Supporting Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE): A Comprehensive Approach
Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) are English learners who bring a wealth of experiences, knowledge, and resilience to classrooms. While they may have experienced interruptions in formal schooling, students identified as SLIFE often demonstrate remarkable adaptability, problem-solving skills, and multilingual capabilities.
While AIR’s SLIFE work is centered in Massachusetts, we work across the country to actively engage educators, policymakers, and researchers. Our initiatives contribute to the development of instructional practices, tools, and policies that can benefit SLIFE nationwide, as approaches to SLIFE education evolve.
AIR's SLIFE Support Ecosystem
AIR, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Region 1 Comprehensive Center (R1CC), developed a dynamic ecosystem of four interconnected initiatives to address the growing needs of SLIFE:
- SLIFE Community of Practice (CoP): A thriving network of educators sharing best practices and experiences.
- SLIFE Guidance: Comprehensive, user-friendly guidance for identifying and supporting SLIFE.
- SLIFE Toolkit: A companion resource offering practical implementation tools.
- SLIFE Research Project: A new study on field-based promising practices.
These initiatives are complementary: the CoP informs research and tests guidance in real-world settings; research findings shape guidance and CoP discussions; and guidance documents frame CoP activities and research dissemination. Together, they create a robust support system for SLIFE education. Learn more about each initiative below.
1. Massachusetts SLIFE Community of Practice (CoP)
I left feeling motivated, excited, and reflective. Stepping out of the day-to-day is refreshing, inspiring, and collaborative.
- CoP Participant
Our thriving CoP, launched in 2022, has grown to over 60 participating Massachusetts school districts. This professional learning community brings together educators to share ideas, resources, and experiences in a supportive, non-evaluative environment.
Key features of the SLIFE CoP include:
- Virtual meetings and in-person convenings;
- School site visits for peer learning;
- Leadership roundtables; and
- Professional learning, technical assistance, and coaching.
2. SLIFE Guidance
We've created comprehensive, user-friendly guidance to help educators identify, support, and empower SLIFE. This document provides practical tools, instructional strategies, and program models tailored to SLIFE needs.
Key features of SLIFE guidance include:
- A holistic four-step process for SLIFE identification, services, and support;
- Asset-based, linguistically and culturally responsive approaches;
- Flexible and adaptable strategies for programs serving SLIFE in various district contexts; and
- Promising instructional strategies, tools, templates, and vignettes, such as:
3. SLIFE Toolkit
The SLIFE toolkit serves as a companion resource to the guidance, offering practical tools and strategies to support implementation. It contains over 100 SLIFE-specific resources designed to help educators effectively apply the guidance in their classrooms and schools.
4. SLIFE Research Project: Learning With the Field
Our study has synthesized field-based promising practices for SLIFE education across various contexts in Massachusetts. Through investigation of existing practices and collaboration with educators, we've documented and analyzed promising approaches to SLIFE education that can inform program development and instruction across the Commonwealth.
Key resources:
- Field Study Report: Learning With the Field: Understanding "Promising Practices" for Students With Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in Massachusetts Schools (Kray & Burns, 2024)
- Synthesizes findings across districts and contexts
- Documents field-recommended promising practices
- Provides policy and guidance recommendations
- Executive Summary
- Practitioner Vignettes: A series of eight practitioner vignettes offering practical insights based on real-world examples:
- Academic Support
- Linguistic Support
- Social Emotional Learning
- Family Engagement
- Community Partnerships
- Progress Mentoring
- Low Enrollment Settings
- Developing New Integrated SLIFE Pathways
These resources offer a dual approach—combining research with practitioner-friendly guidance—recognizing that educators need both strong theoretical foundations and practical implementation strategies.
AIR Services Related to SLIFE Education
By combining research, practitioner expertise, and responsive tools and guidance, we're building a comprehensive support system for SLIFE. Our goal is to ensure that all students identified as SLIFE, regardless of their background or circumstances, have the opportunity to thrive in their new educational environments.
Learn more about this important work as we continue to innovate, collaborate, and advocate for SLIFE across Massachusetts and beyond.
Our services include:
- Professional learning:
- Guidance on implementing asset-based approaches in SLIFE education;
- Training on the four-step process for SLIFE identification, services, and support; and
- Collaborative learning opportunities through Communities of Practice.
- Technical assistance for state and local leaders: Needs assessment, evaluation, strategic planning, tailored professional learning series or systems, and development of community partnership frameworks.