# data[].attributes.body
Click below if you are considering a board position. We're here to help one another!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The end of the school year is an ideal time for administrators and leaders of English Learner (EL) programs to self-assess and revise initial instructional goals with a focus on improving outcomes for ELs. This period offers an opportunity to revisit initial plans and revise them for next year according to and considering student needs, assessment data, program evaluations and teacher feedback, as well as to plan professional development for the upcoming year.

For those administrators working alongside teacher leaders to ensure full and thorough implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other college- and career-ready standards, the changes brought about by the new standards offer an additional opportunity to make EL programming more effective and bring ESOL specialists into a more intentional planning and leadership role. This blog post features four recommended steps for administrators to strengthen their English language programs in the greater context of more rigorous academic standards.

Four First Steps for Administrators to Strengthen Their English Language Programs

These steps can help administrators fill in gaps and strengthen areas of their English language programs. As administrators plan for next year's instruction and professional development, here are some questions they can use for reflection:

1. Know your EL and teacher population - both collectively and individually: What do administrators need to know about their EL population, staff members who provide instruction for ELs, and model(s) of EL instruction provided in their buildings?

2. Know the curriculum: What are some ways teachers can collect evidence of student progress, both content knowledge and English language development, and articulate that progress to administrators, parents and other stakeholders?

3. Include all data: What actions can administrators take to assure success of English learners? If performance data is collected and analyzed, is English language proficiency data being included? Are both informal and formal language assessments being evaluated and discussed? In not, what's needed to include them?

4. Clearly define best practice for ELs: What considerations should administrators be more aware of when evaluating teachers of ELs? What support do administrators need to recognize and look for best practices for ELs at various levels of English development?

The following information offers more detail on these steps and where administrators can begin their own reflections.

1. Know your EL and teacher population - both collectively and individually

Your students: "I have 60 students identified as English learners," one principal told me recently. Knowing the number of ELs in the building is a start, but being able to delve deeper into the initial question of "tell me about your EL population" is crucial. I recommend administrators not only know the number of students identified as English learners but also know:

the process of how those students are identified and screened for language proficiency

how students are offered support and how parents and families are part of that process.

the number of ELs across all grade levels in their buildings

the number of monitored students (those who have reached proficiency)

home languages spoken by ELs

if the ELs are immigrants, refugees, or long-term ELs

the number of students dually identified as an EL and with a disability.

Getting to know students and their families individually is equally as important. Knowing if students have obligations outside of school such as work or family responsibilities can also shed light on a student's academic performance. The numbers of ELs are continuously changing as students move in or out of communities; therefore, it is important to regularly ask for and be notified of updates. The ESL teacher is a good resource for collecting and updating demographic and student achievement data.

Your staff: In addition, knowing the staff members in your building who are already endorsed or licensed to teach English as a Second Language is crucial to assure those students have access to knowledgeable teachers. In some cases the teachers with coursework in teaching ELs or second language acquisition do not have ELs assigned to them. This can be very detrimental to students and can also be frustrating for teachers; unfortunately it happens across all grade levels and content areas inadvertently. Knowledge of your teaching staff's interest in becoming endorsed or licensed to teach ELs is important for short and long term planning.

Reaching out to institutes of higher education and community organizations to express interest in partnering to develop teachers' expertise in ESL is also encouraged. There may be grant funds available to schools with linguistically diverse and/or high poverty populations that would financially support in-service teacher education. For example, the Braitmayer Foundation recently awarded TESOL International Association funding to develop pilot professional development to assist schools in implementing the CCSS for ELs. By having a better understanding of your EL population, more strategic outreach and beneficial partnerships can be established and maintained.

2. Know the curriculum

Being well-versed in curriculum, curriculum maps, curriculum guides, and assessments (including any rubrics) for all grade levels is imperative, as is having knowledge of what is expected to be taught and assessed by teachers and mastered by all students, including ELs. By having a deep familiarity with what students are expected to learn, administrators have the opportunity to support all teachers and support personnel who work closely with linguistically diverse learners by creating a school community in which ELs' language, culture and differentiated instruction are valued.

