English Learners Blog

Learning the Language

Education Week reporters covered English-language learners, bilingual education, and civil rights issues and explored the educational, policy, and social issues surrounding ELLs in U.S. schools. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: English language learners and bilingual education.

Equity & Diversity Bureau of Indian Education Overhaul May 'Fall Short,' Lawmakers Fear
A major goal of the BIE reorganization is to shift its role from a provider of education to overseeing tribal communities that will eventually run their own schools.
Corey Mitchell, May 15, 2015
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4 min read
English Learners D.C. Schools to Offer Seal of Biliteracy
To earn the seal, D.C. students must demonstrate "cultural and communicative competency" in English and another language.
Corey Mitchell, May 12, 2015
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity Montana Governor Signs Laws to Promote, Preserve Tribal Languages
The legislation signed by Gov. Steve Bullock will fund new language immersion programs in five Montana school systems and subsidize already-existing language preservation efforts.
Corey Mitchell, May 7, 2015
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1 min read
English Learners To Help Language-Learners, Extend Aid to Their Families Too, New Study Argues
A report from the Center for American Progress finds that that engaging students and parents simultaneously improves the academic and educational well-being of both generations.
Corey Mitchell, May 6, 2015
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2 min read
English Learners Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign to Link Immigration, Educational Equity
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wants to give students who came to the county as undocumented minors a path to citizenship.
Corey Mitchell, May 6, 2015
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1 min read
Federal Crumbling Schools for American Indian Children Draw Congressional Scrutiny
Decades of neglect and inaction continues to plague federally funded schools for American Indian children, despite scathing watchdog reports and exhortations from tribal leaders and federal officials to repair and replace dilapidated facilities.
Lesli A. Maxwell, April 22, 2015
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4 min read
Equity & Diversity English-Learner Advocate Appointed to California Board of Education
In January, leaders in 20 nonprofit organizations wrote to Gov. Jerry Brown, asking him to consider the importance of appointing a champion for ELLs, who constitute a quarter of the state's K-12 student population.
Corey Mitchell, April 20, 2015
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2 min read
Equity & Diversity Teen Suicides on South Dakota Reservation Spark Federal Response
Schools on the nation's largest Indian reservation are responding to a string of teen suicides. Such clusters have occurred in communities around the country, experts say.
Evie Blad, April 13, 2015
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2 min read
Equity & Diversity Civil Rights Group Backs Language-Learner Provisions in ESEA Rewrite
The bill would provide incentives to states and school districts to implement policies to significantly improve instruction for English-learners.
Corey Mitchell, April 10, 2015
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2 min read
English Learners Schools Could Face Another Influx of Unaccompanied Minors, Analysis Shows
While districts can estimate how many new students they will be absorbing from the border crisis, many won't know the full scope of the resources they need until students show up.
Corey Mitchell, April 9, 2015
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity Gaps Between White and Latino Toddlers Emerge Early, Study Shows
A study comparing the cognitive growth of 2-year-olds found that more Mexican-American children demonstrated slow growth compared to their white peers.
Corey Mitchell, April 9, 2015
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1 min read
English Learners Louisville District Seeks State Waiver for English-Learner Accountability
Under the waiver, ELLs would take state tests but their scores would not count toward their school's overall performance until the students were proficient in English.
Corey Mitchell, April 8, 2015
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1 min read
English Learners Catching Up on Statewide Efforts to Promote Bilingualism
Biliteracy seal bills are under consideration in the Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Rhode Island, Utah, and Virginia state legislatures. Several states with large English-language learner enrollment, including California, New York, and Texas, have already approved laws.
Corey Mitchell, April 2, 2015
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3 min read
Equity & Diversity Boston Schools Shortchanging English-Language Learners, Federal Review Finds
The school system entered into an agreement with the federal departments of Education and Justice in 2010 to avoid legal action after investigators found the school system denied thousands of ELLS an adequate education.
Corey Mitchell, March 30, 2015
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1 min read
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