Ensuring High-Quality Education for English Learners

When it comes to the education of English learners, laws and regulations are designed to address their dual rights to adequate support for learning English and access to core content, such as math. Yet, research suggests, ELs are sometimes placed in classes where they don’t have access to grade-level core content or needed supports to help them master this content. What’s more, teachers in these classrooms are likely to be less experienced and qualified to support non-native English speakers’ needs. The new Every Student Succeeds Act, which will hold more schools accountable for educating English learners, affords states, districts and schools a chance to re-examine and fine-tune how they serve these students.

The Education Policy Center at AIR hosted scholars affiliated with the Working Group on ELL Policy, who discussed how to provide English learners with quality instruction in critical subject areas. Speakers also described ways to enhance the quality of teachers serving these learners.

Continue the conversation on Twitter by following @EdPolicyAIR and using #ESSAforELs.

Speaker Bios

Speakers

Welcome

Angela Minnici, Education Policy Center at AIR

Moderator

Diane August, American Institutes for Research

Panelists

Rebecca Callahan, University of Texas at Austin

Dafney Blanca Dabach, University of Washington

Megan Hopkins, University of Illinois at Chicago

Michael Kieffer, New York University

Ann-Marie Nunez, University of Texas at San Antonio  

Luis Poza, University of Colorado Denver

Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica, Santa Clara University

Diego Roman, Southern Methodist University

Jim Soland, Northwest Evaluation Association 

Mikyung Kim Wolf, Educational Testing Service