For example, in a recent professional development session I facilitated, teachers compared and contrasted their district writing rubrics with the WIDA writing rubric. The goal was to create more support for the district's writing initiative by increasing awareness of effectively assessing the writing of ELs. Teachers being able to see where overlap existed on these two sets of writing rubrics and also distinct differences was an enlightening experience. In this case, the area of focus was related to an area emphasized in the Common Core, which made it even more relevant to teachers to include time to evaluate how writing is taught and assessed and the implications of writing instruction for ELs.

3. Include all data

I've been in schools that have had elaborate data walls including color-coded bar and line graphs, pictographs etc. - but any data related to the EL population was missing (see 1. Know your students). Although it could be assumed that the ELs are included with the general population, having a display of EL proficiency data and student progress towards meeting proficiency and meeting other state mandated assessments would be extremely beneficial. This inclusion of data unique to ELs also aids in the sense of a shared responsibility to teach ELs. This data can then be used to identify areas of student strength as well as areas that need attention, come up with a list of professional development topics, and look for patterns that might not be immediately apparently. For example, I recently learned of a school in Baltimore with a high number of Mexican families that noticed that a disproportionate number of EL students were being placed in special education classes after taking an assessment administered in Spanish. The numbers were suspiciously high, so after some further digging, the school learned that many students and families spoke a third language - Mixtec - more frequently than Spanish and that the Spanish-language assessment wasn't an appropriate tool to be using. Their data not only helped them catch that error but also enabled them to learn more about Mixtec and how it shaped students' language patterns.

Another facet of sharing EL data is to be aware of and be able to communicate your district's Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) data. Don't assume that you school community understands these calculations and how their work with ELs contributes to meeting these objectives. As part of professional learning communities focused on ELs, including time to learn about AMAOs is recommended.

4. Clearly Define Best Practice for ELs

This may not be as easy as it sounds, but it is important for the school to speak a shared language when it comes to how ELs are being taught and how all staff members fit into that picture. Be prepared to articulate what you understand best practices to be, and include your staff in these discussions. You may wish to ask your EL teachers for guidance, training, and professional development on this topic. Being able to agree upon what these practices are and how they'll be clearly demonstrated and communicated across school communities is important.

For example, informal observations have typically been used to capture instructional practice across all learning environments. Teams of educators that usually include administrators and teachers participate in what have been referred to as focus walks, learning walks, data walks, walk-throughs etc. Yet if the individuals doing the observations are not well-versed in what best practices for special populations such as ELs or students with disabilities look like, they may not understand what they are seeing and whether or not it's effective. Consider revising these visits to include best practices for ELs and including everyone who will be handling observations in conversations about what those best practices look like. When reviewing the criteria used to informally assess the instruction of ELs, it is important to be specific enough to capture evidence of what is happening.

Another example is the the term "engagement" as it applies to ELs. One question administrators and teachers can ask is, "How do we identify engagement of ELs"? Teachers and administrators should examine the multiple facets of this question to reflect on its three sample components as they pertain to ELs.

Do we notice when ELs are actively engaged and participating in their classroom communities?

If ELs are talking to other students, how do we rate or note the inclusion of academic language in their discussions?

Are ELs answering questions using complex language orally and in writing? If not, how can their engagement be encouraged and supported?

Why It Matters

These four steps are not exhaustive, but they provide a starting point to self-assess your EL program from an administrative/program manager perspective. Once you have a better understanding of your population, staff, curriculum, and approaches to assessment and instruction, your will be able to make sure that your instructional planning, implementation and sustainability meet the needs of teachers and students alike, particularly in aligning it to new systems such as the CCSS.

