Legal Obligations of Public Schools to English Language Learners by Allison Bost https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a Legal and Ethical Guide for Educators working with ELLs en-us 2020-04-29 17:21:50 UTC 2023-05-18 13:43:06 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3eb.png Slide 1- My Professional Perspective abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539876054 My professional perspective is working as an elementary school teacher. I have taught first and second grade and each year have had English Language Learners (ELLs) in my classroom. I am English as a Second Language (ESL) certified and have seen firsthand the struggles they face in the public school classroom. I have spent time in trainings and researching best practices to use with these students. This Legal Guide Padlet is a resource guide for classroom teachers, interventionists, or school counselors. This Padlet is designed with the objective of providing insight on the legal obligation to serve these students. I chose this topic because there are roughly 1 million English Language Learners in Texas public schools today. They currently account for 18% of the student population in America's public schools. This number is projected to be 25% by the year 2025 (Education Dive, 2020). In order for them to have an equal opportunity as their native English speaking peers, and obtain high academic achievement, they must receive quality instruction tailored to their language needs. It is important to know our role as teachers and counselors in best meeting the needs of these students.

Education Dive. (2020). Improving academic outcomes for emergent bilingual students. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/spons/improving-academic-outcomes-for-emergent-bilingual-students/575137/. ]]> 2020-04-29 17:25:23 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539876054 Slide 2- Summary of Topic abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539877584 Summary
The topic of legal obligation to ELLs is important for a number of reasons. For example, there are currently approximately 5 million ELLs in America’s schools. These children are oftentimes at a disadvantage due to their language barrier. The students' limited English proficiency affects their ability to participate successfully in school and reach high academic standards, if the proper support is not embedded into their learning. It is the responsibility of the school system to ensure guidelines and laws are being followed in order to serve these students and support them academically and socially (Mitchell, 2017). They have the right to fair and equal access to education, just like their English-proficient peers. In order for them to have this, there are necessary programs and supports put in place in schools to serve these students. It is important educators are familiar with these legal responsibilities.

Emerging Issues

There are many challenges and issues that English Language Learners face while attending American schools. One issue that is being researched is how under-resourced schools and under-prepared educators are hindering English Language Learners from getting the support and services that they need in order to be successful. There is a lack of teacher training on best practices for ELL students. Schools are also under-resourced, but expected to cater to a variety of students' language needs, without the appropriate funding (Mitchell, 2017). Both of these issues combined lead to ELLs not receiving proper instruction, and therefore not reaching their full academic potential.

Mitchell, C. (2017).

schools_provides_substandard_s.html

]]> 2020-04-29 17:25:51 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539877584 Slide 3- Professional Association- NABE Blog: Teaching ELLs with Short Animated Videos abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539879372 The National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE) releases a number of blogs and other resources regarding ELLs and their families. The blog I came across, Teaching ELLs with Short Animated Videos provided insight into best practices to use with younger ELLs in the classroom. The blog highlighted strategies to improve ELLs literacy skills. It also focused on using animated videos for language acquisition purposes.

This particular blog was informative and would be helpful for teachers of primary students. Many teachers would benefit from the strategies that were explained for ELL literacy instruction. The NABE website is a great resource for all educators, and provides a lot of insight and information into bilingual education.

Gonzalez, V. (2018).

Teaching ELLs with short animated videos. Retrieved from https://www.middleweb.com/39038/teaching-ells-with-short-animated-videos/

]]> 2020-04-29 17:26:30 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539879372 Slide 4- Current event article- Providing curricular support for ELLs during pandemic a two-pronged challenge abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539882460 Taken from a credible source, EducationDive.com, the article outlines issues ELLs are facing in light of the COVID-19 distance learning platform. Schooling has been moved to solely online learning, which presents a number of challenges for all students, but especially ELLs. The issues that are discussed in the article include:

Fewer opportunities for ELLs to practice their skills with schools closed.
ELLs are no longer with English speakers on a regular basis.
Parents of ELLs are often ELL as well, and need support themselves.
Parents of ELLs are typically out of the home for work, therefore unable to assist their child in schoolwork.

(De La Rosa, 2020).

De La Rosa, S. (2020). Providing curricular support for ELLs during pandemic a two-pronged challenge. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/providing-curricular-support-for-ells-during-pandemic-a-two-pronged-challen/576500/.

]]> 2020-04-29 17:27:37 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539882460 Slide 5- Current event article- Improving academic outcomes for emergent bilingual students abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539883248 This article discussed research taken from a subgroup of the K-12 bilingual population. It pointed our various challenges that these ELLs face in the public school system. It also gave six steps that educators can take to improve the academic achievement of their English learning students. Some of the challenges ELLs face include:

Low achievement outcomes
High drop-out rates
Low college attendance rates
Low college graduation rates

(Education Dive, 2020).

It specifically outlined two factors that contribute to this:

A lack of teacher training in bilingual education best practices
Schools in which bilingual students tend to be concentrated in are highly segregated, underfunded schools

(Education Dive, 2020).

In order to "close the gap" between bilingual students' academic success in comparison to their native English peers, there are six steps that educators can implement.
These include:
(1) embrace diversity; (2) focus on academic achievement; (3) identify long-term English learners; (4) accelerate learning with education technology, or EdTech; (5) address the ELL teacher deficit; and (6) recognize the bilingual advantage (Education Dive, 2020).

"Bilingual students thrive when educators and administrators work together with parents and communities" (Education Dive, 2020). "Working together toward a common goal will go far toward changing prevailing learning outcomes and assisting emergent bilingual students in their quest to achieve academic success at the same rate as their English-proficient peers" (Education Dive, 2020).

