Covering the Education of English Learners Amid Federal Policy Shifts

More than 5 million students across the nation are classified as English learners. 

The federal government has long supported states and districts in their efforts to help these students reach English proficiency – providing funding, guidance and oversight, among other things. But a series of actions this year raise questions about the role the federal government will play going forward. 

Those actions include: 

• An executive order declaring English the country’s official language. 
• Dramatic staffing reductions at the Office of English Language Acquisition and the Office for Civil Rights. 
• A proposal to eliminate Title III, the federal grant program that provides $890 million in funding for English learners. 
• A decision to rescind a 2015 Dear Colleague letter that provided guidance on the rights of English learners and how they should be served. 
• Cuts to some National Professional Development grants, which support training for teachers to improve instruction for English learners.  

Experts emphasize that the legal obligations schools have to English learners, many of whom were born in the United States, have not changed. So what exactly do these federal actions mean? What are the consequences? Join the Education Writers Association on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. Eastern to get helpful context and background information, along with resources and story ideas. 

How are state and district leaders responding to this shifting landscape, and preparing for the possibility of reduced federal funding? How might bilingual and dual language programs be affected? Which of these actions can be felt in schools and by students today, and which should reporters track for future developments?  

Learn what other questions reporters should be asking now, and what to watch for in the coming months.