Remember the ESL team at the school and/or district level is not only valuable in providing the above data and demographics but in helping you target your planning - they will have a strong sense of what students need as well as ideas on how to collaborate more effectively with colleagues that provide instructional support to ELs. ESL professionals are often an under-utilized resource who would welcome the opportunity to be afforded more leadership roles - think of them as your secret weapon!

Closing Thoughts

Leaders of programs serving English language learners must take a reflective approach to improving outcomes for ELs in order to see their students succeed. Taking time to assess what works, what doesn't and how to revise existing plans is an essential component of being an effective leader. Now is the time to refocus teams and highlight student and teacher successes so that your EL program will continue to improve by supporting the academic achievement of ELs.

Related Resources

For related guidance, see the U.S. Department of Education English Learner Toolkit's Chapter 3: Tools and Resources for Supporting an English Learner Program.
For More Information
For more on this topic take a look at WIDA's Essential Actions Handbook, Action 13 Putting Action Into Practice, as well as this Colorín Colorado article by Bright Ideas author Kristina Robertson offering an overview of WIDA's Essential Actions handbook and a step-by-step process for using this tool as part of a professional learning community focused on meeting ELLs' academic language needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Administrators in Action: Four Steps for Strengthening Your EL Program

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The end of the school year is an ideal time for administrators and leaders of English Learner (EL) programs to self-assess and revise initial instructional goals with a focus on improving outcomes for ELs.

# data[].attributes.body
Click gif below. Link in comments just in case!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Migration Policy Institute and the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy have released a new report on the young Dual Language Learner (DLL) population in California. The report was pooled over the 2011-2015 period of children 8 and under, and found that these DLL's with at least one parent who speaks a language other than English at home are less likely than their English-only peers to access high-quality early childhood programs even though they benefit disproportionately from such services.

DLL's make up a significant amount of student population in California, coming in at 60%. 57% of DLL's live in low-income families and 29% of DLL parents have less than a high school education. Non-DLL's, on the other hand, have a population of 36% who live in low-income families and 5% of parents who have less than a high-school education.

Research has shown the significance of early learning in influencing future success, thus the low-levels of DLL's in pre-K programs may lead to the discrepancies seen between ELs and non-ELs in later academic outcomes. By the time EL's and non-EL's reach fourth grade, significant differences in both math and reading skills can be observed. EL's reach scores of 244 and 240 in math and reading, respectively, in NAEP testing, which is higher than EL scores of 183 and 211.

The report concludes that more policies must be enacted in order to ensure that young children who speak a language other than English at home, and who are learning English as a second or third language have the same opportunities and equal access to high-quality pre-K as non-ELs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dual Language Learners Lacking in Preschool - Language Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Migration Policy Institute and the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy have released a new report on the young Dual Language Learner (DLL) population in California. The report was pooled over the 2011-2015 period of children 8 and under, and found that these DLL's with at least one parent who speaks a language other ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Education Week - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The new "question-of-the-week' is:
What is the impact of the Every Student Succeeds Act on English Language Learners?
The Every Student Succeeds Act is the successor to No Child Left Behind, and it's beginning to have many impacts on our public schools. Some of those changes will affect English Language Learners, and this column will focus on what ESSA means for our ELL students.

Today's contributors are Margo Gottlieb, Sarah Said, Catherine Beck, Heidi Pace, Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Tabitha Dell'Angelo, and Lindsey Moses. You can listen to a 10-minute conversation I had with Margo, Sarah, Catherine, and Heather on my BAM! Radio Show. You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here.

I think ESSA has the potential to benefit ELLs because it places an increased emphasis on their success. At the same time, however, I am concerned that its placing higher-stakes on "reclassifying" ELLs as proficient in English might result in schools feeling pressured to move ELLs out of receiving supportive services too soon.

