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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: English language learners and bilingual education.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
Activists to DeVos: Hold Firm and Reject Florida's ESSA Plan
Florida is the only state without an Every Student Succeeds Act plan approved by the federal education secretary. Two civil rights groups say things should stay that way, for now.
Teacher Preparation
Study: Shared Book Reading Boosts English-Learners' Language Skills
English-learners are over-represented among students in U.S. schools who read at below basic levels. A review of 54 studies found that shared book reading can produce a "significant, positive" effect on ELL student outcomes.
Federal
Few Aspiring Teachers Aim to Work With English-Learners, Report Finds
School districts have struggled for years to find qualified bilingual and ELL-trained teachers, especially in immigrant-rich communities. New data shows the problem may not be going away anytime soon.
English Learners
English-Learners Are a Diverse Group. How Can Schools Meet Their Needs?
A new report makes the case that English-learners have a shared definition, but programs should be designed to meet their specific needs.
Federal
Trump Ordered an End to DACA Nearly a Year Ago. Its Future Remains Uncertain
As supporters of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program celebrate a victory in court, another lawsuit looms on the horizon. The outcome in all DACA-related cases directly impacts K-12 schools.
English Learners
DeVos May Bypass Congress to Get Rid of the Office for English-Learners. Can She?
The answer is unclear but "the threat is real," English-language-learner advocacy groups say. The advocates say the Education Department has evaded their questions about the future of the office of English-language acquisition.
English Learners
Will Every State Offer Special Recognition for Its Bilingual Graduates?
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia offer special recognition for high school graduates who demonstrate fluency in two or more languages. Just a handful of mostly rural states have yet to be swept up in the movement.
English Learners
29% of Children in Public Pre-K Are English-Learners. Are Schools Meeting Their Needs?
While most state-run programs do have policies in place to support young ELLs, the guidelines vary widely in quantity and quality, a new National Institute for Early Education Research report found.
Equity & Diversity
Lawsuit Over a Student's Deportation Sparks Furor in Boston Schools
A lawsuit claimed that the school district and outgoing Superintendent Tommy Chang have a "disturbing practice" of handing over student information to immigration authorities. Chang, an immigrant himself, fires back.
English Learners
Using Data to Decode English-Learner Education
The Migration Policy Institute published the first in a series of reports that aim to educate parents, policymakers, and the public about how to find and use data to examine whether schools are adequately serving their English-language-learner students.
Federal
English-Learners and ESSA: Many States Are Lowering Academic Goals, Advocates Charge
More than half of states' ESSA plans intentionally set lower academic goals for English-learners according to new policy briefs.
English Learners
Congress Pushes Back Against DeVos Plan to Dissolve Federal English-Learner Office
Despite their concerns, the U.S. Department of Education seems ready to forge ahead with plans to scrap the office of English-language acquisition.
Federal
There Are Times When Schools Can't Shield Undocumented Families
While schools must protect the rights and privacy of undocumented students, officials also must cooperate with federal officials in some instances.
Federal
Is Betsy DeVos About to Scrap the Federal Office for English-Language Learners?
The proposed consolidation of the office of English-language acquisition is sparking strong pushback from advocates for English-learners, the fastest growing subgroup of students in public schools.