ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains has introduced legislation designed to safeguard school districts from funding reductions associated with student absences during immigration enforcement activities.
- California's school funding relies on Average Daily Attendance (ADA).
- Dr. Jasmeet Bains proposed a bill to protect funding from immigration-related absenteeism.
- The bill classifies immigration enforcement activities as eligible for funding protections.
- The proposal aims to secure educational funding for affected students.
- The initiative highlights the impact of federal immigration enforcement on schools.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains has introduced a bill aimed at safeguarding school districts from financial repercussions resulting from student absences linked to immigration enforcement activities.
"I remember feeling completely hopeless during that time," said Dr. Bains.
The push for Assembly Bill 1348 comes after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement operation in Kern County earlier this year, which created widespread fear in various communities.
"Education is vital for our children," stated Dr. Bains. "I'm concerned that ongoing raids and the resulting fear could truly disrupt the quality of education, particularly if schools fear losing their funding."
Despite the absence of immigration agents in the City of Arvin, many undocumented families were fearful to venture outside, afraid of possibly being detained by immigration agents. This caused a 5 to 8 percent drop in student attendance that week in January within the Arvin Union School District.
"We've managed to boost attendance, whether in person or through independent study. However, during the week of the immigration enforcement, our attendance rates were notably lower," explained Arvin Union School District Superintendent Georgia Rhett.
In California, school funding is determined by Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Thus, during that week, the district lost state funding due to the absences and had to implement extensive independent study programs to recoup some of the lost revenue.
"It had a significant impact on our attendance, yet we couldn't file the J13 as we would in other emergency situations," said Rhett.
Currently, schools are protected from losing funding due to absences during specified emergencies. The proposed bill seeks to add immigration raids to that list.
"Immigrants have the right to access education, which is an established principle. We must find ways to ensure their access to quality education, especially in rural areas affected by a leadership that labels immigrants as harmful," said Dr. Bains.
The bill has reportedly received unanimous support in the education committee and is expected to move to a floor vote later this year.
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