Immigrant Students and Families Support

renton School District Values

Renton School District is committed to providing safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environments for every student. Our immigrant students and families belong at Renton Schools.

We have a constitutional and moral obligation to provide a free, high-quality public education to all students residing within our boundaries. State and federal law prohibit public school districts from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. State law further prohibits discrimination on the basis of citizenship or immigration status.

We are committed to upholding our students’ sense of security and their right to an equitable education. We will continue to work alongside families, educators, and community partners to advocate for policies and resources that protect our students. The district's designated contact for immigration related issues is Randy Matheson, Executive Director for Community Relations, 425.204.2345, community.relations@rentonschools.us.

Below you will find guidance and resources for immigrant students and families.

Information about Washington state public schools protections for immigrant students.

Family Resources

External Resources

City of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
Rapid Response Program
Deportation Defense Hotline: Call 1-844-724-3737 to report federal immigration enforcement activity or get connected to emergency resources. 
Know your rights
Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network

Legal Assistance

Family Supports

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA protects your student’s personally identifiable information, such as education records, from being disclosed without your consent.

The law allows Renton Schools to disclose “directory information” (listed below) without consent. We do not release mailing or other lists of contact information for commercial purposes. In addition, for students in grades 9-12, a separate “opt out of release of directory information” only for requests from United States military recruiters is provided by law, as explained on the Directory Information for Military Recruiters page.

What is Student Directory Information?

Student name, and telephone numbers (unless identified as unknown);
Any photographs/video of your student;
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
Weight, height, grade level of athletic team members;
Dates of attendance;
Degrees, honors, and awards received; and
The most recent previous school attended

Where do we use this Directory Information?

Examples include:

Yearbooks;
District social media posts;
District websites;
Videos, including release of District-created videos to local media;
Sport teams news reports and other coverage, including rosters

What if I don’t want this information released?

All families are asked to confirm their student's enrollment information including photo release information as we start the new school year using their Skyward Family Access account.

Note: Renton School District’s practice regarding student photos follows the U.S. Department of Education’s guidelines under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a U.S. federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. A photo or video should not be considered directly related to a student if the student’s image is incidental or captured only as part of the background (i.e., the student is facing away from camera or in a crowd), or if a student is shown participating in school activities that are open to the public and without a specific focus on any individual.

Staff Response Guide

Immigration enforcement agents will not be granted access to school buildings unless district legal counsel is able to verify a judicial warrant.

School Board Policy 4300 – Limiting Immigration Enforcement in Schools

If a school leader is made aware of a rumor or report of immigration enforcement activity near one of our campuses, they will notify the district’s Safety and Security office. The report will be assessed by Safety and Security, and next steps will be determined in partnership with the school leader.

In response to changes in federal immigration policy, we have reviewed new guidance from OSPI and have had conversations with legal counsel to discuss any potential impacts on our schools and students.

In short, these changes do not alter our commitment to protecting the rights of each of the students we serve in our school district.

Here are things staff should know if immigration enforcement is present on school grounds:

Direct officers to the public sidewalk.
Notify your administrator immediately.
Do not permit access to students or classrooms without explicit authorization from the Superintendent’s Office.
Request identification and a warrant. Make copies and send them to the Superintendent's Office.
Do not release any student information or records unless required by a court order or subpoena and approved by the Superintendent’s Office.
Notify the student’s parent or guardian immediately.

If you have questions, please reach out to the Community Relations Office, 425.204.2345 or community.relations@rentonschools.us.

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