Resources Schools Can Share Legally

This page is not legal advice. School districts should consult their own counsel before adopting policies or distributing materials. The examples below show how other districts and public agencies have shared general information, referrals, and partner-led resources without presenting themselves as immigration attorneys.

Schools do not need to become legal service providers

School staff are educators, not immigration lawyers — and districts do not need to become legal service providers in order to meaningfully help families. There is a clear and practical middle path between saying nothing and giving individualized legal advice.

The goal is not for teachers, principals, or district staff to give individualized immigration advice. The goal is to provide families with general information, connect them to trusted legal and community resources, and reduce fear that interferes with school attendance and learning.

Schools can share information in at least five low-risk ways:

Link to trusted outside resources — national and local legal organizations that already publish Know Your Rights materials.
Host or promote workshops led by legal nonprofits or qualified community partners — not taught by district staff.
Share printable Know Your Rights cards or family preparedness materials produced by legal organizations such as ILRC or NILC.
Provide a district resource page that includes disclaimers and referrals to qualified providers.
Distribute information to all families, not only families assumed to be immigrant or undocumented — this avoids stigma and eliminates the need to identify recipients.

Districts can say

"Here are general Know Your Rights materials from trusted legal organizations."
"Here are local legal service providers who help families."
"Here is a family preparedness plan template."
"Here is a workshop led by a qualified community partner."
"We cannot provide legal advice, but we can connect you to people who can."

Districts should avoid

Telling a family what to do in their specific immigration case.
Interpreting a family's legal status or visa situation.
Advising whether to open the door, sign documents, or miss a hearing.
Presenting district staff as immigration attorneys or accredited representatives.

Why this matters

Families may avoid school or school activities when they do not know what protections exist or where to get help. Fear — even when based on misinformation — affects school attendance, student well-being, and family engagement with the school community.

Schools already communicate regularly about safety, attendance, bullying, natural disasters, health risks, and student privacy. Immigration-related fear can affect each of those areas. Sharing vetted resources helps families make informed decisions while keeping the district within its appropriate role.

Students who do not understand their school's procedures may stay home rather than risk uncertainty
Families in mixed-status households may disengage from school events, parent communication, or enrollment processes out of fear
Misinformation spreads quickly in the absence of clear, authoritative guidance from trusted sources
A district that shares vetted resources is helping families — and protecting its own attendance, enrollment, and engagement metrics

Sharing resources does not make a district responsible for outcomes. It makes the district a helpful connector — which is already part of what schools do for families facing health challenges, housing issues, food insecurity, and other barriers to attendance.

Resources schools can share

These resources are produced by legal organizations and public agencies. Districts can link to them, distribute them, or use them as the basis for partner-led workshops — without creating their own legal content. The "Shared by" column shows districts that have already used each resource.

Resource	What it provides	Shared by	Why it works
ILRC Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas	Printable cards that help people assert basic constitutional rights during encounters with immigration enforcement. Available in multiple languages.	Denver / Ashley Elementary sent Know Your Rights cards home with every student. Seattle Public Schools and Lennox School District link families to ILRC Know Your Rights and preparedness resources.	ILRC explicitly states the cards do not provide individualized legal advice. Districts can share them as general information without acting as legal advisors. Broad distribution — to all families — is the cleanest approach.
ILRC — Protecting Children in Schools	School-focused guidance explaining that schools can work with local organizations to provide Know Your Rights trainings, display Know Your Rights signage, and provide Red Cards to students and families.	A core reference for districts and district counsel — not a resource districts typically link families to directly, but one that directly supports the legal basis for sharing other materials.	This is the authoritative source for the position that schools can share Know Your Rights information and partner with outside organizations for trainings. Useful for district counsel and board members with questions about what schools are permitted to do.
Partner-led Know Your Rights workshops	Partner-led Know Your Rights workshops, family preparedness planning, legal resource referrals, and recorded trainings — delivered by qualified community and legal partners, not district staff.	Chicago Public Schools lists partner-led workshops by The Resurrection Project and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights. LAUSD shares recorded workshops developed with CHIRLA, Bet Tzedek, and Neighborhood Legal Services — explicitly framed as informational, not legal advice.	The district hosts or promotes the workshop, but qualified partners provide the content. LAUSD's video page states that workshops are "developed with the help of trusted nonprofit experts" and provide tools and resources while not offering legal advice. This keeps district staff in a connector role.
NILC — Protecting Our Students and Families	School-specific resource covering steps families can take to prepare, identify legal support, obtain Know Your Rights cards, and make a family emergency plan. Created with the American Federation of Teachers, United We Dream, and CLASP.	National legal nonprofit resource appropriate for district family resource pages and parent communication. No specific district examples documented here — but it is a widely cited school-focused resource from a leading legal organization.	Multi-partner authorship gives this broad legitimacy across education and legal sectors. It is directly school-focused and addresses the questions families most commonly have.
NILC — Education Providers guidance	Know Your Rights guidance written specifically for education providers — covering what schools can and cannot do and what students' rights are.	Appropriate for district administrators and staff. Useful as a background reference rather than a family-facing resource.	Helps staff understand what they can and cannot say or do — so they can respond accurately when families ask questions without overstepping into legal advice.
We Have Rights videos	Short multilingual videos explaining what to do in common encounters with ICE — accessible, shareable, and available in multiple languages.	LAUSD's We Are One site and Castro Valley Unified School District link to We Have Rights resources.	Videos are accessible and multilingual. Districts can link to them rather than recreating content. Particularly useful for families with limited literacy or who prefer video format.
State education agency resources	State education agency resources for immigrant families and schools, including Know Your Educational Rights materials.	Castro Valley Unified and Berryessa Union School District link to California state agency resources, including CDE materials and the California Attorney General's Know Your Educational Rights. Check your own state education agency for equivalent resources.	Public agency resources can be especially persuasive because they are not relying solely on advocacy groups. State education agencies carry authority with school boards and district counsel.
ACLU — Students' Rights	National Know Your Rights resource covering students' constitutional rights at school, including privacy, free speech, and equal access to education.	NYC Public Schools references student rights and FERPA protections on its immigrant families page. Any district can link to ACLU national materials as a trusted legal organization.	Produced by a nationally recognized legal organization. Appropriate for district resource pages and for sharing with families and educators.
ACLU — Immigrants' Rights	National Know Your Rights resource for immigrants, with a clear legal disclaimer directing readers to consult an attorney for case-specific questions.	Appropriate for any district resource page. State ACLU affiliates also publish state-specific versions — check your state's ACLU affiliate for local equivalents.	Models clear disclaimer language from a nationally recognized legal organization. The disclaimer itself is a useful example for districts developing their own resource pages.
Informed Immigrant	National resource hub connecting immigrant families to Know Your Rights information, legal tools, and local community resources by state.	A useful national link that districts can include on any resource page regardless of state.	Helps families find state- and local-level resources without the district needing to maintain a state-specific referral list. Particularly useful as a single catch-all link.
Immigration Advocates — National Immigration Legal Services Directory	A searchable national directory of nonprofit immigration legal services providers. Families can search by state, county, or detention facility to find free or low-cost immigration legal help. Search the directory →	Salt Lake City School District links families to the National Immigration Legal Services Directory on its Immigration Frequently Asked Questions page as a referral for qualified legal help outside the district.	A strong referral resource for districts that want to help families find qualified legal help without staff giving legal advice. A district can say: "We cannot provide immigration legal advice, but you can use this directory to find nonprofit immigration legal service providers." Families get a concrete next step; staff stay in their appropriate role.

A useful model for legal referrals: Salt Lake City School District's Immigration FAQ tells families that district personnel cannot give legal advice about specific immigration matters, then links to outside legal directories — including the National Immigration Legal Services Directory and the American Immigration Lawyers Association — where families can search for qualified help. Districts do not need immigration lawyers on staff to share legal-referral resources. They can maintain a clear legal-advice boundary while still giving families a concrete path to qualified support.

