State report-card data show several high schools where students staged walkouts to protest ICE have low math and English proficiency rates and, in some cases, low attendance. The demonstrations were part of a "National Shutdown" from Jan. 30 through Feb. 3, prompted by the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Petti. Local unions and elected officials have exchanged criticism: unions called for limits on ICE activity while some politicians threatened disciplinary actions and funding cuts. School administrators did not immediately respond to media requests.
State Data Show Several High Schools With ICE Walkouts Also Have Low Test Scores
Student coalitions held a "National Shutdown" on Jan. 30 and continued to protest through Feb. 3 against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions.(Getty Images)
Recent state report-card data show that several U.S. high schools where students staged in-class walkouts to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have low math and English proficiency rates and, in some cases, low attendance.
What Happened
Students across the country organized walkouts following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Petti in Minneapolis. A coordinated "National Shutdown" began on Jan. 30 and continued through Feb. 3, with organizers urging people to skip school or work and to boycott shopping in protest of ICE operations nationwide.
While several high schools across the country hit the streets to protest immigration enforcement, some high schools show math and English proficiency levels that are below state averages.
School Performance Data
Publicly available state report-card data show that several of the high schools where students walked out report proficiency rates considerably below state averages. The figures below reflect the most recent state data cited by local reporting.
North Central High School (Indianapolis, IN)
State report-card data list North Central at about 14% proficiency in math and 24% proficiency in English, with an attendance rate under 70%. The Washington Township Metropolitan School District said it supports student engagement with current events but reminded parents that leaving campus without authorization violates district policy and may result in consequences under the code of conduct.
At Roosevelt High School, 22.7% of students are proficient in English. Only 7% are proficient in Math, four times less than the state average at 38.4%.
Roosevelt High School (Chicago, IL)
Roosevelt students joined peers in Lincoln Square calling for ICE to leave Chicago. State scores show approximately 7% math proficiency and 22.7% English proficiency at Roosevelt, compared with an Illinois state math average near 38.4%. The Chicago Teachers Union condemned federal immigration actions and called for an immediate moratorium on ICE operations in the city.
Tolleson Union High School (Maricopa County, AZ)
Tolleson participated in the national protests. State data show about 14% math proficiency and 20% English proficiency at Tolleson. Maricopa County overall posts low results as well, with roughly 22% proficiency in English and 15% proficiency in math for grades 3–11.
A girl waves a Mexican flag as fellow students from at least twelve LAUSD high schools walk out in protest of the Trump administration's nationwide immigration crackdown, and descend on City Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles, CA.
Fresno High School (Fresno, CA)
Several hundred Fresno High students marched to the district headquarters after lunch. Fresno High’s metrics are low by state report-card measures: about 9.46% math proficiency and 37.94% English proficiency. Local reporting included video of students marching while being escorted by police.
Responses
Union leaders and elected officials have traded sharp statements: the Chicago Teachers Union criticized federal immigration enforcement and warned against tactics it described as harmful to students, while some politicians — including Texas Governor Greg Abbott — have threatened arrests for violent protesters and suggested funding cuts for districts that permit walkouts. School administrators at the named high schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment from reporters.
They can’t really stop us from using our voices, and today, we did — everyone did. That’s so magical.
Note: The article reports school performance figures from state report cards and local media accounts. The data indicate correlation between protest activity and below-average academic metrics at specific schools, but they do not establish causation between protests and academic performance.
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