NCELA Newsletter Header
February 8, 2022
Secretary Cardona's Priorities
On January 27, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona delivered a major address outlining the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) priorities and his vision for education. In the speech, Secretary Cardona shared how ED can continue to support students, families, educators, and school communities in recovering from the pandemic and make broader investments in America’s education system to ensure all students can succeed and thrive. 
National School Counseling Week – School Counseling: Better Together

It’s National School Counseling Week (February 7–11)! This week shines a light on the role school counselors can have in helping students achieve school and career success. Thank you to all school counseling professionals for all that you do to support students!
Take Your Family to School Week

Are you looking for ways to engage families? Host a program at your school during National PTA's Take Your Family to School Week, February 14–18. Need additional resources? Check out the Office of English Language Acquisition’s (OELA) English Learner (EL) Family Toolkit and the Fact Sheet: Family-School Engagement of Families Who are Speakers of Other Languages.
NCELA Resource Library
Visit our database of 20,000+ resources.
Celebrating Black History Month
This February, join OELA in celebrating Black History Month! Explore our infographic that highlights facts on Black students within the EL population. According to data from the 2017–2018 school year, 223,893, or 4.2%, of K–12 ELs identify as Black in U.S. schools. The infographic also shares the top 10 places of birth and languages of Black youth who are non-native English speakers as well as reading and math achievement data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Announcements
Watch Now – Education & Afghan Newcomers: Keeping the Promise
The recording for OELA’s recent webinar with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is now available. The webinar provided information about ORR’s process for placing and supporting Afghan newcomers in the context of the U.S. educational system, how to coordinate resources to provide wraparound services, and information about federal support. In addition to the recording and presentation slides, you can view a list of resources shared during the webinar.
Keeping the Promise Website
ED has launched a Keeping the Promise website to serve as a repository of resources for individuals, schools, and communities supporting Afghan newcomers and their educational goals. As part of Operation Allies Welcome, we recognize that there is an immediate and urgent need for providing high-quality, culturally responsive education to our Afghan guests, inclusive of primary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult education and English language learning.

This website contains educational materials, student and family engagement resources, fact sheets to ensure civil rights to education, policy documents, and general cultural and linguistic facts to help guide teachers, state education agencies, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other community-based education providers. Educators have a unique opportunity to make a major impact on the lives Afghan students and families, and we hope that these resources will support you in welcoming our allies into your school community. New submissions are welcome at KeepingthePromise@ed.gov.

Our Afghan allies and their families protected our troops, supported our diplomatic community, and served our country, we will now serve them with equitable, excellent education as we welcome them to our country.
Webinar – Effective Literacy Education for ELs: Beyond Foundational Skills
Join the National Committee for Effective Literacy for a 1-hour webinar on February 17 featuring Dr. Laurie Olsen of Sobrato Early Academic Language and Dr. Kathy Escamila of the University of Colorado at Boulder. This webinar will:

  • Focus on effective literacy instruction for ELs/emergent bilingual students by documenting and discussing what is missing from current national trends that have a narrow focus on foundational skills such as phonics.
  • Describe effective literacy instruction for ELs/emergent bilingual students as one of the most critical educational issues of our time.
  • Present research results from studies demonstrating effective literacy models that are comprehensive, culturally responsive/sustaining, and inclusive of foundational skills, but not limited by them.
Upcoming Events
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans (WHIEEAA) and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) are excited to launch a new joint speaker series, “Black Voices in Education Research.” The first session, “Supporting Black Students across the Education Sciences,” features IES-affiliated researchers who will discuss how the field of education sciences (including statistics, research, evaluation, and training) can support education equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for Black students from early childhood until their chosen career.
February 16–19
Hybrid Conference
The National ESEA Conference is intentionally aimed at coordination among federal education programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and other federal programs. Join the ESEA Network in New Orleans, Louisiana, as they unite to address a shared goal: how to best meet the needs of disadvantaged students.
Join the WHIEEAA on February 28 at 2:00 p.m. ET for this AfAmEd Connector virtual roundtable. The discussion, hosted by Senior Advisor Monique Toussaint, will feature experts from the field to discuss culturally competent best practices that support the mental health of Black students. The roundtable will enable participants to have access to information, resources, best and promising practices from ED, other federal agencies, and the field. For more information, contact AfAmEvents@ed.gov.
The 8th International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Inclusive of all languages, program models, and educational levels, the 2022 conference brings together researchers and practitioners from the U.S. and around the world to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices in dual language and immersion education. The conference theme, “Embracing Languages and Cultures for A Better World,” represents the key tenets: diversity of languages, collaboration and inclusivity, and equity.
The AAAL conference, hosted this year in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, is known for its in-depth symposia and focused workshops on key issues in applied linguistics; sessions on a wide range of research studies, in progress or completed; stimulating plenary sessions; and access to the latest publications via their book exhibit. 
During TESOL 2022, English language teaching professionals will gather to learn about innovative tools, techniques and strategies, public policy issues, new research, and best practices in the field. The convention will be hosted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will include over 900 sessions to learn from, including live in-person and virtual sessions.
In the News
Chalkbeat      
The Newark Board of Education approved a resolution that outlined the district’s obligations to meet the needs of ELs, including a commitment to give ELs priority for in-person instruction when the district switches to remote or hybrid learning. The district also promised to implement steps to find and engage ELs who lost contact with schools during the pandemic, especially its youngest students, those who lacked internet access, and older students who are at risk of dropping out.
Victoria Advocate
The EL population in Mississippi has increased by 235% between 2005 and 2015. However, the needs of ELs are not always being met in the state, where the EL dropout rate is 31%. In the Pascagoula-Gautier School District, the picture is brighter with 85% of students who are Hispanic graduating on time. The district has prioritized EL education by hiring an administrator dedicated to this population of students. It has emphasized training all teachers, not just those who are dedicated to ELs, on how to design lessons for ELs. The district has also created a culture where students’ native languages are valued, embraced, and implemented in classroom instruction.
Center for Applied Linguistics
This article discusses the theoretical concepts and practices of translanguaging. Included is a brief discussion highlighting current working definitions, the purposes of using translanguaging in the classroom, and its uses in language assistance programs such as English as a second language, transitional bilingual education, and dual language programs. 
SupportEd and Teaching MLs Podcast with Tan Huynh
Dr. Sydney Snyder and Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner were guests on episode 92 of Tan Huynh’s Teaching MLs Podcast. The podcast is intended for teachers who are passionate about language learners. The guests talk all things MLs (multilingual learners) and share the five principles of culturally responsive teaching for MLs.
EducationWeek
This article focuses on the importance of teaching literacy skills to ELs who are older. Strategies like fostering and sustaining student engagement, assuring access to grade-level text and complex material, utilizing data about student language proficiency, and providing high-quality educator supports are discussed in this publication. The article also offers suggestions from leading researchers in the field of EL education, as well as examples of best practices from several schools and districts.
Professional Learning
CARLA at the University of Minnesota provides high-quality professional development for language teachers that link research and theory with practical applications for the classroom. This summer, CARLA will offer 16 institutes (online and in-person) on a wide range of topics: Transforming the Teaching of Language Online, Teaching Language Through the Lens of Social Justice, Critical Approaches to Heritage Language Education, Teaching for Proficiency in Dual Language Immersion, and more.
OIE is seeking highly qualified individuals to assist in the review process for the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children Native Youth Community Projects discretionary grant program competition. OIE seeks individuals who can participate in panel reviews either as panel monitors, peer reviewers, or assigned and unassigned alternate reviewers.
Proposals are now being accepted for conference sessions for the SIOP® Virtual Conference scheduled for July 13–15. This event offers new and seasoned educators an opportunity to reinvigorate and strengthen their teaching practices to successfully support multilingual learners. Presenters will be notified by April 11 of session acceptance or nonacceptance.
The Coalition hosted a series of professional development webinars focused on improving instructional practice in 21st century heritage language schools. The final webinar in the series, Parental Role in the Process of Heritage Language Learning, is scheduled for March 3.
This 12-hour, synchronous institute, guided by CAL’s experience connecting research to practice and the CAL publication, Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education, provides information and tools to help school leaders gain a solid understanding of the benefits of dual language education, explore how they can develop a program that promotes student success in two languages, and increase their impact as leaders. 
The La Cosecha 2022 Hybrid Conference, scheduled for November 2–5 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will focus on providing instructional and programmatic support to best serve ELs and emerging bilingual students. La Cosecha will feature over 180 professional presentations and workshops for supporting two-way and one-way immersion, developmental bilingual, and heritage/tribal language immersion programs and bring together educators, parents, researchers, and practitioners from across the U.S. The La Cosecha Conference Planning Committee invites you to share your promising practices, instructional strategies, research, experiences and overall dual language expertise with your colleagues and dual language community by presenting at this year’s conference. 
DLeNM: Summer Institutes, Registration Open
  • June 1–2: AIM4S3 Math 2-Day Virtual Institute – This institute is designed to deepen your mathematical understanding and support you in addressing students' mathematical gaps. Join DLeNM to experience effective and engaging mathematics instructional strategies to support in-person instruction while deepening your own mathematical knowledge. This will be a hands-on institute targeting K–8 mathematics educators and secondary teachers working with ELs, emerging bilinguals, and students who struggle with math.
  • June 6–9: Hybrid Summer Institute 2022 – Join DLeNM in-person or virtually for sessions that will support you in building your understanding of powerful frameworks; engage in student-centered instructional strategies for the core content areas of math, language arts, social studies, and science; and deepen your understanding of how to integrate content and language to support ELs and emerging bilinguals.
Job Opportunities
DC International School
Washington, DC
Clarkston University, Capital Region Campus
Schenectady, NY
KIPP Texas Public Schools
Houston, TX
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
Connect With NCELA
Join Dr. Supreet Anand at NABE 2022

Attending this year’s NABE Conference? Don’t miss OELA’s Dr. Supreet Anand at the Awards Luncheon on February 9 at 12:10 p.m. ET and at the Featured Session on February 10 from 8:15–9:15 a.m.
Subscribe to NCELA Nexus
Did you receive the Nexus from a colleague? You can subscribe here.
Submit Your News
Do you have news to share with the Nexus community?
Send your alerts, upcoming events, resources, and job postings to AskNCELA
by Tuesday, February 15 for inclusion in the next edition of Nexus.
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA)
Disclaimer: NCELA Nexus is intended to share information that can be of use to educators, parents, learners, leaders, and other stakeholders in their efforts to ensure that every student, including ELs, is provided with the highest quality education and expanded opportunities to succeed. The information and materials presented on NCELA Nexus do not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by NCELA, the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), or the U.S. Department of Education.