When describing how the topic of English Language Learners is important to educational leadership and how it impacts her work, Mrs. Carrasco explained that her campus is a Title 1 school with a primarily Hispanic population, and 89% of students are economically disadvantaged (B. Carrasco, personal communication, February 11, 2020).  The hiring decisions she makes are based on the students her campus serves.  Mrs. Carrasco has to decide if the aides, front office staff, teachers, school nurse, assistant principal, secretary, social worker, and counselor will help meet the needs of the students.  Some staff does need to be bilingual, but that is no the only justification for hiring staff.  She must look at the whole picture and review several applications to find the best fit for the campus (B. Carrasco, personal communication, February 11, 2020). 

Best Practices: 

·       Full time English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher (paid with Title 1 money) to service ELLs. 

·       ESL teacher provides 40 minutes of instruction to ELLs. 

·       She oversees LLI reading groups and Imagine Learning (computer program to target reading and speaking in English). 

·       LPAC (Language Proficiency Assessment Committee) meetings track student data and document accommodations to meet language acquisition and social-emotional needs of the students in the ESL program. 

·       Notes home are in English and Spanish.  Communication between parents and teachers is translated through Class Dojo. 

·       Educators are provided with ESL trainings during professional learning communities for differentiating small groups, teaching strategies, and RTI.  All students (even those who are not from limited English proficient families) benefit from ESL teaching strategies.

·  (B. Carrasco, personal communication, February 11, 2020)

Emergency Issue:
An emerging issue related to English Language Learners that impacts educational leadership and the field of education are undocumented students coming to schools in the United States. Mrs. Carrasco has had undocumented citizens come to her school to enroll their students and she has had to resolve these issues.  The main thing she wants for families is to make them feel safe. She communicates with parents to relieve anxieties about their children going to school.  She walks with the students throughout the campus to make sure they are having a good experience and they want to go to school. Mrs. Carrasco values the importance of building relationships with families because they are scared and worried in a new environment, and she wants them to come to her to ask questions and let her know when they need assistance. She does not turn away undocumented families.  She accepts birth certificates from the United States and Mexico so the students can receive an education.  She does not want the language barrier to affect the students’ education so she remains professional and respectful when speaking to all parents. Mrs. Carrasco opens her campus to be a home for undocumented families (B. Carrasco, personal communication, February 11, 2020).  

·       Family engagement impacts student growth. 

·       6 tips to engage ELL parents and families

·       Reciprocal partnerships between school and home can be assisted in communicating with parents’ responsibilities for helping students academically at home. 

·       Create a meaningful and authentic inclusive environment to make connections with families and build collaborative relationships. 

·       Be mindful and considerate of the cultural values of the values and openly communicate school norms. 

·       Keep communication clear to parents, possibly using ESL support such as visual cues and graphic organizers when communicating school forms. 

·       Increase parent engagement by “providing a range of low-risk opportunities for parent input, feedback, and cultural sharing" (Yaafouri, 2019, para. 12). 

·       Teacher home visits connect home and school and build relationships with ELL families.

                                                      Reference
Yaafouri, L.E. (2019). 6 Tips for engaging the families of English language learners. Edutopia.org. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-tips-engaging-families-english-language-learners

·       ELL students should have equal educational opportunities to participate in STEM activities, so they are not underrepresented in career fields. 

·       Sometimes ELL students are asked to improve in English proficiency before they can participate in STEM activities. 

·       Project-based learning is essential for ELL students since most may understand the topics and the experiences can promote learning and understanding of the English language.

·       Researchers recommend support for educators to provide ELL students to have access to STEM activities and materials. 

·       Research determined lack of teacher preparation is one of the biggest obstacles for including English Language Learners in components of STEM. 

·       Technology in the workplace calls for students to have meaningful experiences in STEM at an earlier age. 

·       Providing English Language Learners opportunities to participate in STEM activities also promotes their social-emotional well-being, motivation for academic achievement, and family collaboration.

                                                     Reference
Harper, A. (2019). English language learners need equal access to STEM opportunities, report finds. Education Dive. Retrieved from: https://www.educationdive.com/news/english-language-learners-need-equal-access-to-stem-opportunities-report-f/548679/

·       protects equity in education.

·       determines states cannot “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of laws” (U.S. Const. Amend. XIV).  

·      will influence future court cases  in deciding that students have property interests in education and prohibiting teaching of a foreign language violates this amendment. 

·       The full link to the law can be retrieved from: https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxiv

                                                    Reference
U.S. Const. Amend. XIV.

                                 
                                                     References
Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974).
“Lau v. Nichols.” Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1973/72-6520. Accessed 23 Feb. 2020.

                                                     Reference
Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974, 20 USC § 1703(f).

 The ESL program outlined in the Texas Administrative Code § 89.1201:

                                                      Reference
Adaptations for Special Populations, State Plan for Educating English                                Learners, 19. Tex. Admin. Code § 89.1201.  

                                                       Reference
San Angelo Independent School District. (2019-2020). Student handbook, English leanrers (all grade levels), (p. 54). Retrieved from: https://www.saisd.org/docs/student_services/Student%20Handbook%202019-2020.pdf

 The Educator’s Code of Ethics can be retrieved from: 

https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=7&ch=247&rl=2

                                                       Reference
Educator’s Code of Ethics, 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 247.2 (3)(D).

                                                   References
Adaptations for Special Populations, State Plan for Educating English Learners, 19. Tex. Admin. Code §§ 89.1201, 89.1203, 89.1210 (1)(B), 89.1215, 89.1220, 89.1235, 89.1245.

Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974, 20 USC § 1703(f).

Yaafouri, L.E. (2019). 6 Tips for engaging the families of English language learners. Edutopia.org. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-tips-engaging-families-english-language-learners