Education Northwest, a Portland, Ore.-based research group, has issued an illustrated guide for parents and guardians of English-language learners that seeks to answer questions about their children’s schooling and rights.
Available in English and Spanish, the guide is designed to help parents “ask the right questions and support your child on their journey as an English-learner.”
While touching on topics such as home-language surveys and the difference between bilingual and English-immersion programs, the five-page documents seeks to answer the following questions:
- How does the school know that my child is an English-learner?
- What kind of support will my child receive?
- How does the school know when my child is proficient in English?
The research group, also known as Regional Education Laboratory Northwest, has previously produced guides to help ELL educators do their jobs better, including an explainer on registering students with non-English names.
The most-recent manual also outlines the rights afforded English-leaner parents, including the right to request interpreters for school meetings and access to translated school materials and announcements.