You might also be interested in:
The Best Resources For Learning How The Every Student Succeeds Act Affects English Language Learners The Best Resources For Learning About The Ins & Outs Of Reclassifying ELLs
You can see related many past columns that have appeared here on Teaching English Language Learners.
Response From Margo Gottlieb
Margo Gottlieb is co-founder and lead developer of WIDA @ WCER, University of Wisconsin- Madison. Her most recent books include Language power: Key uses for accessing content (with M. Castro, 2017, Corwin), Assessing multilingual learners: A month-by-month guide (2017, ASCD), and Assessing English language learner:
Let's FACE it, our educational landscape is changing and our classrooms are becoming increasingly enriched with multilingual learners. The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary School Act, ESSA, has some specific provisions for English language learners (ELLs) that affect states, such establishing a uniform set of criteria for identification and reclassification. More importantly, it affords school leaders and teachers opportunities to pursue educational excellence at the district and school levels. Here are four watchwords that are descriptive of the potential positive impact of the legislation on multilingual students. Flexibility: Now under Title I of ESSA accountability, states and districts that are home to growing numbers of multilingual learners can more readily partake in authentic, relevant, and challenging assessment that addresses both language proficiency and academic achievement. Schools, in turn, can be more creative in designing linguistically and culturally sustainable assessment for local accountability. Multilingual students can contribute to this process by: Agency: Besides the inclusion of an English language proficiency indicator in ESSA accountability is the additional requirement for states to include at least one school quality or student success indicator, student engagement for one, in their accountability plans. In states choosing student engagement, multilingual learners can be given more voice in decision-making. Thus, assessment as learning that centers on student participation, joins assessment for learning that represents negotiation between teachers and students in formative ways, and assessment of learning that is supported by school leaders on a summative basis. Multilingual students can gradually become aware of their agency on the road to becoming independent thinkers and doers by: Collaboration: Combining Title I and Title III funding streamsunder ESSA places accountability for English language proficiency alongside that of achievement; this fiscal integration is an impetus for language and content teachers to join forces as well.Consequently,multilingual students, as well as teachers and school leaders, are encouraged to interact with each other as communities of practice. Standards-based instruction that involves collaborative activities allows multilingual students to become acclimated to sociocultural norms and to have multiple language models. Learning and using language with content for these students includes: Equity: Multilingual students' strengths and assets, inclusive of their languages and cultures, should be the centerpiece of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. ESSA attends to equity by having states report ELLs, long-term ELLs, and ELLs with disabilities as individual groups with unique attributes, replacing NCLB's notion of equality where multilingual learners were assumed to be a monolithic group. To promote equity for multilingual students, teachers should consider: To summarize, ESSA has given states, districts, and schools opportunities to advocate on behalf of multilingual learners and to encourage their active involvement in the learning process. As educators, let's be vigilant, yet nurturing, to ensure that these students can reach their full potential.
Response From Sarah Said

Setting personalized goals for learning and milestones for meeting them (in multiple languages) that include innovative means of documenting learning, such as producing multimedia projects and other performance tasks for digital portfolios that are maintained throughout the students' school life

Participating in co-constructing criteria of success with their teachers and collecting evidence for their learning through multimodalities (oral, digital, and print materials).

