Park City School District: No ICE in Schools
Building on Park City's commitment to welcoming and protecting every student — turning strong values into clear, operational protections for all families.
What we are asking for
Three steps to make existing commitments operational and reliable:
- Clear multilingual family communication — proactive, standardized, and consistent across all schools when immigration-related incidents occur in the community
- A community incident response plan — safe dismissal procedures, guidance when a parent is detained, and attendance flexibility for affected students
- Student and staff education on rights and district procedures — so everyone knows what to do if enforcement occurs near school or on the way to and from campus
Steps that would formalize what Park City already values:
- A clear warrant requirement standard — staff trained to distinguish judicial warrants from administrative ICE documents, consistently applied across all campuses
- A written front office protocol — posted at every school, covering who to call, what to say, and what to document
- Annual staff training on ICE-specific scenarios, escalation procedures, and how to respond to fearful students and families
Why it matters
- Fear reduces school attendance even when no enforcement occurs on campus — families in mixed-status households may keep children home at the first sign of nearby activity
- Park City's tourism and hospitality economy includes many immigrant and mixed-status families; community anxiety around enforcement can be acute even in a small district
- The district has already said it cares — but families and staff need to know exactly what will happen, step by step, when a real situation arises
- Predictability and trust are themselves protective — students learn better when they feel emotionally safe, and families engage more when they trust the district will communicate clearly
- Transportation and dismissal are high-risk windows that written protocols haven't yet addressed
Park City School District's Public Commitment
Park City School District has taken meaningful public steps that set it apart. The district has clearly stated that every child is welcome, regardless of immigration status — and has backed that up with concrete positions on data collection and law enforcement cooperation.
"Every child, regardless of immigration status, is welcome in our schools."
The district's public guidance confirms:
- Immigration status is not collected, tracked, or used in any enrollment or school process
- The district will not initiate contact with immigration enforcement authorities
- School counselors are available and trained to support students experiencing fear or anxiety
- The district is committed to its "We All Belong" values across all schools and communities
Read the District's Full Statement →
These commitments provide a strong foundation. The next step is creating clear operational guidance so that families and staff know exactly what happens in practice — before, during, and after a real incident. Values without procedures leave staff improvising under pressure and families uncertain about what to expect.
How we move forward in Park City
Park City School District has already shown leadership. The goal now is to build on that foundation and turn commitments into clear, practical policy.
Recruit and grow
Connect parents, educators, faith communities, and local organizations who share the district's welcoming values and want to see them backed by clear procedures.
Sign up →Build a coalition
Bring together educators, faith leaders, parent groups, and community organizations — coordinate a shared, constructive ask that the district can act on.
Develop a strategy
Align on specific, practical requests. Build relationships with board members outside of public meetings. Make the district's next step easy to say yes to.
Show up together
Bring a unified, constructive voice to the board — reinforcing what the district has already committed to, and asking for the operational steps that make it real.
Board engagement guide →What is happening now
- Park City School District has publicly affirmed its welcoming values — but those values have not yet been translated into detailed operational protocols that staff can follow in real time
- ICE activity has been reported in the Park City and Heber Valley region; community anxiety around enforcement extends well beyond school buildings and affects whether families feel safe sending their children to school at all
- Front office staff currently have no written procedure specifying what to do, who to call, or what they are and are not required to permit when enforcement officers arrive — even a supportive district leaves staff improvising without that guidance
- The district's counselors have been made available, but families cannot yet get a clear, detailed answer about what would happen step-by-step if a parent were detained during school hours
- Transportation — arrival, dismissal, and bus routes — is a significant gap; the district has no documented plan for safe pickup when ICE activity is occurring nearby
- Fear affects attendance even when nothing happens at school; a family that doesn't know what the district will do has no reason to feel reassured — proactive communication closes that gap
The growth of organizations like Wasatch Immigration Project reflects a broader recognition that immigrant families in the Wasatch Back need trusted local resources, legal information, and community support — including around school-related concerns. Immigration-related fear and uncertainty are not limited to larger urban districts; local legal and community infrastructure is already developing in Park City to respond to these concerns.
Student and Staff Preparedness
Park City School District has publicly acknowledged student fear and stress around immigration enforcement, made counselors available, emphasized the importance of updated emergency contacts, and affirmed that no student will be released to federal immigration authorities without a valid judicial warrant. (PCSD; KPCW)
These are meaningful steps. They also point toward what is still needed: clearer guidance for students, families, and staff so that everyone knows what to do during a real-world situation — before it happens.
Two types of preparedness
Operational staff guidance
Normal emergency preparedness — staff support and operational clarity
- Who handles law enforcement contact and how
- How to distinguish a judicial warrant from an administrative ICE form
- Escalation chains — who to call, in what order
- Dismissal and transportation adjustments when activity is nearby
- Real-time family communication protocols
- How to support a frightened or distressed student in the moment
This type of guidance is already standard for other foreseeable situations — severe weather, nearby incidents, lockdown procedures. It is not politically controversial. It is operational.
