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SFUSD unanimously adopts resolution to support unaccompanied immigrant children and to expand newcomer services
Summary
The San Francisco Unified School District board unanimously passed a resolution urging the district to dedicate resources, coordinate with city partners, and expand newcomer pathways and trauma‑informed services for unaccompanied immigrant children; staff committed to hiring a coordinator and to regular updates to the board.
The San Francisco Unified School District board on Aug. 11 unanimously approved a resolution urging the district to dedicate short‑ and long‑term resources to meet the needs of unaccompanied immigrant children arriving from Central America.
Commissioners Haney, Feuer and Mendoza McDonnell authored the resolution, which cites Department of Homeland Security and Office of Refugee Resettlement data about the recent increase in unaccompanied children, references Plyler v. Doe and affirms the district’s commitment to ensure access to schooling and services regardless of documentation status. The resolution asks the district to provide professional development for teachers and staff, coordinate legal and housing referrals, promote host-family recruitment, ensure primary-language supports (including indigenous languages), and regularly track enrollment in newcomer pathways.
Staff presentations outlined existing newcomer pathways (12 total K–12 pathways, including stand‑alone centers and pathway strands within comprehensive high schools) and the district’s system of supports: counselor intake, wellness centers that provide health and mental‑health services, referrals to legal and social services, and partnerships with community organizations. Staff reported increased newcomer enrollments year over year, described zip‑code patterns within San Francisco and noted that they had added 50 seats at Thurgood Marshall High School to reach 168 newcomer spaces there.
Public commenters — including union representatives, legal-aid and university law programs, community organizers, educators, parents and students — urged swift, funded action. University of San Francisco Law School offered to assemble legal teams to assist with immigration cases; SEIU and UESF urged supports and living‑wage jobs for paraprofessionals; Mission High teachers and former students described trauma, gaps in schooling, and the need for immediate counseling and classroom assistance.
During board discussion members asked for details on funding sources and timelines. Staff said Title I and Title III funds, the LCAP and enrollment counts will provide some resources and that the district is exploring foundation grants. Superintendent Carranza and staff confirmed that a dedicated staff position (most likely a social‑work qualified coordinator) can be opened immediately and that they will report to the board on hiring and implementation timelines. The board requested regular updates on enrollment counts, placement capacity, and coordination with city partners.
The board voted unanimously to adopt the resolution and directed staff to continue work to expand newcomer seats, provide trauma‑informed supports, facilitate legal-service access, and to track and report progress to the board.
