As leaders in public education, we seek to provide children with the skills they need to thrive, pursue their goals, and contribute to American society.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is crucially important to public education across the country, from preschool to 12th grade. A resolution for DREAMers would help us realize the potential of the children in our classrooms today. We believe students brought to the U.S. as children must be able to pursue an education without the threat of deportation, and have a pathway to fully participate in American society as citizens. To be clear, these are young people in whom we already have invested. They are part of our community, and as graduates they have the capacity to contribute to our economy and society.

DACA also enables college graduates to work as teachers. Teachers in the U.S. under DACA fill a tremendous need in a shortage area for many school systems; many are bilingual and have graduated from top universities. Since they share similar backgrounds with many students, these teachers also have a deep impact as role models. DACA teachers help schools to be safe, supportive, thriving academic and social environments that prepare young people for college, the workplace, and flourishing lives. With DACA discontinued our schools will lose these vitally important teachers.

Out of concern for children and the strength of our nation, we respectfully call on officials at the highest levels of power to address this issue in an urgent way. Students must be able to attend school and graduate with a clear path toward a productive future, and teachers who were brought here as children must be able to continue to strengthen our schools and our nation.