Dear DPS Community,
As a public school community, Denver Public Schools has an obligation to operate according to our Shared Core Values. I want to reassure our community that DPS remains fully committed to providing safe learning environments for students and staff regardless of immigration status, national origin, race or religion. Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is our top priority and our most important responsibility as a district.
While uncertainty remains regarding specific steps that the President-Elect and his incoming administration may take, it is important for us to clarify what we know and refrain from speculation.
Many have expressed concerns about the potential presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on our school campuses. Currently, ICE does not conduct operations in schools as they are considered "sensitive locations" where enforcement actions are discouraged. While there have been predictions that the incoming administration may revoke the “sensitive location” policy, there have been no formal announcements. Please know that DPS will do everything we can to ensure safe and disruption-free learning environments by protecting our community from any unlawful federal overreach. Based upon current DPS Administrative Policy JIH (Student Interviews, Interrogations, Searches and Arrest), federal immigration law enforcement activities would not be permitted at our schools, on transportation routes, on DPS property, or during school activities.
Denver Public Schools does not collect the immigration status of our families. This is in alignment with DPS Administrative Policy JRA/JRC-R, which states, “District employees shall not collect any information about student immigration status” and that “upon receipt of a request from an Immigration Official for any information about a DPS student or students, all District employees shall immediately forward the request to the District’s Office of the General Counsel. In responding to such requests, the District’s Office of the General Counsel will not share information unless required by law and will do everything in the District’s lawful power to protect the constitutional and legal rights of the District’s students.”
Regardless of actions taken, DPS will continue to follow the law and provide an education to all students regardless of their immigration status. We will also continue to protect the personal information of all of our students and staff and will not share it unless required by law. Additionally, the district will cooperate with local law enforcement to the extent required by law in regards to federal demands and policing.
In case of emergency, we encourage all families to review and update their emergency contact information through the Parent Portal or their school’s main office. It is important that all families identify those who are authorized to pick up their students from school in the event a parent is unable to do so.
DPS will continue to work with city agencies and community organizations to support our scholars, families and staff to ensure our community’s constitutional rights are respected. As always, our focus remains on ensuring that our students receive the highest-quality education and that schools remain safe, welcoming, inclusive and supportive.
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
Superintendent
Dr. Carrie A. Olson
DPS Board of Education President
District 3
Marlene De La Rosa
DPS Board of Education Vice President
District 5
Kimberlee Sia
DPS Board of Education Treasurer
District 1
John Youngquist
DPS Board of Education Secretary
At Large
Xóchitl Gaytán
District 2
Michelle Quattlebaum
District 4
Scott Esserman
At Large