How districts have shared these resources

Districts around the country have taken a range of approaches — from simple resource pages to partner-led workshops. These are real examples, not hypotheticals.

Resource pages: Seattle Public Schools and Castro Valley Unified School District maintain public pages that link families to Know Your Rights materials, legal help hotlines, and family preparedness resources — without creating their own legal content.
Partner-led workshops: Chicago Public Schools and LAUSD promote Know Your Rights workshops led by outside legal and community partners — keeping qualified organizations in the role of legal educator while the district plays host and promoter.
Recorded trainings and videos: LAUSD shares recorded workshops and multilingual videos so families can access information without requiring each school to host its own live session.
Printed cards and handouts: Denver's Ashley Elementary sent Know Your Rights cards home with every student — distributing resources broadly to all families rather than singling out specific students.
School-level pages: Individual schools such as Ingraham High School in Seattle have published their own curated resource pages, allowing campuses to respond to community needs without waiting for district-wide policy changes.
Distinguishing information from advice: Berryessa Union School District explicitly labels the difference between general rights information and legal advice from qualified providers — a simple framing any district can adopt.
Public disclaimers: Public agencies such as Salt Lake City model disclaimer language that frames information as general support and directs people toward legal providers for individual situations.

Sample language a district can use

These samples are starting points only. Districts should review and adapt language with their own counsel.

For a district resource page or family communication

"Our district is committed to ensuring that every student can attend school safely and access public education. We do not provide immigration legal advice, and families with case-specific questions should speak with a qualified immigration attorney or trusted legal service provider. The resources below are general Know Your Rights and family preparedness materials from public agencies and nonprofit legal organizations. They are provided to help families understand where to find accurate information and support."

For staff guidance

"District staff should not attempt to evaluate immigration status, interpret warrants, or advise families about individual immigration cases. Staff may share district-approved resource links, refer families to qualified legal providers, and provide general information about school enrollment, student privacy, and district procedures."

When a family asks staff directly

"We cannot provide legal advice, but we want to help connect you to people who can. Here is a list of local and national legal organizations that may be able to help."

Recommended ways districts can share resources

These options are organized roughly by level of district involvement. Districts should consult their own counsel when selecting an approach.

Lowest-risk options

Add a resource page on the district website with a clear disclaimer and links to trusted outside organizations
Link to ILRC Red Cards, NILC school resources, ACLU Know Your Rights materials, Informed Immigrant, and local legal service providers
Translate the resource page or link to multilingual materials already produced by legal organizations
Send the same resource list to all families — not only families assumed to need immigration information

Moderate options

Host a Know Your Rights workshop led by a qualified nonprofit, immigration attorney, DOJ-accredited representative, or vetted community partner
Invite local legal service providers to present at a family night or school event
Provide printed Red Cards or family preparedness plan templates at school offices, available to any family that wants them
Share resources through counselors, family centers, McKinney-Vento liaisons, ELL/multilingual family liaisons, and social workers

Stronger district commitment options

Create a district protocol for staff on how to respond when families ask immigration-related questions — including what staff can and cannot say
Train front office staff on referral language and what not to do
Maintain a vetted referral list of legal and community organizations updated annually
Create a public FAQ about school enrollment, student records, and what the district does if law enforcement requests access to students or records

Common questions from district staff and counsel

Is sharing Know Your Rights information the same as giving legal advice?

No. Sharing general information from trusted legal organizations is different from advising a family about their specific immigration case. A district can link to outside resources, distribute general rights cards, and host partner-led workshops while making clear that district staff are not providing legal advice. The key distinction is between general information and case-specific guidance. ILRC's school-focused guidance specifically says schools can work with local organizations to provide Know Your Rights trainings and may display Know Your Rights signage or provide red cards to students and families. (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)

What should district staff avoid?

