In summary More than 115,000 children in California were undocumented in the most recent census count, and it's estimated almost half of California children have at least one immigrant parent.

Education has never been a top priority of President-elect Donald Trump's, but that doesn't mean schools — or students — will be immune from Trump's agenda in the next four years, education experts say.

Trump may slash school funding, cut civil rights protections and gut the U.S. Department of Education, based on his previous statements and the visions outlined in the Republican platform and Project 2025, a conservative manifesto reimagining the federal government.

But students may experience the most devastating effects. Trump has threatened mass deportations of undocumented residents and crackdowns on LGBTQ rights, which could lead to higher absenteeism, higher rates of bullying and greater anxiety generally on school campuses.

"The stress created by the threat of deportations cannot be overestimated," said UCLA education professor John Rogers, who's studied how politics plays out in K-12 education. "It absolutely will have an impact on attendance, and it absolutely will affect parents' ability to participate in their children's education."

Student absenteeism has improved somewhat in California since the COVID-19 pandemic, but remains very high — 24.3% last year. During the first Trump presidency, Latino student attendance and academic performance dropped significantly in areas affected by deportation arrests, according to a 2018 Stanford study.

During Trump's first term, his deportation efforts were foiled a bit by the courts and by disorganization at the White House, Rogers said, but those obstacles aren't likely to be present this time.

That could leave thousands of children vulnerable to deportation or becoming separated from their parents. More than 115,000 children in California were undocumented in the most recent census count, and almost half of California…

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