Fear of immigration raids can keep students out of classrooms, affect their learning, and weaken families' trust in schools.
The consequences do not necessarily end when federal agents leave a community.
Joshua Childs, associate professor at the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin, explained that research conducted over the past few decades has found increases in school absences and declines in academic performance in communities affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
Childs noted that the effects extend beyond missed school days. Students may also feel less secure and struggle to maintain connections with peers and teachers.
The researcher highlighted that one of the main questions is how long it takes for families to regain the confidence to send their children back to school.
Absences can accumulate
Chronic school absenteeism occurs when a student is absent for at least 10% of the school year, regardless of whether the absences are justified or not.
In a 180-day school calendar, that percentage is equivalent to 18 days.
Childs explained that the absences don't have to be consecutive. A student can miss one or two days over several weeks and accumulate enough absences to reach that threshold.
In addition to losing academic content, students stop sharing experiences with their peers and have fewer opportunities to connect with educators.
Childs cited research by Jacob Kirksey of Texas Tech University, which has examined the effects of immigration operations on immigrant communities.
According to him, these studies have identified increases in school absences, a reduced sense of security among students, and reductions in academic performance, particularly in reading and mathematics.
The professor warned that it is important to examine not only what happens during the operations, but also their long-term consequences.
Related: How immigration raids traumatize children and undermine the childcare system
Can online education help?
One alternative for students who don't feel safe attending classes in person could be remote learning. However, Childs cautioned that research on its benefits still offers mixed results.
Virtual education can allow some students to continue learning from an environment where they feel safer and progress at their own pace.
But it also presents difficulties.
Not all families have a stable internet connection, suitable devices, or the necessary conditions to regularly participate in virtual classes.
Furthermore, doubts persist about the costs and sustainability of these programs for school districts.
Childs noted that remote learning can be one of several tools to address absenteeism, but not necessarily a solution for all students.
The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic also provided lessons about these inequalities.
According to the researcher, districts with a solid infrastructure for distance education were better prepared to maintain student participation.
Even so, he said that the country's schools continue to face difficulties in recovering pre-pandemic attendance levels.
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Regaining the trust of families
For Childs, responding to absenteeism requires understanding the circumstances surrounding each student.
That includes your emotional wellthe conditions of their neighborhood, their social relationships, and their family situation.
In communities affected by immigration operationsHe especially emphasized the importance of maintaining two-way communication between schools and families.
School districts must explain how they can support their students and what steps they can take to maintain safe and welcoming spaces, she noted.
He also recommended involving all adults working in schools in efforts to improve attendance, as well as using available data to identify problems and respond to students' needs.
The challenge is not only about getting students to return after an absence.
It also involves rebuilding the conditions that allow them to feel safe, continue learning, and attend classes regularly.
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