The Every Student Succeeds Act, also known as ESSA, holds states more accountable for the progress of English Learners. From a large-scale point of view, schools and districts will now have to provide data to prove that English Learners are demonstrating proficiency on state content assessments and in the English Language. ESSA will also provide schools with more guidelines for supporting students who have exited English Learner programs. What can this mean for a new classroom teacher? Professional Development on Teaching English Learners: Being that there is a rapid increase in students with English Learner classification nationwide, schools and districts are starting to move towards diverse methods in educating new and veteran teachers on strategies to reach English Learners with their instruction. Depending on the school you are teaching in, you may receive coaching or training in various EL strategies and frameworks. Some districts are encouraging new teachers to continue their education by taking courses to receive endorsements to specialize in English Learning and Bilingual education, while others may invest in having teachers learn more about Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol to prepare them for the diversity of learners in the classroom. Progress Monitoring: In addition to an increase in professional development on instruction of English Learners, there will be more progress monitoring of English Learners as well as students who have exited programs. Being that districts already use multiple methods to assess reading and writing, they may look for specific methods to assess these skills in English learners as well as speaking and listening to monitor the growth prior to end of the year assessments. They will seek tools to assess progress of English Learners in content areas to assure that they are on track for success. ESSA has made supporting students who have exited programs more of a necessity than in the past. These students will now be monitored for four years after meeting proficiency on assessments of English Learning to keep them on track for college and career readiness. This requires districts to invest time in developing systems that increase and support collaboration between general classroom teachers, teachers who specialize in English Learner and Bilingual education, and administration to track growth of these students as they continue their education. Increased Push for Parental Involvement: It is not new for schools across America to strive to work with parents as educational partners of their learners. Schools will increase their methods to engage parents, not only because of accountability, but because it is what plants a foundation to a successful future for learners. From my own experience as a teacher, parent and administrator- parents of English learners are willing to collaborate with teachers on learning- teachers just need to find ways to reach them culturally and at times linguistically. This means being creative with time, resources, programs, and technology. At the end of the day, it takes passion, risk-taking, innovation, open mindedness, teamwork, and heart to create an environment in a classroom that is conducive to supporting all learners. My advice to you as a new teacher is to not be afraid of challenging yourself to always search for different avenues to ensure the experience your students have in your classroom not only helps them become college and career ready, but also "life-ready."
Response From Catherine Beck & Heidi Pace

Developing and demonstrating metalanguage and metacognition

Engaging in self- and peer assessment as part of their responsibility as learners.

discussing real-life issues, arguing points of view, recounting information, and explaining processes and procedures

sharing their ideas, knowledge, and understanding with others.

There are over 4.5 million English Language Learners (ELLs) in US public schools and this number continues to grow with each year. The recent Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was written to include provisions to address the needs of this population. Educators have historically faced challenges in regards to working with ELLs. These challenges include:

scaffolding instruction and assessment based on ELLs' language proficiency levels and interests to ensure each student's learning is moving forward

focusing on the purposes for language use in conjunction with content-area concepts as instructional assessment strategies.