Student safety education
Student wellbeing and emotional preparedness
- What to do if separated from a caregiver unexpectedly
- Emergency contacts — who to call, who can pick you up
- Who to go to at school if feeling scared or unsafe
- Basic information about school site-access protections
- How to seek help calmly and safely
- Reducing fear and misinformation through clear, age-appropriate information
The goal is not to teach resistance or evasion — it is to reduce panic, build confidence, and help students feel safe coming to school.
What other districts and organizations have done
Districts and community organizations around the country have implemented a range of practical, informational approaches — many focused on reducing fear and confusion rather than activism:
- Optional family information workshops on district procedures and student rights
- Multilingual resource guides explaining what schools will and will not do
- Counselor-led support sessions for students experiencing immigration-related stress
- Emergency contact planning resources — helping families identify trusted adults in advance
- Front office quick-reference guides for staff handling unexpected officer contact
- Transportation and dismissal communication plans for when enforcement activity is nearby
- Community partnerships with legal aid organizations to provide optional informational sessions
Many of these are informational rather than activist in nature. The shared goal is helping students stay in school safely — and helping families trust that the district has a plan.
Why this matters
Fear and uncertainty themselves can disrupt learning — even when no enforcement activity occurs on campus. A student who doesn't know what would happen, or who has no trusted adult to contact, may avoid school entirely out of an abundance of caution.
- Transportation and dismissal are often the highest-stress moments — the window when students move between protected campus space and public areas
- Students may encounter enforcement activity away from school grounds, on the way to or from campus
- Clear, calm guidance — delivered in advance — reduces panic and helps students stay engaged
- Staff who know exactly what to do respond more calmly and consistently, which students notice
Emergency contacts — a foundation already in place
The district's own public guidance already encourages families to keep emergency contact information updated and notes that trusted adults — not just family members — can be listed. (PCSD) This is itself a meaningful form of preparedness planning, and it shows the district recognizes that real-world family situations require practical advance planning. Additional preparedness efforts could build directly on this existing approach.
Potential next steps
Practical possibilities the district could explore — collaborative recommendations, not demands:
- Optional family information sessions — multilingual, focused on what the district's procedures are
- A multilingual one-page resource guide for families covering emergency contacts, site access, and who to call
- Staff operational training on judicial warrant procedures, escalation chains, and real-time communication
- A front office quick-reference card covering the steps to take if an officer arrives on campus
- Transportation and dismissal communication protocols for community enforcement incidents
- Community partnerships with trusted local legal organizations — such as Wasatch Immigration Project — for optional informational workshops and family preparedness resources
- Counselor support resources for students processing immigration-related stress or family disruption
For organizations and community leaders
We are building a collaborative coalition in Park City to support the district in making its welcoming values operational — with clear procedures, trained staff, and proactive family communication.
This is a constructive, community-led effort:
- Connect parents, educators, and community members who want to see the district's commitments followed through
- Build relationships with district leadership and board members
- Develop a shared, specific, and practical ask
- Show up together at board meetings to demonstrate broad community support
Park City is a small district with a tight-knit community. Relationships matter here — and a well-organized, respectful coalition that acknowledges what the district has already done is far more effective than an adversarial approach.
Ways to participate:
- Join coalition planning conversations
- Help recruit community members and partner organizations
- Provide a speaker for school board public comment
- Share this effort with your network
- Thank district leaders for their existing commitments — and ask for the next step
Community partners to work with
These organizations and community groups work with Park City families, educators, and the broader Summit County community. Working together — not in isolation — is how values become policy.
Park City School District
The district has already expressed clear welcoming values. Engaging district leadership directly — and constructively — is the most direct path to operational policy change.
Park City Community Foundation
Funds and supports community well-being initiatives across Summit County — a potential partner for outreach, translation support, and community engagement efforts.
Peace House
Serves vulnerable families across Summit County; community relationships and experience working with affected populations make them a valued coalition partner.
Holy Cross Ministries
Provides direct services and advocacy for immigrant and low-income communities across Utah, with deep trust among the families most affected by enforcement fear.
Utah Immigrant Advocacy Coalition (UIAC)
Coordinates statewide immigrant advocacy and community engagement — connects Park City-focused work to the broader Utah network and provides organizing resources.
ACLU of Utah
Provides legal expertise and civil rights guidance — useful for framing the policy ask, understanding what schools can and cannot do, and backing requests with legal authority.
Wasatch Immigration Project
Provides immigration legal services, community education, and family resources for immigrant communities in the Wasatch Back. Their work focuses on helping families make informed decisions, access legal protections, and navigate immigration-related challenges with trusted legal guidance.
As a locally rooted legal organization based in Park City, they are well-positioned to help connect families, schools, and community resources in a legally grounded and community-centered way.
What you can do
Park City School District's board can adopt clear operational protections at any meeting. The district has already shown it wants to do right by families — here is how to help make that concrete.
Sign up for updates
Get notified about upcoming board meetings, action alerts, and developments in Park City School District.
Sign UpConnect with local organizations
Parent groups, faith communities, local nonprofits, and educators across Summit County are all welcome. You do not need to be part of an organization to get involved.
