The Supreme Court's ruling in the 1982 Plyler v. Doe case established that states must provide education to all children, irrespective of their immigration status. Still, the rules about who must pay for these students are not specific. Applying the framework of the international funding model could create a more practical approach to funding
undocumented students. President Trump talks about using a common sense approach to government. States and local districts could recoup billions of dollars by shifting the funding burden to the family’s home country to be responsible for educational costs. The Trump team has already successfully made other countries pay their fair share. Logistics-wise, this would involve school districts submitting billing to the newly established External Revenue Service (ERS) for reimbursement, effectively designating the federal government as the bill collector for these costs.
The school district's nationwide funding formulas enable them to secure the financial resources necessary to support diverse student populations. From transportation costs linked to student ridership to specialized services funded through federal programs, districts have refined their ability to maximize funding opportunities. However, one significant issue remains unaddressed: the financial burden undocumented students place on local school districts.
More than half (54%) of K—12 undocumented students hail from Central and South American countries. This includes approximately 130,000 from Mexico, 50,000 from Honduras, 40,000 from Guatemala, and 30,000 from El Salvador. Around 22% of these students come from Asia, 7% from sub-Saharan African nations, and 5% from Caribbean countries.
To put the actual cost into perspective, enrolling undocumented students often requires additional support, particularly for those who struggle with English and need additional tutors and translators. This necessity significantly increases educational costs. For example, the average price for a general education student in Florida is $18,000 per student, while undocumented students needing English as a second language support costs around $22,000. Those with special needs may incur costs nearing $27,500.
According to estimates from FWD.us, an immigration reform organization backed by Mark Zuckerberg, there are approximately 620,000 undocumented K-12 students in the United States. This figure represents a financial burden exceeding $11.16 billion annually, based on an average cost of $18,000 per general education student. Analysis indicates most states enroll at least 1,000 undocumented students in their K-12 schools, with exceptionally high populations in Texas (111,000), Florida (74,000), and California (72,000).
We can use the existing K-12 international student rules and laws to address the funding of undocumented students. Currently, most state schools receive funds from unsubsidized international students to cover the full cost. Funding these students based on the "international student" framework ensures that local taxpayers are not responsible for covering these expenses.
To put in place an official reimbursement framework for undocumented students, we can draw from these key aspects of existing international student funding models:
1. Full Cost Reimbursement: International students pay the full cost of their education, relieving local taxpayers of this burden.
2. "Out-of-State" Status”: These students incur significantly higher tuition fees than resident students, reflecting their non-resident status.
3. F-1 Visa Requirement: International students must secure an F-1 visa, necessitating upfront payment of educational costs.
4. Per-Student Calculation: Each school district calculates the per-student cost of education, which includes teacher salaries, facilities, and other operational expenses.
Some argue that these countries will never pay their debts, but the counter is that we are in a new era with different leadership. Under the Trump administration, circumstances have changed. As long as these countries continue to seek U.S. funds, we must consider why a double standard should exist for foreign nations, forcing American taxpayers to foot the bill.
Just as Americans understand tax refunds cannot be issued until outstanding debts are settled with the IRS, we should apply the same principle to foreign nations through the new powers of the ERS. Any assistance they seek from the U.S. should be contingent upon addressing their financial obligations first, starting with paying back school districts.
Author Laura Zorc is President of Best In Ed, author of School Board Leadership: The Right Way, and former FreedomWorks National Director of Education Reform.
2024 Election
Elon Musk
DOGE
education funding
undocumented students
Trump administration
Shifting burden
External revenue service
diverse student populations
ESL
Special needs students
international student framework
full cost reimbursement
Out of state status
Comments