The good news is that ESSA addresses these challenges in various ways and degrees of support. ESSA provides resources to states and school districts to establish, implement and sustain high-quality language instruction designed to ensure that English learners, including immigrant children and youth, develop both English language proficiency and content proficiency in math and English, as measured against challenging academic standards (American Federation of Teachers). English Language Learners will benefit by having teachers that understand the components of second language instructional strategies. Preservice teachers often enter their first jobs with little or no preparation in this area. ESSA allows ELLs to be exempt from state assessments. Districts may have the choice to exclude the student from taking the reading/English language arts test and from counting results of either or both the math and English language arts tests. They also have the option to report on but exclude from accountability systems the results on these tests. Additionally, for the second year of enrollment, states may include a measure of student growth on both tests, and for the third year of enrollment, include proficiency on both tests in the accountability system. This is a positive step toward ensuring that these high stakes state assessments are more reflective of ELL content knowledge. However, states should not expect a student to attain English language proficiency within three years. Language acquisition for ELLs is required by ESSA to be reported as an accountability measure. Also, each state is required to develop entrance and exit criteria for an ELL status. This component helps provide a concentrated focus for language acceleration for ELLs and gives stability for ELL students if they transfer among districts or schools. ESSA has deliberately addressed the need to involve parents of all students, including ELLs, and only upon having a jointly developed district plan to successfully engage families can a district recieve funding for parent engagement. The law requires schools to remove barriers to greater participation by parents in Title I activities with a focus on parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background (Ann T. Henderson, NEW.org). English Language Learners stand to benefit greatly with the Every Student Succeeds Act. While it is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction to providing the intentionality all states must take to better serve the needs of our ELLs. By highlighting language acquisition and proficiency, the inequities and bias in state assessments, and the focus on family engagement for all students, our ELLs are more likely to see an increase in student achievement and a decrease in the opportunity gap that many of them face daily.
Response From Heather Wolpert-Gawron
Sarah Said is currently a district level administrator that oversees English Learning and Bilingual programs in two elementary school districts in suburbs south of the city of Chicago. Sarah spent over a decade teaching and advocating for English Learners spanning from the early grades to high school aged. She has a graduate degree in Instructional Leadership: Literacy, Language, and Culture from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is married and a mother of three who enjoys traveling with her family:
The impact is in the confusion and lack of directive in how to help our growing ELL population. It seems whenever there's a newly minted law, the panic in our educational system sets in and logic goes out the window. We know, for instance, that ELL learners need more visual learning, smaller class sizes to give them more targeted and frequent feedback, and an awareness that lack of English does not mean a lack of critical thinking. We need teachers who understand that we need to assess for content knowledge, not compliance. We should be using the tools out there to engage students so that we weed out boredom when assessing knowledge. If one is teaching math, why can't an ELL learner answer certain questions orally or with a Screencast? Many times, these students can speak more efficiently on the content since the act of writing is still a gatekeeper. These amazing students are comprehending the world around them at a deep level, but are continuously stuck in drill-and-kill foundational classes. As budgets get slashed, however, it gets harder and harder to address the needs of this population, as well as others. Those of us tasked with educating every student are getting mixed messages.
Catherine Beck currently serves as Director of Schools for Cheatham County Schools in Tennessee. She is the co-author of "Leading Learning for ELL Students," published by Routledge. You can connect with her on Twitter at @cathypetreebeck.
Response From Tabitha Dell'Angelo
Heidi Pace is the former superintendent of Summit County Schools in Colorado. She currently teaches in higher education. She is the co-author of "Leading Learning for ELL Students":
I must admit that before answering this question I read the Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA] for the first time. It is 449 pages and clearly written in a way that discourages anyone to read it (https://www2.ed.gov/documents/essa-act-of-1965.pdf When reading the ESSA it is easy to believe that positive gains will be the result. ESSA promises effective teacher and principal training, meaningful professional development, and the implementation of effective language instruction and instructional strategies. These are all good ideas. Unfortunately, there is a gap between what is written and what is happening. To answer this question, I spoke with ELL/ESL teachers and they told me that what is on paper and what happens in practice are very different. In this short answer, I will discuss just two of ESSA's promises. ). It reminded me that although I like the idea of influencing policy, I never want to write policy. The real problem is that they way in which these documents are written leaves most of us learning about the ins and outs by reading someone else's analysis of it, rather than reading the source material ourselves. Teachers report that schools often provide insufficient education and social emotional care to English Language Learners and fail to train the instructors who are accountable for teaching them. Moreover, the fewer resources that the district enjoys, the more likely students are to have under-prepared and under-supported teachers. Administrators and teacher leaders need to understand the incredible diversity of ELLs. This recognition will allow the needs of students to drive professional development opportunities and pedagogical decisions rather than allowing policy to drive pedagogy. Although years of research tell us that it takes at least five years for someone to become proficient in English, students who are in the country for 1 year plus 1 day are subject to the requirement to sit for standardized testing. The expectation is that the students will perform at grade level. There is no differentiation of expectations for ELLs and native English speakers. This level of accountability is stress-producing for both students and their teachers. Teachers worry both about their students and about their own evaluations based on student performance. And students are savvy enough to know when they are not working at grade level. Taking State exams is extremely stressful and that stress can get in their way cognitively and emotionally. Accountability standards need to be differentiated to meet the needs of non-Native English speakers. That might mean giving ELLs more time to adjust before inappropriately subjecting them to high stakes/high stress tests in the name of accountability.
Response From Lindsey Moses

Having opportunities for high quality professional development to understand how to provide best instruction for ELLs.