Education Dive. (2020). Improving academic outcomes for emergent bilingual students. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/spons/improving-academic-outcomes-for-emergent-bilingual-students/575137/.

]]> 2020-04-29 17:27:55 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539883248 Slide 6-School districts that have 20 or more ELL students enrolled must provide a bilingual or special language program. (Tex. Educ. Code § 29.053) -Statutory Law abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539883830 According to Tex. Educ. Code §29.053, school districts that contain 20 or more English Language Learners in the same grade level (of any language) must provide bilingual education for these students. The districts that meet this criteria must follow the following: (1) bilingual education in kindergarten through the elementary grades; (2) bilingual education, instruction in English as a second language, or other transitional language instruction approved by the agency in post-elementary grades through grade 8; and (3) instruction in English as a second language in grades 9 through 12. (TEC § 29.053).

]]> 2020-04-29 17:28:06 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539883830 Slide 7-Establishment of bilingual education and special language programs in the public schools. (Tex. Educ. Code § 29.051) - Statutory Law abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539883986 Studies showed that classes in which instruction was only given in English was not beneficial to students who had limited English proficiency (LEP). This statute outlines the requirements for Texas public schools’ bilingual and ESL programs.

]]> 2020-04-29 17:28:10 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539883986 Slide 8- United States v. Texas, 572 F. Supp. 2d 726 (E.D. Tex. 2008) – Judicial/Constitutional Law abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884114 In this district court case, filed by G.I. Forum and LULAC, the state efforts of addressing needs of bilingual and English language learners (ELLs) was criticized and questioned. The court ruled that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) was required to create and implement new and improved bilingual instruction in Texas public schools. TEA was required to do this because it was “their affirmative obligation” and English language learners deserve the right to a quality education. ]]> 2020-04-29 17:28:13 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884114 Slide 9- Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974) – Judicial/Constitutional Law abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884231 The US Supreme Court decision in Lau v. Nichols decided that children who are not fluent in English are being denied access to a quality education. In 1975, the Education Commissioner came out with regulations in order to evaluate children with limited English proficiency and began planning for bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) education programs to be implemented in public schools.]]> 2020-04-29 17:28:16 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884231 Slide 10- Pflugerville Independent School District- Local Administrative Law abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884347 According to the PFISD Handbook, in order for a student in Pflugerville ISD to be a part of their Language Immersion Program, there are eligibility requirements. These include: “Students, whose Home Language Survey indicates a language other than English, will be tested to determine English proficiency. The Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will review all the assessment results to determine the ELL status” (PFISD, 2018). This program is designed for children to all collectively learn English to become bilingual.

PFISD. (2018). Multilingual Education Handbook. Retrieved from http://www.pfisd.net/cms/lib/TX01001527/Centricity/Domain/1568/2019_2020%20PfISD%20DL%20for%20WEBHANDBOOK.pdf. ]]> 2020-04-29 17:28:19 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884347 Slide 11- ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884516 According to the ASCA Ethical Standards for school counselors, "School counselors must: strive to use translators who have been vetted or reviewed and bilingual/multilingual school counseling program materials representing languages used by families in the school community" (ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors, 2016)

As a school counselor, it is imperative that you are inclusive of cultures and languages represented in your school community. Translating school counseling materials to represent languages used by families in the school community will bring a sense of belonging to those families. You want them to feel included and involved in the school community. They should be represented in your counseling program, and including materials in their spoken language is one way to ensure this happens on your campus.

American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf. ]]> 2020-04-29 17:28:22 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539884516 Slide 12- Non-Law Source abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539887525 The resource that I found helpful for educators of ESL students is: https://www.edutopia.org/article/resources-for-teaching-english-language-learners-ashley-cronin. This website provides many strategies and resources that teachers are able to use with their ELLs. It highlights classroom tools to implement best practices for ELLs. There are also resources for families and community members to promote cultural diversity on your campus.

Cronin, A. (2016). Resources for teaching English-Language Learners. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/resources-for-teaching-english-language-learners-ashley-cronin. ]]> 2020-04-29 17:29:25 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539887525 Slide 13- Best Practices for Legal/Ethical Compliance abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539887972 Recommendations related to educational practice for this topic, as well as best practices for legal compliance:

Identify ELLs on your campus through home language surveys
Assess individual student needs for ELL services through assessments and data collection
Develop a language program that will best serve the needs of ELLs
Ensure that necessary staff (teachers, ESL interventionists) and curriculum materials are in place and being utilized efficiently
Identify appropriate record keeping and assessments that will be used to track ELLs progress
Develop your language program's exit criteria- How does a student exit the ESL program?
Assess whether or not your program is successful based on student growth
Modify the ESL program when needed
Continue to stay up-to-date with best practices and current research

(NCELA, n.d.).

NCELA. (n.d.). What legal obligations do schools have to English Language Learners. Retrieved from https://ncela.ed.gov/faqs/view/6.

]]> 2020-04-29 17:29:34 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/539887972 Slide 3, Contd.- NAE ELL Advocacy Guide-"How Educators Can Advocate for English Language Learners" abost2 https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/540459917 The National Education Association (NEA) published a guide titled "How Educators Can Advocate for English Language Learners". A link to this guide was provided on their website. This guide provides a wealth of knowledge regarding advocating for English Language Learners, educator training, best practices to use in the classroom, curriculum access and language rights, and a variety of other topics. This is a very informative resource regarding all things multilingual education.

National Education Association (NEA). (2015). How educators can advocate for English Language Learners. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/18285_ELL_AdvocacyGuide2015_low-res_updated_6-23.pdf]]> 2020-04-29 21:59:13 UTC https://padlet.com/abost2/iv74fnjwkzc5tn2a/wish/540459917