(NAME-MCE) Enrollment down in heavily Hispanic R.I. districts

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Enrollment down in heavily Hispanic R.I. districts

A week before classes begin in Rhode Island, school administrators in
districts with many Hispanic families say far fewer students have registered
than in previous years. While some cite the poor economy, others say point
to a new order signed by Rhode Island's governor cracking down on illegal
immigration. The Providence Journal (R.I.)

http://www.projo.com/news/content/Enrollment_Drop_08-16-08_V8B877K_v39.3f5f697.html

Enrollment drops in Central Falls

07:39 AM EDT on Saturday, August 16, 2008

By Jennifer D. Jordan  jjordan at projo.com

Journal Staff Writer  Providence RI

In Central Falls, the state's most heavily Hispanic school district, student
enrollment numbers are down by more than 400.

School officials aren't sure what is behind the decline or whether the
numbers will change before schools open. But they say the state's sagging
economy and the foreclosure crisis are probably contributing factors.
Immigrant advocates say the enrollment dip is also linked to the governor's
crackdown on illegal immigrants.

In the state's largest school district — Providence — enrollment has fallen
by 1,700 since school ended in June, although school officials say the dip
is not unusual and they expect the number to bounce up, when students who
have not registered show up for school Aug. 26. About 60 percent of
Providence's 25,000 students are Hispanic.

Currently, Central Falls enrollment stands at 3,050, down from its usual
3,500, said School Supt. Fran Gallo. Central Falls has the highest density
of Hispanic students in the state, at 70 percent. Gallo said it is not
unusual to lose about 200 students over the summer, as some move away,
switch school systems, or fail to register for the new school year until the
first day of classes.

"But I am surprised by this — I did not think the numbers would go down as
significantly," Gallo said. "But all you have to do is walk around the
neighborhoods around here and see all the boarded up houses. And given the
tough economy, my principals have told me many families are moving away, to
the south or the west or where they have relatives."

School officials point out that they will not have firm enrollment numbers
until the school year is under way.

In Woonsocket, kindergarten registrations are down 50 percent, from 80 last
year to about 40 so far this year, according to the school administration
office. Roughly one-fourth of Woonsocket students are Hispanic.

In contrast, in Cranston, enrollment numbers are holding steady, according
to Assistant Supt. Peter Nero, at 10,615 students so far. This time last
year, enrollment was 10,657, Nero said. About 12 percent of Cranston
students are Hispanic.

While immigrant advocates worry about the departures, opponents of illegal
immigration are pleased and say the state will save money.

The enrollment decline came to light at a news conference yesterday to
announce the resignation of 8 of the 12 members of the Governor's Hispanic
Advisory Commission. The resigning members said the executive order had
created a climate of fear that was affecting all immigrants, legal and
illegal.

Rhode Island is one of 11 states — and the only New England state —
officially in a recession. Unemployment hit 7.7 percent last month, the
second-highest rate in the nation, and more than 1,800 homes were foreclosed
on during April, May and June.

Cities have been especially hard hit. Sixty-eight percent of those
foreclosures are in Greater Providence, which includes Central Falls,
Cranston, East Providence, Johnston, North Providence, Pawtucket, Providence
and Warwick.

Sen. Juan Pichardo, D-Providence, said he sees empty houses when he walks
through the West End of Providence.

"When I walk the neighborhood," he said, "I see two or three foreclosed
homes on every street."

A similar pattern of shuttered homes can be seen in Providence's South Side
and Olneyville. Hundreds of immigrant families have left, driven by fear of
deportation and difficulty getting jobs, said Juan Garcia, a community
organizer at St. Teresa Church in Olneyville. Garcia said some have moved to
South Carolina, North Carolina and western states. Others have moved across
the border to Massachusetts, which has opted to integrate immigrants and
ensure they receive social services under Democratic Governor Patrick.

Rhode Island has adopted a different approach.

Saying illegal immigrants were costing Rhode Island too much money and that
the federal government had reneged on its responsibility to enforce
immigration law, Republican Governor Carcieri signed an executive order in
March to crack down on undocumented immigrants.

The order instructs state police and correctional officers to receive
federal training and work more closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement to enforce some immigration laws. It also requires state
agencies and contractors to screen workers using a federal E-Verify system.

"Many families have had to leave," Garcia said. "Many of these families
drive without licenses and when the state police started stopping people
earlier this year and bringing them to court, people got scared. Also, the
economic situation in the state is grave. The cost of food and gasoline and
everything is going up. Many of these people earn just $6 an hour, so all of
this has created a situation where they cannot maintain their lives here."

State Rep. Richard W. Singleton, D-Cumberland, an outspoken opponent of
illegal immigration, said he is pleased about the effect of the executive
order.

"I don't think the executive order was signed in order to force people to
leave the state, although that could very well be a consequence of it,"
Singleton said. "If so, I say that's great. Congratulations to the governor,
because we are gaining something here in Rhode Island if it's forcing some
people to leave."

He said he was not concerned about the potential impact on the economy, as
many illegal immigrants work as janitors, landscapers, roofers, house
cleaners, dishwashers and in other low-paying jobs.

"Absolutely this will save the state money," Singleton said. "And it might
raise the wages for landscapers."

––With reports from staff writers Linda Borg and Cynthia Needham