Center offers videos and handouts in Spanish for families on the topic of Education. Click the link to browse the resources and share them with your Spanish-speaking clients!

Other resources for families from the Center for Parent Information & Resources: