The New Jersey Department of Education recently issued an advisory reiterating its unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student, regardless of immigration status, national origin, or religion, can attend public school safely.
It noted that under the Supreme Court’s ruling in Plyler v. Doe (1982), public schools are constitutionally obligated to provide all children with access to free public education and educating undocumented students is not a choice but a legal responsibility.
In response to inquiries from school leaders across the state who share this commitment, the NJDOE has developed a new webpage that provides guidance and resources designed to help school staff understand and adhere to state and federal requirements related to immigrant students and families.
In addition to the many resources designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of New Jersey students provided by the Office of School Preparedness & Emergency Planning, the guidance on the new webpage is designed to support school officials, staff and communities in safeguarding the physical and emotional well-being of students and their right to attend New Jersey’s public schools.
The website includes considerations for planning and preparing for immigration enforcement activities in schools as well as resources for students and families experiencing deportation-related trauma. This is a non-exhaustive resource collection, and the NJDOE will continue to update the webpage as new resources become available.