Being required to give state assessments that are more often a test of language acquisition rather than grade level content.

Partnering with families that have had different educational experiences and getting them to engage in our school systems.

Ten percent of the school-age population in the United States are fortunate enough to speak more than one language and be classified as an English Learner (EL) (National Center for Education Statistics, 2015). The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has made some specific adjustments related to educating ELs. Policy makers, administrators, teachers, and communities are all hopeful that the implementation of ESSA will bring new and more effective educational opportunities for all students. While the ESSA still retains basic components of accountability, states, districts, and local schools now have more responsibility in designing their own accountability systems. States are required to track ELs' progress through standardized, statewide entrance and exit procedures. These include language proficiency assessments and procedures for identifying ELs and determining when services to support language are no longer needed (also referred to as reclassification). ESSA also encourages states to use a variety of readiness and engagement indicators when designing the assessment and accountability systems. Hopefully, the consistent procedures will make tracking ELs' progress easier, more reliable, and grounded in the needs of local contexts. Along with this monitoring, states can now include ELs who have been reclassified for four years in data reporting, instead of the previous time limit of two years. Acquiring a second language takes between 4-10 years, so this extension of monitoring time will give a more accurate understanding of ELs' development over time. This understanding will enhance both program evaluation and instructional decisions. Another assessment impact that ESSA has on ELs is that states now have two options for assessing and reporting for recently-arrived ELs:
Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher. She is a staff blogger for Edutopia and also blogs at tweenteacher.com She is the author of such books as: Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement (Corwin, 2017), DIY for Project Based Learning for ELA and History (Routledge, 2015), and DIY for Project Based Learning for Math and Science (Routledge, 2016):
Beyond assessment, ESSA includes a greater focus on teacher development and family engagement. ESSA makes expectations for professional development and teacher training more explicit by suggesting that instructional programs for ELs should be supported by teachers with expertise in EL pedagogy. Parent and family engagement is also emphasized and includes requirements to remove challenges to participation for families of ELs. When asked how ESSA impacts ELs, Lauren Gifford, Assistant Principal of Port Salerno Elementary, said: "One thing that we are particularly cognizant of is the fact that all students- regardless of high need or disadvantaged status are afforded high academic and rigorous instruction in order to propel them toward career and college readiness. Communication between all stakeholders is critical in order to keep everyone informed of data and how progress toward proficiency is monitored through multiple data points. With EL's we are vigilant in watching growth towards proficiency in conjunction with their stages of language acquisition." Let's hope ESSA will bring this type of reflection and commitment to ELs in all schools. My largest and primary concern with ESSA is the lack of attention to the importance of bilingualism and bilingual education. In our increasingly global society, the potential benefits and opportunities for developing bilingual, global citizens was missed in ESSA.

Tabitha Dell'Angelo is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Urban Education Program at The College of New Jersey and co-editor of Using Photography and Other Arts-Based Methods with English Language Learners: Guidance, Resources, and Activities for P-12 Educators (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017). Jessica Gaeckle, an Elementary ESL Teacher in Pleasantville, New Jersey, also assisted with this response:

Support and Professional Development for Teachers

Lindsey Moses is an associate professor, speaker, staff-developer, and professional development residency provider. A former elementary teacher, Lindsey works with classroom teachers across the country supporting the implementation of effective literacy instruction in diverse settings. She is an associate professor of literacy education at Arizona State University, and conducts ongoing classroom-based research on elementary literacy instruction in classroom settings with English learners. She has authored three books: Supporting English Learners in the Reading Workshop (2015); Comprehension and English Learners (2009)with Michael F. Opitz; and What Are All the Other Kids Doing? Fostering Independence in the K-2 Reading Workshop (2017) with Meridith Ogden:

States can exclude recently-arrived ELs until they have been enrolled in a U.S. school for one year.

