Kane County Reporter

At a recent meeting of the St. Charles School District 303 board, discussions centered on the placement of immigrant families within the district. These families, brought in by the World Relief Organization in collaboration with the U.S. State Department, have added at least 49 children to the school system this year. The majority of these children do not speak English, necessitating additional staff and resources for their education. Most are attending one elementary school, while others are distributed across the district.

State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) addressed this issue with a statement highlighting concerns about state resources and federal support. "Illinois has already taken on its share of immigrants with little to no assistance from the federal government," he stated. "In an overburdened state with already high taxes, especially high property taxes, this is putting further strain on our schools and community."

Ugaste emphasized that it should be a federal responsibility to fund resources needed for educating immigrant children if they are allowed into the country. He criticized what he perceives as inadequate preparation and funding from federal authorities: "Our schools are having to figure out how to properly care for and educate these children without any advance notice or additional funding from the federal government."

He attributed these challenges to broader issues within national policy: "This situation is a direct result of the Biden administration’s and Democrats’ broken immigration system." Ugaste expressed his intent to continue monitoring developments: "I will continue to follow up on this issue."