Stanford professor Thomas Dee found that immigration enforcement in five Central Valley school districts led to a 22% increase in absenteeism compared to the same months in the prior years. Similar patterns emerged during federal immigration raids in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The financial implications are significant: LAUSD loses approximately $60 million in state revenue for every one percentage point drop in average daily attendance. For a district already navigating declining enrollment, this revenue loss compounds fiscal strain and penalizes schools that serve communities most affected by immigration enforcement.
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