Guiding Principles Related to Students & Immigration Status

First and foremost, as a district, we have a commitment and responsibility to educate all youth that reside within our attendance boundaries and, in some circumstances, to provide continuity of service for students experiencing homelessness even if they move outside of our school district boundaries. Lake Washington School District has maintained a set of guiding principles and considerations related to students, and specifically, immigration status.

Lake Washington School District guiding principles related to students and immigration status:

• Lake Washington cares deeply about all our students and families and remains committed to helping all students feel safe and welcome at school and achieve academic success.
• All school-aged youth living within the school district boundaries have the legal right to attend school. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Plyler vs. Doe (457 U.S. 202 (1982)) that undocumented children and young adults have the same right to attend public primary and secondary schools as do U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
• Per the law, Lake Washington does not ask for or collect immigration status information and does not have plans to start.
• We are required by law to protect the privacy of students and their families, including citizenship status. This is a fundamental right under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Lake Washington remains committed to serving all students and providing educational opportunities for all. We will continue to uphold the U.S. Supreme Court ruling and serve all students, regardless of their status.
• Our staff remains committed to supporting every child’s emotional well-being, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that all students feel safe and welcomed at school.

The district has specific policies and procedures that establish the importance of minimizing disruptions to the educational environment by discouraging interviews and interrogation of students on school campuses. In circumstances where an interview is necessary or court-ordered, our policies and procedures outline the steps to ensure that student rights are respected.

Additionally, the district prohibits its Community Resource Officers from inquiring about students’ or families’ immigration status or in assisting in immigration enforcement.
OSPI recently provided guidance on this topic which aligns and reinforces our standards of operating.

Finally, Lake Washington is also part of the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) which has compiled comprehensive resources for immigrant, refugee and undocumented students & families.

Our commitment is to provide each and every one of our students with a world-class education in a safe and supportive environment.