States Challenge Education Access for Undocumented Children

Some states are questioning a long-standing rule that allows undocumented children to attend public schools without charge.

Since 1982, U.S. public schools must educate all students, no matter their immigration status.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided in Plyler v. Doe that immigrant students in Texas could attend school for free, regardless of citizenship. Texas had enacted a 1975 law enabling public schools to charge these students tuition or bar them from attending. This law was overturned by the Supreme Court’s decision.