Audit paints incomplete picture

A new legislative audit of the costs of educating undocumented children leaves a lot to be desired.

First, the figures are extrapolated from estimates, so the annual cost of educating this population could be as much as $85.4 million or as little as $54.9 million. That's a $30.5 million difference.

In fairness, case law prohibits schools from asking students their immigration status and it requires public schools to educate all children, regardless of their immigration status. That makes data-mining very difficult.

Worse, the audit paints an incomplete picture. Utah needs broader research that explores the costs and the contributions of the state's undocumented population. State and local officials need factual information as they debate these issues and make policy decisions.

Setting aside methodology concerns, the audit showed that state and local costs of educating undocumented children totaled about 2 percent of the $3.1 billion spent on public education in 2006. Should state and local officials be alarmed by spending 2 percent on the education of undocumented children? We think not.

Everyone reaps the benefits of an educated population. Education attainment ties directly to economic prosperity. Education attainment enables people to be productive, healthy and engaged members of their communities. We should want these things for all children.

It could be argued that helping the children of immigrants complete school is more important than ever. Some of these students are Americans by virtue of birth, but their parents or siblings may be undocumented. These students will very likely be the first generation of their families to graduate from high school. The odds are against them because their families have no tradition of educational attainment. If the parents do not speak English, it will be more difficult for them to support their children's educational experiences. These students may need the support of the school system far more than their peers.

But it is important that they experience success to break the cycle of dropping out of school. Students who do not earn high school diplomas are doomed to unskilled, labor-intensive jobs. Most offer low pay and no benefits. As is true with any high school dropout, they are at a greater risk of becoming burdens on society.

What policymakers really need to know are the costs of not educating undocumented children. Looking at the issue from that perspective — and understanding the long-term consequences — $85.4 million a year for educational services is a relative bargain.