ELL News Headlines

Throughout the week, Colorín Colorado gathers news headlines related to English language learners from around the country. The ELL Headlines are posted Monday through Friday and are available for free!

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Hawaii has no girls in juvenile detention. Here’s how it got there.

When Mark Patterson took over as administrator of the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in 2014, he inherited 500 acres of farm ranch — and the care of 26 boys and seven girls between 13 and 19 years old. By 2016, his facility, in Kailua, Oahu, was only holding between five and six girls at a time. And in June, the last girl left the facility. For the first time, there are no girls incarcerated in the state of Hawaii.

Standing in Two Worlds: Native American College Diaries

Native American students are just a tiny fraction of all the college students in the United States. They come with different histories, confronting an education system once used to erase their languages and cultures. In this project, four Indigenous college students tell how they are using higher education to strengthen ties to their Native roots and support their people.

Why schools are still struggling to hire bus drivers, custodians, tutors

Javon May has tried radio ads. He’s planted yard signs. He’s made the rounds at community centers. Still, on his quest to find new bus drivers for the Houston school district, he sometimes comes up short. That’s because he’s up against stiff competition. Other local districts and big delivery companies, like Amazon, need drivers, too. 

California could paint a clearer picture of English learner achievement if new bill passes

California could soon get a deeper understanding of how students at different stages of learning English are doing in school. A bill currently in the Legislature, Assembly Bill 1868, would require the California Department of Education to report standardized test scores in English language arts, math and science for subgroups of English learners, including long-term English learners, those at risk of becoming long-term English learners, and students who have learned enough English to be reclassified as proficient.

Choosing the Right Fidgets for Students With Sensory Needs

In recent years, educators have seen many fads for fidgets, from the fidget cubes to the spinner and everything in between. For some teachers, these can be valuable classroom tools, and for others, a frustrating distraction. The key is to pick the right kind of fidget. They need to be quiet and low-tech and serve a purpose. The students also need to be taught the appropriate way to use them. The students must know that these are tools, not toys.

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