Understanding who Undocumented Students Are
**Migration Policy Institute. (2019). Profile of the unauthorized population: California. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/CA
This table is a detailed demographic profile of California’s unauthorized immigrant population. These data include demographic, education, and workforce estimates, offering insight into the lives of the estimated 2.7 million unauthorized immigrants in California.
**The Education Trust—West. (2018). Undocumented students in California: What you should know. https://west.edtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ETW_CA-Undocumented-Students-What-You-Need-to-Know-FINAL-April-2017_Jan2018.pdf
This fact sheet concisely highlights key demographics, relevant policies, and available supports related to being an undocumented student in California. While the data are from 2017, its inclusion of the various challenges undocumented children may encounter (e.g., bullying, limited access to social services) and the supports available in the state (e.g., in-state tuition, state financial aid) continue to be relevant today.
Resources for Supporting Undocumented Students
**Menendez, A. C. & Suárez-Orozco, C. (2024). Understanding and supporting undocumented students in schools (Educator Brief, Vol. 2, No. 7). Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://immigrationinitiative.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/UNDERSTANDING-AND-SUPPORTING-UNDOCUMENTED-MIXED-STATUS-STUDENTS-IN-SCHOOLS_FINAL.pdf
This brief describes the experiences of undocumented students, highlighting obstacles that limit their educational opportunities and what educators might do to offer support. The authors provide guidance aimed at educators (e.g., classroom teachers, site leaders) around improving cultural competence and the creation of inclusive learning environments to support the holistic development of all students.
California Office of the Attorney General. (2024). Promoting a safe and secure learning environment for all: Guidance and model policies to assist California’s K-12 schools in responding to immigration issues. https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/bcj/school-guidance-model-k12.pdf
This guide from the California Office of the Attorney General (OAG) was posted on December 4, 2024, and provides guidance to K-12 schools in responding to immigration enforcement. It emphasizes the legal obligation of schools to offer free public education to all students, regardless of immigration status, as established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Plyler v. Doe. The guide outlines policies on gathering and handling student and family information, sharing such information, responding to requests for access to school grounds by immigration enforcement, addressing the detention or deportation of a student's family member, and managing hate crimes and bullying related to national origin or ethnicity. This reading is not required, but we included it as a helpful resource. You can find additional information and guidance from the OAG at https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general.
**This document is considered a priority pre-reading.