The following is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to be legal advice.

The NJDOE mandates that all school districts (Local Educational Agencies or LEAs) enroll students regardless of immigration status, in line with federal law  Plyler v. Doe and state regulations (N.J.A.C. 6A:22-3.3).  

There is no requirement for a student’s family to prove their immigration status when registering to enroll in school and the district cannot require families to provide records which would reveal the student’s immigration status.

School districts must create a welcoming environment.  Franklin Township Public Schools is very proud of our diversity and wants all of our students and their families to feel they are part of our Franklin Warrior Community.  

School districts must protect students' rights, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.  One of those rights is the right of privacy in who has access to personally identifiable information in a student’s education records.  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law which outlines those rights.

Guidance from the NJ Attorney General known as the Immigrant Trust Directive can also provide protection for immigrant families as it limits the type of voluntary assistance that NJ law enforcement officers may provide federal immigration authorities. The Department of Law & Public Safety has more information on this topic.

Students enrolled in the district, regardless of immigration status, are also entitled to benefits through our schools if they qualify, these would include free or reduced meals and additional benefits through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act if they are experiencing homelessness.