Illegal immigrant students allowed unlimited absences under Chicago Public Schools policy
“Chicago Public Schools is effectively telling families that fear of federal law enforcement is a standing excuse to keep children out of class with no time limit and no paper trail,” said Kendall Tietz, an investigative reporter at Defending Education. Getty Images
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has implemented an attendance policy that allows undocumented students to receive excused absences if they or their families are afraid of federal immigration enforcement occurring nearby.
The guideline—titled Attendance Coding for Safety Concerns Related to Federal Representative Activity and obtained by the watchdog group Defending Education—states that schools may mark a student’s absence as “excused” if a parent tells the school they are concerned about potential immigration actions. The policy refers to these enforcement efforts as “federal representative-related procedures” and was reaffirmed by the Chicago Board of Education in February.
According to the document, if a parent or guardian reports an absence and cites fear of such federal activity, the school may excuse it under concerns for “student health and safety.” Parents are not required to provide specific details, and the policy notes that CPS does not set a time limit for how long these concerns may justify excused absences.
Absences must still be communicated through CPS-approved channels to qualify. The policy also permits a parent affected by immigration-related procedures to appoint someone else to notify the school on their behalf. In addition, students may receive an excused absence for attending a “Civic Event,” which CPS defines as a public event hosted by a nonprofit or government entity, including cultural, artistic, or educational activities aligned with the organizer’s mission.
“Chicago Public Schools is effectively telling families that fear of federal law enforcement is a standing excuse to keep children out of class with no time limit and no paper trail,” said Kendall Tietz, an investigative reporter with Defending Education. Tietz criticized the approach, arguing that attendance rules should not function as an immigration “sanctuary tool” and that the policy risks encouraging truancy while hindering accurate record-keeping. “This policy undermines both student learning and the rule of law,” she said.
CPS received more than $1.5 billion in federal funding in fiscal year 2024, according to budget documents. Meanwhile, a recent report from the district’s Office of Inspector General highlighted $14.5 million in “excessive” travel spending in FY 2023 and FY 2024. Academic performance remains a challenge: in spring 2024, just 30.5% of students in grades 3–8 met reading proficiency standards, and only 18.3% met math proficiency standards.
CPS did not respond to requests for comment.
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