Although nearly one in 10 U.S. students is an English Learner (or EL), the definition of the term EL varies considerably from state to state, as does the means of assessing English language proficiency and the period of time for which the label is applied to individual students. As EL populations are growing throughout the U.S., both in school…

After defining and describing the purposes of state-administered Title III, Part A programs, this two-page fact sheet provides the following data for the 2015-16 school year: (1) national percentages of English learners identified and participating in Title III-supported language instruction educational programs; (2) percentages of identified…

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page sheets on a variety of subjects. This fact sheet focuses on: (1) Percentage Point Difference between English Learners and English Learners with Disabilities Ages 6-21 Identified and Served under Individuals with Disabilities Education…

Although considerable research has focused on engaging parents or guardians in education, little research has addressed engaging parents or guardians to meet the needs of English learners (ELs) with disabilities in the United States. In this article, we summarize literature from general education, special education, and EL education to provide…

There is a growing body of evidence about the disproportionate impact the pandemic had on English learners (ELs). We sought to capture the complexity of learning conditions for this student population during the COVID-19 pandemic by interviewing 20 EL education leaders. These experts' experiences revealed that while remote learning posed…

Success in reading is essential throughout a student's school career and into adulthood. Recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading assessment shows that approximately one-third of all fourth-grade students are not meeting basic reading standards. When results are broken out by racial and student subgroups, the…

Viewing classrooms as apolitical, race-neutral environments is not working -- and never has. In promoting color blindness, educators have denied student racial identities. In using the broad language of multicultural education, schools have maintained a strict adherence to white, middle class, heteronormative definitions of success. As a result,…

When an English learner is referred for an evaluation for disability and possible special education services, educators must establish a trusting relationship with that student's family, clarifying the process for them and making the family part of all decision making. Urtubey explains cultural differences we should be aware of in how many Latinx…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) emphasizes that state and local education agencies (SEAs/LEAs) must provide sufficiently trained staff so that English learners have equal opportunities for attaining English language proficiency and academic achievement across content areas without being "unnecessarily" segregated from non-ELs, thus…

Students with interrupted formal education (SIFE) are a relatively small proportion of recently arrived English language learners (ELLs), probably somewhere between 10 and 20 percent. However, these students often represent the most challenging of the ELLs because of their limited first-language literacy skills, frequent gaps in academic knowledge…

This Brief provides an overview of issues related to the inclusion of students with disabilities and English learners with disabilities in early grade (that is, K-2) assessments and offers strategies for improved practices.

Response to intervention (RTI) allows schools to support the academic success of English learners (ELs) while helping educators rule out cultural or linguistic differences and educational background as the root of ELs' academic or behavioral struggles. However, in rural schools, insufficient training in how to effectively instruct ELs and limited…

This article presents the experiences of Latina immigrant women who have raised or are raising children in the United States. As part of a minoritized group, Latina immigrant women have personal lived experiences that inform and affect the ways they interact with the world on a daily basis and that have shaped their personal and cultural…

The following brief provides an overview of the separate but intersecting federal policies that govern the identification of and services provided to English learners and students with disabilities. This overview will frame key opportunities to serve ELs with disabilities more equitably with the aim of helping policymakers, advocates, and…

Despite the COVID-19-related school closures, school districts are handling enrollment of newly arriving students or students who will be starting Kindergarten in school year 2020-21. The school closure and health-related requirements of social distancing impede staff from conducting in-person screening for English proficiency as required by state…