District staff should avoid giving case-specific immigration advice. They should not interpret a family's immigration status, evaluate legal documents, tell a family how to respond in a specific immigration case, or present themselves as immigration attorneys unless they are qualified to do so. Staff can still share district-approved resource links, explain school procedures, provide general information about student privacy and enrollment, and refer families to qualified legal providers.

Can schools host Know Your Rights trainings?

Yes. Schools can host or promote Know Your Rights trainings, especially when the training is led by a qualified legal nonprofit, immigration attorney, DOJ-accredited representative, or trusted community partner. Chicago Public Schools publicly lists Know Your Rights workshops hosted by The Resurrection Project and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights — a useful model for districts that want to support families without having district staff provide legal advice. (Chicago Public Schools)

Can schools share Red Cards?

Yes. Schools can share Red Cards as general rights information. ILRC says schools may display Know Your Rights signage or provide red cards to students and families, and ILRC provides printable Red Cards in multiple languages. (Immigrant Legal Resource Center) The safest approach is to make the materials available to everyone or distribute them broadly to all families, rather than asking staff to identify which students or families may need them.

Can a school district share resources even if it does not have immigration lawyers on staff?

Yes. A district does not need immigration lawyers on staff to share general resources or referrals. The district can create a resource page, link to trusted legal directories, invite outside experts to present, and direct families to qualified legal help. Salt Lake City School District provides a useful model: its Immigration FAQ tells families that district personnel cannot give legal advice about specific immigration matters, then links to outside directories — including the National Immigration Legal Services Directory — where families can search for qualified nonprofit help. The district maintains a clear boundary while still giving families a concrete next step.

Should the district include a disclaimer?

Yes. A disclaimer helps make the district's role clear. The page should say that the resources are for general information only, are not legal advice, and that families with case-specific questions should contact a qualified immigration attorney or trusted legal service provider. Many public agencies model this approach — framing information as general support and pointing people toward legal providers for individual situations. See the sample language section above for suggested text.

What is a good first step for any district?

A good first step is to create a simple "Immigrant Family Resources" page on the district website. It can include:

A clear disclaimer that the page is general information, not legal advice
ILRC Red Cards
NILC school resources
ACLU Know Your Rights and Informed Immigrant
State- or region-specific resources from your state's ACLU affiliate or immigrant advocacy coalition
Local legal service provider referrals
A short statement that every child has the right to attend public school regardless of immigration status

This is a low-risk approach because the district is curating trusted resources rather than creating its own legal advice.

Should resources be shared only with immigrant families?

No. In most cases, it is better to share resources broadly with all families. This avoids singling out students, avoids asking staff to guess who may be undocumented or in a mixed-status family, and makes the information available to classmates, neighbors, and extended family members who may also need it. Broad distribution also frames the issue as student safety and family preparedness, not as a special category for only some students.

Can the district say "we cannot give legal advice" and still share resources?

Yes. That is the recommended framing. A district can say, "We cannot provide immigration legal advice, but we can share general information and connect families to qualified legal resources." This gives staff a clear boundary while still allowing the district to support families. Silence is not the only option.

Do all districts have identical legal obligations?

No. District obligations can vary depending on state law, district policy, local counsel, collective bargaining agreements, and the specific facts of a situation. Districts should consult their own legal counsel before adopting policies or procedures. But the examples from districts like Chicago Public Schools, along with ILRC's school guidance, show that schools can share general Know Your Rights information, host partner-led trainings, and refer families to trusted resources without turning district staff into immigration attorneys. (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)

The middle path

Schools do not need to choose between silence and legal advice. A district can take a practical middle path: share general information, use trusted outside materials, invite qualified partners to lead trainings, include clear disclaimers, and refer families to legal service providers.

This approach helps families make informed decisions while keeping educators and school staff in their proper role — as educators, communicators, and connectors, not as immigration attorneys.

Districts from Chicago and Los Angeles to Denver and Seattle have already demonstrated that this middle path is workable, legally grounded, and genuinely helpful to families.

If your district would like help building a resource page or identifying partner-led Know Your Rights trainings, contact No ICE in Schools at info@noiceinschools.org.