Teaching English Learners with exceptional needs requires educators to tackle a complex and multidimensional task of (a) providing quality core or content area instruction, (b) supporting students' academic language and literacy development in English, and (c) addressing differences in learning. While educational research and practice search for successful instructional methods to support these learners, educational statistics show that students with exceptional needs from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds continue to be at high risk for academic failure. The article reviews the current state of the field and discusses the mechanisms for combining culturally and linguistically responsive literacy instruction and assessment methods effective for teaching diverse students with disabilities. It provides readers with instructional tools for breaking the cycle of misidentification--failure to teach--failure to learn and presents recommendations for improving the overall quality of teacher education programs to prepare teacher candidates to work with diverse exceptional learners successfully.