Grand Island Public Schools lays out plan to protect students during immigration enforcement actions

Grand Island — Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS) on Feb. 13 presented a district-wide plan to prepare for and respond if immigration enforcement activity affects students or families. Superintendent Matt Fisher walked the board and the public through the plan the district developed with local partners, and answered questions from board members and residents.

The plan, Fisher said, grew from meetings that began in August and was drafted with the district—s safety office, federal-programs staff, the multicultural coalition of Grand Island, the Grand Island Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol and a federal immigration enforcement agency. "GIPS is prepared to assist families in setting up emergency caregiver plans. Collaboration ensures efficient and compassionate responses, and schools are committed to safety, support, and maintaining normalcy," Fisher said.

Why it matters: district staff and several parents told the board they want clarity about how schools will protect students and preserve normal routines if an enforcement action occurs. Board members and staff emphasized the district—s legal obligations under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the need to make accurate information available to bilingual families through trusted staff.

What the plan says and how it would work

- Preparation and partners: District leaders said planning began after staff identified gaps in emergency-contact information for migrant families. The district—s safety department coordinated work with the multicultural coalition of Grand Island, the district—s welcome center and federal-programs staff, as well as law enforcement and social-service partners.

- Family materials and communication: The district said it is distributing a "be prepared" orange folder created by the multicultural coalition that lists legal-aid and community resources for families. Staff will help families enter emergency caregiver contacts into the district—s student information system (Synergy) so the school can reach a designated caregiver quickly.

- Legal and record requests: Fisher told the board that any request from enforcement agencies for access to students or student records should be routed to the district—s safety department for legal review. "There has to be a court order signed by a judge in order for those things to happen," Fisher said, restating the district—s position that judge-signed subpoenas or warrants are required before student records or students may be released.

- Immediate response steps: If a student is uncollected at dismissal and the school cannot reach family or emergency contacts, the district said staff will notify the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) after 45 minutes. The district also said some staff have volunteered and completed paperwork to host students for up to 48 hours if DHHS cannot immediately place them.

- Staff training and roles: The district described non-mandatory vector training for general staff and emphasized that principals and secretaries receive detailed step-by-step guidance. The presentation noted a need to re-check communications and training for paraeducators, many of whom are bilingual and have high levels of family contact.

Questions and public comments

Resident Yolanda Nuncio addressed the board before the presentation and said she had reviewed the plan. "I want to commend the district for the steps that you've taken, the action, the plan that you've put together to keep our children safe," she said, and urged the district to ensure paraeducators get full, accessible information to pass along to families in their languages.

Board member Carlos Garcia Mendez asked whether the district had seen a drop in attendance and how the district is reaching families. Fisher said some families did stay home on days of high-profile enforcement activity but that, overall, building leaders reported no sustained large drop in attendance; where concerns arise, the district said it has reached out to families directly.

On school buses and law enforcement, Fisher said officers would need probable cause or a judge-signed warrant, and that school buses are not treated the same as private vehicles for search purposes. Regarding school resource officers (SROs), the district said SROs generally would not be used to carry out enforcement actions and would more likely serve as a school representative if an administrative interview were required.

Closing and next steps

District leaders said the full plan is appended to the district—s emergency operations manual, is available to board members and staff, and can be made available to community members on request. Fisher and board members emphasized maintaining normal routines and supporting students' mental health after any event, including activation of school crisis teams and counseling supports when needed.