Student Rights and Resources

 

Welcome!

Holliston Public Schools is committed to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, staff and families, regardless of their immigration status. All students deserve the opportunity to succeed, and we are dedicated to ensuring they have the resources needed to thrive. The information in the links below is designed to reassure parents and community members of this commitment.

Please note: these resources are provided to help students, staff and families navigate their situations and are not explicitly endorsed by the district. As further guidance from state and federal agencies is provided, these resources may be updated by the respective organizations. Please visit the listed organizations for the most updated information.

Message from the Superintendent

Resources for Families

We value every member of our district community. A list of beneficial community resources for immigrant community members and mixed-status families can be found below. Please click the links below for more information.

Flyer for K-12 Schools on Protecting Students and Their Information

Immigration Helpline  The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) helpline is open to all Massachusetts residents.

Immigration Preparedness Toolkit  The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's (ILRC) Immigration Preparedness Toolkit is a resource-packed informational document designed to help immigrants with no legal status or in mixed status families begin to understand the immigration legal landscape and plan for their own journey through an ever-changing, complex system in the United States.

Know Your Rights  The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) provides “know your rights” trainings, resources for advocates, service providers and allies who want to help ensure that immigrants know their rights in different contexts.

Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice  Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice (SCIJ) trains and mobilizes college students to provide free legal representation to asylum seekers and to organize for immigrant justice. SCIJ will host a Know Your Rights presentation on Feb. 5 from 6-8 p.m. at 18 Chestnut Street, Worcester.

Combatendo o ódio nas escolas: um guia para famílias e estudantes Um guia em português para famílias e alunos para combater o ódio em nossas escolas, fornecido pelo Gabinete do Procurador Geral de Massachusetts.

Combatir el Odio en Nuestras Escuelas: Una Guía para Familias y Estudiantes  Una guía en español para familias y estudiantes para combatir el odio en nuestras escuelas, facilitada por la Oficina del Fiscal General de Massachusetts.

Combatting Hate in Our Schools: A Guide for Families and Students  A guide in English for families and students to combat hate in our schools, provided by the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General.

Document and Contacts Checklist/Lista de documentos y contactos  A list provided by the Coalition For Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles in English and Spanish of the important documents and contacts every immigrant or mixed status family should have or be aware of.

Prepárate para quedarte/Prepare to stay  A list of immigrant rights and a family preparedness plan provided by the Coalition For Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, available in English and Spanish.

 

Resources for Staff and Faculty

We are committed to providing inclusive teaching and learning environments where staff and students feel safe and supported. Please review the linked resources below to help you support our students and families.

Guidance on Immigration Issues  Guidance from the National Education Association (NEA) on immigration policies affecting students, schools and communities.

Supporting Immigrant Families and Upholding Their Rights  This blog, by NASP (National Association of School Psychologists), summarizes the key legal protections of students, including those that are undocumented, and specific actions school psychologists can take to support immigrant students and their families. This blog will also help school psychologists and other school professionals help immigrant communities understand their rights. This is not legal advice.

Ten Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students and Families  There are many ways that schools can support immigrant students and families facing uncertainty. These strategies from Colorín Colorado are based on input from educators and researchers across the country.

K-12 Schools on Protecting Students and Their Information  This flyer from the Office of the Attorney General Civil Rights Division & Children’s Justice Unit outlines the obligations for K-12 schools to support and protect all students and their personal information.

HPS Student Support (SEL) 

Abordar el odio y los prejuicios en las escuelas: Preguntas y Respuestas  Este documento de la Fiscalía General, traducido en español, responde a las preguntas más frecuentes sobre la lucha contra el odio y los prejuicios en nuestras escuelas. 

Addressing Hate and Bias in Schools  The Office of the Attorney General answers frequently asked questions about addressing hate and bias in our schools.

Guidance Regarding K-12 Schools' Obligations to Protect Students and their Information  This guidance, in English only, from the Office of the Attorney General describes schools’ legal obligations as well as steps they can take to support students and families. 

Lidando com o ódio e o preconceito nas escolas: perguntas e respostas  O Gabinete do Procurador Geral responde a perguntas frequentes sobre como lidar com o ódio e o preconceito em nossas escolas.

Upholding the Rights of Immigrant Students to Enroll in School  Guidance provided by the Executive Office of Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Office of the Attorney General for school committees and districts to uphold the rights of immigrant students to enroll in school.

 

State Guidance re: Student Rights

 

Guidance Regarding K-12 Schools' Obligations to Protect Students and their Information  This guidance, in English only, from the Office of the Attorney General describes schools’ legal obligations as well as steps they can take to support students and families. 

Supporting All Students, Including LGBTQ Students

 

 

District Coordinators for Civil Rights Laws

All programs, activities and employment opportunities provided by Holliston Public Schools are offered without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability. Questions regarding implementation of these practices should be addressed to the appropriate coordinator listed below. 

 

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 

Statute prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color or national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. This statute ensures that individuals are not excluded from participation in programs or activities receiving federal funds (or the benefits of) on account of their membership in one of these protected categories (42 USC S2000d). This statute has been interpreted to prohibit the denial of equal access to education because of a language minority student’s limited proficiency in English. 

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 

Title VII, the federal law that prohibits most workplace harassment and discrimination, covers all private employers, state and local governments, and educational institutions with 15 or more employees.  In addition to prohibiting discrimination against workers because of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex, those protections have been extended to include barring against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, sex stereotyping, and sexual harassment of employees.

Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974

This federal statute prohibits states from denying equal educational opportunities to an individual based on certain protected classifications including national origin. It specifically prohibits denying equal educational opportunities by failing to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by its students in its instructional programs. [20 USC S1203 (f)] 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides that no individual may be discriminated against on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Title IX requires that schools adopt and publish a policy against sex discrimination and have a grievance procedure through which students can complain of alleged sex discrimination, including sexual harassment. State law requires Massachusetts employers have a policy against sexual harassment. (M.G.L. Ch.151B, S3A) 

 

MA General Laws Chapter 76, Section 5

This state law provides that "Every person shall have a right to attend the public schools of the town where he actually resides. No person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to a public school of any town, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges and courses of study of such public school on account of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation." 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 provides that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The regulations implementing Section 504 require that public schools provide a free appropriate public education to each qualified handicapped person who is in the recipient’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person’s handicap. (34 CFR 104.33)

 

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965

Title I is designed to help disadvantaged children meet challenging content and student performance standards. Staff should know that special education students are not deemed ineligible for Title I services because they receive special education services. Also, school districts must ensure that Title I funds are not being misused (e.g. referring an ESL student to a Title I program in order to meet the student’s language needs rather than providing an ESL program/class). 

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

The regulations implementing the ADA provide that: "A public entity that employs 50 or more persons shall designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under this part, including any investigation of any complaint communicated to it alleging its noncompliance with this part or alleging any actions that would be prohibited by this part. The public entity must make available to all interested individuals the name, office address, and telephone number of the employee(s) designated pursuant to this paragraph." [34 CFR 35.107 (a)]

 

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act

The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act requires that school districts immediately enroll homeless students in school, even if they do not have the document usually required for enrollment, such as school records, medical records or proof of residency. Homeless students have a right to either remain in their school of origin or attend school where they are temporarily residing.