The Lack of Higher Education Resources for Undocumented Students at the High School Level with Emphasis on North Carolina

*In 2016, the SOL program pivoted for the year to focus on political engagement in what was then called the “Political Engagement Pilot Project,” or PEPP. This was an alternative version of SOL that laid the groundwork for the development of the PEP program as it currently exists.

There is no regulatory policy regarding undocumented students in higher education.

Every year, 65,000 students who graduate from high school are undocumented and only 5-10% are able to continue their education. Federal law guarantees that undocumented students receive free primary and secondary education but their ability to attain higher education is limited by their legal status. Only 19 states allow undocumented students to receive in state tuition. Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina ban these students from even enrolling in public colleges. Some states, such as California and Texas may provide state based aid for undocumented students, but this does not have to meet the full need of the student.

Although the current political debate surrounds the future of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a federal directive that provides temporary lawful presence to undocumented youth. It is not a pathway to citizenship, and DACA recipients remain without lawful status. In the cases of some states, like Texas and California, access to higher education for undocumented students existed before DACA. In the cases of other states, like Alabama and Georgia, DACA has made little difference in the access that undocumented students have to college. Until a federal regulatory policy can be created and implemented, the real challenge in college attainment is knowledge about the existing policies. Undocumented students are often not aware of their options and confused by the variability. They are unaware of financial policies and how DACA will not make them eligible for federal aid, but serves to demonstrate need that some states or institutions could supplement.

A federal reform is unrealistic so efforts must focus on the grassroots spread of information.

A comprehensive immigration reform plan, that provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth, would be ideal. It is also unrealistic with the current political climate. President elect Donald Trump has stated that he will repeal any executive orders by President Barack Obama and that would include DACA placing about 845, 000 recipients at risk. The election of Trump and a Republican Congress also creates an unfavorable atmosphere to introduce any version of the DREAM Act – legislature proposal that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth who arrived in American before their sixteenth birthday and planned to continue their education or serve in the military.

The best course of action is for grassroots organizations, like the Adelante Education Coalition, to provide resources and services to undocumented students about available opportunities for access to college through a holistic approach during their middle school and high school years.

The Adelante Education Coalition is a foremost a collaboration of like-minded organizations.

The Adelante Education Coalition lacks direct collaboration with schools that would act as an important resource to students. Student U is the only school based core member of the Adelante Education Coalition, while Communities In Schools of North Carolina, Teach for America Eastern North Carolina, and the Wake County Public School System Latino Outreach serve as advisory members. Schools become such an important source of information because students will spend the majority of their time in the classroom and the teacher is readily able to identify an undocumented student and assess their need. The Adelante Education Coalition’s Latino Success Initiative presents a valuable model for building relationships between educators, families, institutions, and key stakeholders.