Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration Legal Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Rafael Schools to Pilot Legal Intake Clinics for Unaccompanied Newcomer Youth under Cal‑NEW grant
Summary
The San Rafael City Schools board heard a staff proposal to contract with the Social Justice Collaborative to provide virtual legal intake clinics for unaccompanied newcomer students under an extended California Newcomer Education and Well‑being (Cal‑NEW) grant; the board did not take a vote on the MOU at the meeting.
San Rafael City Schools staff presented a plan to use continuity funding from the California Newcomer Education and Well‑being Grant (Cal‑NEW) to provide virtual legal intake clinics for unaccompanied newcomer students.
Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Cecilia Perez told the board the district applied for the Cal‑NEW grant in 2021–22 and has used most funds to place high‑school ELD coaches and to connect newcomers to basic needs and school supports. Perez said the grant encourages districts to link unaccompanied youth to legal resources and that the district sought the East Bay nonprofit Social Justice Collaborative to provide periodic remote intake clinics and “know your rights” trainings.
The item was presented as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under consideration; staff described intake clinics as a non‑legal‑advice referral service connecting students to attorneys for individualized guidance. Perez said the district plans referral protocols that avoid asking families or students about immigration status and that any clinics supported by this grant would serve SRCS families only, consistent with the grant’s reporting requirements.
Trustees asked about eligibility, capacity and scheduling. Staff said the vendor proposes up to four intake clinics a year with roughly 20 students per clinic, conducted remotely by attorneys affiliated with the Social Justice Collaborative. Perez and staff said the next steps—if the board approves an MOU at a future meeting—would be to finalize referral criteria and an outreach plan prioritized to unaccompanied youth and newcomers with the greatest need.
No formal motion or vote on the MOU was recorded at the meeting; staff indicated they will return with recommended procedures and an approval item at a later board meeting.
Why it matters: Unaccompanied newcomer youth often lack information about immigration pathways and need help navigating legal options. The district said the clinics would be paid from extended Cal‑NEW funds administered through the Department of Social Services and meant to supplement in‑school newcomer supports.
