What Multilingual Learners Already Bring to the Classroom
A student enters a new school. They may be learning English. They may be unfamiliar with the routines, expectations, or even the way a lesson is structured. They may need more time to understand a direction or find the words to explain what they know. From the outside, it can be easy to focus first […]
Start of School Federal Funding Updates
It’s September, which means that the deadline for funding the U.S. government (Sept. 30) is quickly approaching. So, I thought I would use this article to focus on a few things happening at the federal level when it comes to funding for programs like ESSA Title I and Title III. Federal Education Funding for the […]
Building Bridges Into the Year Ahead
There’s something energizing about gathering in a room with people who care deeply about the same work. At this summer’s EduSkills Building Bridges conference, educators, leaders, and experts came together to talk about multilingual learners. Not only where we are right now, but where we’re headed next. There were new ideas to consider, new tools […]
Disparate Impact Discrimination is Important for ELs
The July 2026 U.S. Department of Education (USED) Newsletter included a short paragraph in the “Wins of the Month” section that touted the removal of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act’s regulations related to disparate impact discrimination. On July 23rd, USED officially rescinded sections of regulations for Title VI of the Civil Rights […]
What the World Cup Can Teach Us About Multilingual Learners
One of the most interesting stories of this year’s World Cup hasn’t only been what happened on the field. It’s been watching the world experience the United States through fresh eyes. Fans have fallen in love with everything from regional foods and roadside attractions to small-town hospitality and local traditions. Norway’s Erling Haaland made headlines […]
The Fate of ESSA Title III Funding
by Dr. David J Holbrook ESSA Title III funding has been a Good News – Bad News kind of topic, so this article will follow that format. Old Administration At the end of the previous administration, it was mostly good news. We had a Secretary of Education who was a former English learner (EL); we […]
Supporting English Learners with Title I: Required Coordination Reservation
by Dr. David J Holbrook This is the third of a three-part series of articles exploring how schools and school districts can use Title I, Part A funds to provide services to English learners (ELs). This article focuses on the local education agency (LEA) requirements to coordinate and integrateTitle I services with other educational services […]
What Effective Instruction Looks Like for Multilingual Learners
When educators think about language development, it can be tempting to view it as something separate from academic learning. Language instruction happens here. Content instruction happens there. But research and classroom practice tell a different story. Multilingual learners develop language most effectively when they use it for meaningful purposes, such as solving problems, discussing ideas, […]
USDE to Eliminate OELA
by Dr. David J Holbrook If you were eagerly looking forward to the third of a three-part series of articles exploring how schools and school districts can use Title I, Part A funds to provide services and supports to English learners (ELs), my apologies. You’ll have to wait for that article until next month. I’ve […]
It Takes a Team: Celebrating Educators Who Support Multilingual Learners
Teacher Appreciation Week is a time to recognize the work educators do every day. For those supporting multilingual learners, that work is rarely done alone. It’s collaborative, layered, and often unseen. Multilingual learners don’t experience school through a single classroom or a single teacher. Students experience a system, one made up of educators working across […]