States can test recently-arrived ELs, but exclude the results from accountability measures the first year. Then, they measure student growth in the second year and proficiency on academic assessments beginning in the third year in a U.S. school.

Thanks to Margo, Sarah, Catherine, Heidi, Heather, Tabitha and Lindsey for their contributions!
Just a reminder--you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email or RSS Reader. And, if you missed any of the highlights from the first six years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below. They don't include ones from this current year, but you can find them by clicking on the "answers" category found in the sidebar. This Year's Most Popular Q&A Posts Classroom Management Advice Race & Gender Challenges Implementing The Common Core Best Ways To Begin The School Year Best Ways To End The School Year Student Motivation & Social Emotional Learning Teaching Social Studies Project-Based Learning Using Tech In The Classroom Parent Engagement In Schools Teaching English Language Learners Student Assessment Brain-Based Learning Reading Instruction Writing Instruction Education Policy Issues Differentiating Instruction Math Instruction Science Instruction Advice For New Teachers Author Interviews Entering The Teaching Profession Administrator Leadership Teacher Leadership Relationships In Schools Professional Development Instructional Strategies
Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.
Look for the next "question-of-the-week" in a few days..
Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it's selected or if you'd prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.

Anyone whose question is selected for this weekly column can choose one free book from a number of education publishers.

Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It's titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching.

I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributers to this column.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Response: ESSA & English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The new "question-of-the-week' is: What is the impact of the Every Student Succeeds Act on English Language Learners? The Every Student Succeeds Act is the successor to No Child Left Behind, and it's beginning to have many impacts on our public schools.

# data[].attributes.body
Handout link in comments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inference- A Catalyst for Communication and Engagement_VATESOL 2017.pptx

# data[].attributes.body
No pieces to lose!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our Story

Dave Kapell, founder of Magnetic Poetry, was suffering from writer's block while trying to compose song lyrics. To overcome this problem, he wrote down interesting words on pieces of paper and rearranged them, looking for inspiration. What he hadn't figured into this experiment was his allergies. One good sneeze and any progress was sent flying across the room. Dave decided to glue the words to pieces of magnets and stick them to a pizza tin. Then he got hungry and the now magnetized words made their way to the refrigerator door. Before too long, Dave wasn't the only one rearranging his would-be song lyrics. When friends came over, Dave noticed they started to move the magnets around, amusing themselves by writing the first magnetic poems.

After seeing his friends having fun, Dave thought he might be able to sell his word kits at a local craft fair. He made up 100 kits and set up shop at Calhoun Square, a mall in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. All 100 kits were gone after 3 hours. That night, he recruited as many friends as pizza and beer could draw and made up more kits--all of which sold as rapidly the next day.

From these beginnings, Magnetic Poetry® has now sold over three million word kits, over one billion word tiles--growing from the Original Kit to a kid's line of kits, to foreign language kits, to over 100 Themed kits.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create poems with our classic Magnetic Poetry online game! Or create poems with our new Magnetic Poetry online game!

# data[].attributes.body
The Virginia Community Capacity Initiative (VCCI)

# data[].attributes.headline
Because ELs are also Community Members, Civic Learning is Inevitable

# data[].attributes.subject
Because ELs are also Community Members, Civic Learning is Inevitable

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Because ELLs Are Also Community Members, CL Is InevitableADIL BENTAHAR FINAL.ppt

# data[].attributes.headline
Data-Driven IEP Decision Making through Visualization

# data[].attributes.subject
Data-Driven IEP Decision Making through Visualization

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
VATESOL 2017 | " Using Interactive Visualizations of Instructor Evaluation Data for Decision-Making in IEPs "

# data[].attributes.headline
Transforming the Timed Writing Assessment

# data[].attributes.subject
Transforming the Timed Writing Assessment

# data[].attributes.body
A Shared folder - Moore, Jaffie-Shupe, Bentahar, and Bobal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
VATESOL 2017 College-Ready Writing - Moore, Bohon, Goulde, Currie