Message from Mayor Simmons, BOE President George, & Superintendent Talley

August 24, 2026

Message from Mayor Simmons, BOE President George, and Superintendent Talley

Dear SPS Families,

Stamford Public Schools (SPS) is committed to ensuring that every child feels safe, welcome, and supported in our schools and classrooms. With the new school year about to begin, we want to reaffirm that SPS welcomes all children into our schools, regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, socioeconomic background, or immigration status. We do not collect information about immigration status, as this information is unrelated to our mission.

The recent elimination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals has impacted more than 5,000 Connecticut residents, including many in our community. The changes to TPS and ongoing immigration actions in Fairfield County have left many of our neighbors concerned about how they will meet the basic needs of their families, including whether their children can attend school. To help ease anxieties, we want to share important information and resources with you.

Legal Protections for Students-several laws protect a child's right to attend school and keep their information private:

• In Connecticut, the Multilingual Learner Bill of Rights guarantees every child the right to attend public school, regardless of immigration status.
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) keeps student records private. Schools cannot share records with law enforcement unless ordered by a judge or with written consent from a parent/guardian.
• Connecticut's Trust Act limits the ability of local police to work with ICE.

School Safety Protocols-to help ensure schools remain safe spaces for children:

• Non-local law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, cannot enter non-public areas of schools without a valid judicial warrant signed by a federal judge.
• Warrants issued only by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or ICE are not judicial warrants and do not authorize entry.
• If ICE agents come to a school, staff will immediately contact the SPS Compliance Department to review any warrant before action is taken.
• Principals, Assistant Principals, and school staff do not have the authority to grant ICE or other non-local law enforcement access to our schools.

Resources for Families-The City of Stamford and Stamford Public Schools partner with many community and state organizations that provide support to families. If your family is in need of support, please contact the SPS Welcome Center (203-977-5312 or [email protected]) or your school's parent facilitator for help connecting with the appropriate resources. Any information shared with Welcome Center staff will remain confidential.

Action Step-Update Emergency Contacts-All parents and guardians should take a few moments to confirm their contact information in the PowerSchool Parent Portal and add one or more emergency contacts. Emergency contacts can be extended family members or other trusted adults who are authorized to pick up your child from school if you are unavailable. School personnel cannot release students to anyone other than parents/guardians or the emergency contacts listed in PowerSchool.

Every child has the right to learn in a safe, welcoming environment. Stamford Public Schools is committed to safeguarding that right by ensuring our schools remain safe spaces for all children, regardless of immigration status. The new school year is a time of great excitement and anticipation for our community's children, and we are committed to ensuring our schools remain safe spaces for learning where every child feels a sense of belonging.

Respectfully,

Caroline Simmons

Mayor, City of Stamford

Andy George

President, Stamford Board of Education

Dr. Adrian B. Talley

Superintendent, Stamford Public Schools