Chicago schools excuse absences for students fearing immigration enforcement

FIRST ON FOX: A Chicago Public Faculties (CPS) coverage permits unlawful immigrant college students to have excused absences in the event that they or their relations worry federal immigration enforcement exercise within the space.

A doc known as Chicago Public Faculties’ Attendance Coding for Security Issues Associated to Federal Consultant Exercise, obtained by the schooling watchdog Defending Schooling, confirms that unlawful immigrant college students might be labeled as “excused” if a mum or dad tells the college they’re afraid of federal immigration authorities.

Immigration enforcement actions are known as “federal representative-related proceedings” within the college’s coverage, which was reaffirmed by the college board in February.

College students stroll to AN Pritzker Elementary Faculty on January 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Pictures)

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“If a mum or dad/guardian reviews an absence and attributes it to worry of federal representative-related proceedings, faculties could excuse the absence underneath ‘concern for the well being and security of scholars,’” the coverage says. “The memo field ought to say ‘concern for the well being and security of scholars.'”

No particular particulars concerning the absence are required — solely {that a} pupil’s well being and security could also be in danger — and the coverage explicitly states that “CPS coverage doesn’t present a time restrict” on how lengthy the worry of federal immigration enforcement can be utilized to acquire excused absences.

The rationale for a pupil’s absence have to be communicated by way of one of many district-approved strategies to be thought-about an “excused absence.”

As well as, if a mum or dad is affected by proceedings associated to federal representatives, she or he could appoint a guardian to inform the college that the kid requires an excused absence.

A guardian and youngster depart Hamline Elementary Faculty after studying that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers could have been denied entry to the college, Chicago Public Faculty officers stated Jan. 24, 2025. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Pictures)

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One other provision within the coverage permits college students an excused absence in the event that they want to attend a “civic occasion,” outlined as “an occasion sponsored by a nonprofit group or authorities entity that’s open to the general public” that “consists of, however will not be restricted to, a creative or cultural efficiency or academic gathering that helps the mission of the sponsoring nonprofit group.”

“Chicago Public Faculties is successfully telling households that worry of federal legislation enforcement is a seamless excuse to maintain children out of the classroom, with no cut-off dates and no paper path,” stated Kendall Tietz, investigative journalist at Defending Schooling. “CPS shouldn’t flip attendance insurance policies right into a sanctuary immigration software. As a substitute, public faculties ought to give attention to getting youngsters to highschool and conserving correct data, not quietly encouraging truancy and hindering cooperation with federal authorities. These insurance policies undermine each pupil studying and the rule of legislation.”

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers conduct operations within the Little Village neighborhood, a predominantly Mexican American group in Chicago, on November 8, 2025. (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)

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In response to its personal sources, the college system obtained greater than $1.5 billion in federal tax {dollars} in fiscal 12 months 2024. budget reporting.

The CPS Workplace of Inspector Common not too long ago uncovered $14.5 million in “extreme” journey bills by the college system in FY 2023 and FY 2024, whereas solely 30.5% of scholars in grades 3 by way of 8 had been proficient in studying, and solely 18.3% of scholars had been proficient in math in spring 2024.

Representatives for the CPS didn’t return a request for remark.

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