Category: English learner

California LEAs ramp up support for multilingual learners

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month — a time to recognize efforts local educational agencies are making to uplift the cultural and linguistic assets of K-12 students.  The ability to speak more than one language is increasingly being celebrated and encouraged in education. California’s English Learner (EL) Roadmap Policy, State Seal of Biliteracy program and the launch of the federal Being Bilingual is a Superpower initiative are some recent examples of steps being taken to support high-quality language programs.  

Webinar on supporting newcomer youth provides local and national perspectives and resources

students reading

Welcoming and engaging environments are critical in ensuring newcomers and their families thrive in and out of the classroom, and schools play a vital role in providing trauma-informed care and social-emotional developmental practices, according to experts. A March 13 webinar hosted by the U.S. Department […]

Implementing MTSS to improve graduation rates for English learners

Overall graduation rates for English learners (ELs) have increased in recent years, but they are still less likely to reach the academic milestone than their native English-speaking peers, according to the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools’ new brief, “The State of High School […]

Strategies to leverage MTSS in support of English learners

Recommendations for districts on ways to support English learners (ELs) most effectively are included in a recently released brief from the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. “Leveraging CA MTSS to Support English Learner-Classified Students: Insights from Three CA Districts” covers findings from a […]

Webinar spotlights federal resources to support newcomer and immigrant youth

The U.S. Department of Education hosted a webinar Sept. 6 to provide local educational agencies with examples of best practices, partnerships, tools, lessons learned and more in supporting newcomer students at the local level. That same day, the department issued a Dear Colleague Letter on […]

AB 370 could offer more pathways to State Seal of Biliteracy, simplify requirements for English learners

A piece of legislation that would offer more opportunities for California students to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy while leveling the playing field for English learners to attain the educational accomplishment is awaiting the Governor’s signature after passing in the Assembly and Senate earlier […]

Expert tips on how to better engage non-English-speaking families 

Each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, local educational agencies observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. In California, about 56 percent of students […]

Promising policies in advancing language proficiency among newcomer students

Most newcomer students enter school with very low or beginning English language proficiency (ELP), but their language skills can develop rapidly under the right conditions, according to the first in a new series of briefs by Policy Analysis for California Education. While California does not […]

Teachers share what they need to support English learner students

A recent EdSource webinar, “Supporting English learners: What do teachers need?” allowed educators to share their experiences with professional development as well as the support they could use to best serve students. California has the largest population of English learners in the U.S. with two […]