News Summary
In Santa Ana, families are increasingly choosing virtual education due to concerns over ICE activity near schools, especially following reports of agents staging outside Century High School. The Santa Ana Virtual Academy, which offers personalized instruction for students from third grade to high school, has seen a rise in enrollment as families seek safer learning environments. The district recognizes the challenges faced by immigrant families during this transition amidst declining enrollment and budget cuts affecting staffing.
Santa Ana – Families in Santa Ana have increasingly opted for online education to ease their fears of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity near schools. The Santa Ana Virtual Academy, which services students from third grade through high school, provides daily live teaching and personalized instruction. This shift to virtual learning has been notably pronounced since reports emerged of ICE agents staging outside schools, specifically Century High School.
Vice president of the Santa Ana Unified School District, Katelyn Brazer Aceves, stated that 5 to 10 families have expressed a preference for the Virtual Academy due to their concerns surrounding immigration enforcement. Many students who are opting for virtual learning have family members who have been detained, leading to a profound sense of unease when they go out in public.
The Santa Ana Unified School District is the second-largest in Orange County and serves over 35,000 students. Notably, around 41% of the city’s population comprises immigrants. The Virtual Academy was established during the pandemic and offers flexible enrollment options, allowing students to engage in virtual learning for as short as two weeks or for an entire school year.
Families interested in enrolling their children in virtual learning can contact their primary school to begin the enrollment process. The district is actively working to minimize barriers to enrollment, demonstrating flexibility regarding age and grade levels in response to immigration-related concerns. In providing these options, the district recognizes the challenges many families face while navigating fears of immigration enforcement.
Concerns about ICE activity are not unfounded. Sandra de Anda from the OC Rapid Response Network noted that parents’ fears are justified, as there has been a noticeable presence of ICE agents near schools and local businesses, including Century High School and Kennedy Elementary.
Moreover, the pandemic highlighted significant digital inequities within Santa Ana, as many families lacked reliable internet access and resources for remote learning. To address these issues, the district initiated a Wi-Fi hotspot loaning program to assist families who opted for virtual learning due to fears of immigration activity. Currently, approximately 2,500 hotspots are loaned out to students to enhance their online learning experience.
Preparing for potential challenges, the Santa Ana Unified School District created an immigrant support plan and policies aimed at safeguarding immigrant families since the November 2020 election. The district emphasizes that their campuses are safe, do not assist with federal immigration enforcement, and offer various services aimed at supporting families who may feel unsafe attending in-person classes.
Despite these supportive measures, the Santa Ana Unified School District is facing significant challenges due to a 5% decline in enrollment and the ending of federal pandemic relief funds. This situation has led to budgetary constraints, resulting in staff layoffs that will impact certificated staff, including teachers and librarians. The cuts are attributed to demographic shifts and economic difficulties within the community.
In light of these layoffs, the district aims to stabilize its workforce and maintain equitable student-teacher ratios. Measures are in place to support remaining employees during this transition to ensure continuity in educational delivery, amidst the pressing challenges faced by both the district and its families.
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- LAist: Pandemic Program Offers Santa Ana Families Fearful of ICE a Way to Stay Home
- Wikipedia: Santa Ana, California
- LAist: Santa Ana Unified School District 2025 Layoffs
- Google Search: Santa Ana Unified School District enrollment decline
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- Google Scholar: ICE raids activism
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COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER The COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERECostaMesa.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Costa Mesa, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the OC Fair, Concerts in the Park, and Fish Fry. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, plus leading businesses in retail, fashion, and technology that power the local economy such as Vans, Experian, and South Coast Plaza. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HEREMissionViejo.com, HERESanDiego.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.
