Educational Services » Parents of English Language Learners - Resources

Parents of English Language Learners - Resources

The attached federal guidance documents have been released with versions available in multiple languages for parents. The "U.S. Departments of Education and Justice Release Joint Guidance to Ensure English Learner Students Have Equal Access to High-Quality Education" can be accessed at:

www.ed.gov/news

The guidance reminds states, school districts and schools of their obligations under federal law to ensure that English learners have equal access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential.

The guidance explains schools' obligations to:

• Identify English learner students in a timely, valid and reliable manner
• Offer all English learner students an educationally sound language assistance program
• Provide qualified staff and sufficient resources for instructing English learner students
• Ensure English learner students have equitable access to school programs and activities
• Avoid unnecessary segregation of English learner students from other students
• Monitor students' progress in learning English and doing grade-level classwork
• Remedy any academic deficits English learner students incurred while in a language assistance program
• Move students out of language assistance programs when they are proficient in English and monitor those students to ensure they were not prematurely removed
• Evaluate the effectiveness of English learner programs
• Provide limited English proficient parents with information about school programs, services, and activities in a language they understand.