President Trump has proposed the largest cut to public education since the Reagan Administration. The proposed cuts would be a setback for students in California, which has the largest number of students living in poverty and the highest percentage of English Learners of any state.
As public education advocates working together to champion justice and equity, we denounce the national administration’s threat to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA offers hundreds of thousands of young people brought to this country illegally as children a reprieve from deportation, as well as the opportunity to live, be educated, and work in this country.
Today, the Trump administration stripped away protections for Dreamers—young Americans brought to this country as children. The announcement, which many of us had long feared, will end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). The result is that soon, thousands of young immigrants will face the possibility of deportation from the only country they know unless Congress takes swift action. These young Americans are not some faceless other. They are our co-workers, our students, our neighbors, our children’s teachers, and our friends.
“For every child and for every family, every school year matters as an opportunity to develop knowledge, skills, and mindsets that students need to thrive. Flat results are unacceptable.
“As we mark the 60th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine this week, these scores are evidence that we are still giving some students less than they deserve.
“California cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results for our students. We must invest more and design learning environments and schools that individualize to meet the unique needs of students so that every child has the support and resources she needs to succeed,” said Jonathan Klein, co-founder and CEO of GO Public Schools.