Commitment to Protecting the Rights of All Students

Updates from District 97

Jan. 23, 2025

On Jan. 22, 2025, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) issued Non-Regulatory Guidance on Immigration Enforcement Actions. We are carefully reviewing this information and will take all necessary actions to ensure the continued protection of our students' rights within our buildings. This includes working closely with principals and other school staff to provide clear guidance and ensure consistent practices across all of our schools.

Jan. 14, 2025

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 is a welcoming environment for all of our families and students regardless of immigrant status. In alignment with existing laws, we do not ask for a student's or their family's immigration status when a student is enrolled. Furthermore, a student's immigration status will have no impact on the quality of education they receive in any of our schools. 

District 97 does not share a student's or family's immigration status, or any student records, with immigration officials unless required by a court order. Immigration enforcement personnel are required to have a criminal warrant signed by a judge before accessing our schools and other District facilities. We continue to prepare staff to properly handle an unlikely school visit by immigration officials. A primary goal in those efforts is to ensure a minimally disruptive learning environment for students and staff.

Our work remains bound by the District 97 Board of Education’s policies, which ensure that no student or family is discriminated against, harassed, or bullied because of their race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, or immigration status. We shall continue to uphold those policies throughout the school year including during the registration process.

For additional publicly available information and/or resources on related immigrant status matters, visit the links on this page.