ELL News Headlines

These three picture books burst with color as they celebrate the tradition of Holi.

Dual-language immersion (DLI) programs are increasingly popular in communities and states across the country. Their number is growing largely on the strength of two key shifts: one in the research on bilingual education’s efficacy and a subsequent change in public demand for multilingualism. These programs can be a powerful way for education leaders to support English learners’ success while also growing access to diverse learning environments for all students. This report explores the DLI ecosystem in the San Francisco Bay Area, a region blessed with extraordinary linguistic, racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity, but also a region wrestling with gentrification and significant wealth inequality.

PJ Caposey is the superintendent of schools for Oregon CUSD 220 and a former Illinois State Superintendent of the Year and a runner-up for the National Superintendent of the Year through the American Association of School Administrators. In this editorial, PJ writes, "Leaders don’t get to choose when chaos strikes, but they do get to choose how they respond. Those who communicate clearly, regulate their emotions, think strategically, prioritize people, and take decisive action will not only survive chaos — they will come out stronger because of it."

High school teachers in all classes can help students strengthen their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

While Colorado is seeing some improvement in reading instruction, some students continue to struggle. As a result, the Colorado Department of Education is seeking $3.3 million in the 2025-26 education budget to create new training for teachers to teach English learners to read. It would be used to help teachers differentiate instruction for those students.

The U.S. Agriculture Department is ending two pandemic-era programs that provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks to purchase food from local farmers and producers. About $660 million of that went to schools and childcare centers to buy food for meals through the Local Foods for Schools program. A separate program provided money to food banks.

The Trump administration’s dismissal of nearly half the U.S. Department of Education’s staff leaves virtually no division unspared, including the Education Department's office of English language acquisition, known as OELA.

Note: Since the dismissals, a lawsuit has been brought to challenge the U.S. Department of Education's layoffs.

Chalkbeat spoke with half a dozen immigration and legal experts to try to answer some of the most pressing questions around immigration enforcement and schools.

K-12 educators in the United States are still federally required to support English learners’ acquisition of the English language, regardless of any official national language designation. That’s the main takeaway from researchers and former U.S. Department of Education directors in response to the executive order signed by President Donald Trump on March 1, which designates English as the official language of the country. While experts who spoke with Education Week said the executive order won’t immediately affect English-learner programs, they said it could present long-term challenges and opportunities for meeting multilingual students’ needs.

Five years out from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, San Joaquin Valley schools are still recovering from learning losses. The Central Unified School District in west Fresno is trying something new to improve learning outcomes - and it appears to be making significant progress.