Utah Resources & Partners →Thank and engage the board
Park City's board has already done more than most. A brief, personal message thanking them for their welcoming statement — and asking for operational follow-through — can be remarkably effective.
Find Board Members ↗Read the board engagement guide
Public comment is one part of an effective strategy. This guide covers how to meet with board members individually, send effective emails, and coordinate a unified ask.
Board Engagement Guide →Attend a board meeting
Public comment gives you 2–3 minutes to speak directly to the board. Showing up with others — even just to sit in support — signals organized community backing.
Meeting Schedule ↗Share this page
Know a parent, teacher, or community member in Park City? Send them here. More voices make a stronger, more representative ask to the board.
Share this page →Park City's community is strongest when it speaks with one voice. The district has already expressed the right values. Now is the time for families, educators, faith communities, and local organizations to come together and ask for the operational steps that make those values reliable for every family.
Common questions
What has Park City School District already said publicly?
Park City School District has issued a clear public statement affirming that every child is welcome regardless of immigration status. The district has stated that it does not collect immigration status information, will not initiate contact with immigration authorities, and has made counselors available to support students experiencing fear or stress. The district has also reaffirmed its "We All Belong" community values.
Does Park City collect immigration status information?
No. The district has publicly stated that it does not ask for, collect, or use immigration status information in enrollment or any school process. This is consistent with the constitutional right established in Plyler v. Doe (1982), which guarantees all children access to public education regardless of immigration status.
Why are families still concerned if the district is already supportive?
A welcoming statement is meaningful — but it does not answer the specific questions families have in a moment of fear. What happens if an officer shows up at the school? Who does the front office call? What if a parent is detained during pickup? Is there a plan for delayed dismissal if ICE is active nearby?
Without written answers to those questions, families in mixed-status households have no concrete reason to feel reassured — and may keep children home rather than risk uncertainty. Emotional safety and attendance are protected by clarity, not just by values.
What happens if ICE activity occurs near schools?
This is the primary operational gap. The district does not currently have a publicly documented plan for what happens when enforcement activity occurs in the surrounding community during school hours — including how dismissal would be handled, how families would be notified, and what guidance bus drivers and transportation staff would follow.
Other districts have addressed this through a community incident response plan that covers safe dismissal procedures, attendance flexibility, and proactive communication to families. This is what we are asking Park City to develop.
Why does transportation safety matter?
The most vulnerable moments for students are often not inside school buildings — they are on the way to and from school. Bus stops, walking routes, and school parking lots are locations where students and families may encounter enforcement activity without any district guidance in place.
A written transportation protocol — including when to delay dismissal, how to communicate with families, and how drivers should respond — is one of the most practical and protective steps a district can take.
Is this legal?
Yes. Schools have the legal authority — and arguably the obligation — to require proper legal documentation before allowing access to students or student records.
- Plyler v. Doe (1982): Schools cannot deny education on the basis of immigration status, creating a duty to protect access to learning.
- FERPA: Schools are already legally required to protect student records from disclosure without proper legal authority.
- Fourth Amendment: Requiring a judicial warrant is consistent with constitutional standards that apply to government actors, including immigration enforcement.
- DHS Sensitive Locations Policy: Federal guidance already discourages enforcement at schools. A district policy formalizes what federal guidelines already acknowledge.
See the strategy page for detailed legal analysis.
What does local law enforcement have to do with schools?
Several Utah counties participate in 287(g) agreements — federal-local partnerships that authorize local law enforcement to perform immigration enforcement functions. This means enforcement risk in Utah extends beyond ICE agents to include local sheriffs and police in everyday encounters.
A school district policy cannot override those agreements, but it can establish the school building as a distinct protected space with its own written rules — giving families a clear, reliable guarantee that the school operates differently.
What additional steps could the district take?
Park City has a strong foundation. The practical next steps are:
- A written front office protocol — posted at every school — covering what to do, who to call, and what staff are and are not required to allow when officers arrive
- Annual staff training on ICE-specific scenarios, warrant types, and how to support fearful students in the moment
- A community incident response plan covering dismissal, communication, and transportation when enforcement activity occurs nearby
- Proactive, multilingual family communication so that families know what the district's procedures are before a crisis occurs
None of these require new legal authority. They are operational steps that translate existing district values into consistent practice across all campuses.
Are there local organizations families can turn to for immigration-related resources?
Families looking for immigration-related legal information or support may benefit from connecting with local organizations such as Wasatch Immigration Project, which provides immigration legal services and community education in the Wasatch Back region.
School districts are not immigration legal providers, but trusted community partnerships can help families access accurate information and reduce fear and misinformation. For any immigration-related questions, families should seek guidance from a qualified immigration attorney or accredited legal representative.
Full strategic analysis
For detailed research, policy design guidance, coalition strategy, and implementation tools, check back — a full strategy page is coming soon.
Park City School District can lead Utah.
The district has already shown that it cares about every student. Clear operational protections would strengthen the trust families need to keep sending their children to school — and make Park City a model for what welcoming values look like in practice.