Standing Together: California’s Protections for Undocumented and Immigrant Students

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One out of five (20%) children in California live in mixed-status families, meaning they are undocumented themselves or living with a family member who is undocumented. 

Our latest equity alert Standing Together: California’s Protections for Undocumented and Immigrant Students highlights immediate actions that state, local, and education leaders can take to ensure that immigrant and undocumented children, students, and their families are safe and supported to attend school, learn, and thrive, including: 

  • Current laws that protect undocumented and mixed-status families  
  • Recommendations on what more can be done at the state level
  • Resources for school district and higher education leaders 

We thank the following partners for their contributions to this equity alert:

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Is California doing right by Black students?  Black Minds Matter 2025: Building Bright Black Futures continues the work that launched in 2015 with the Black Minds

Karla Fernandez

Communications Manager

Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.

Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.

Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.