Resources in Spanish for Parents of English Learners en español

Dear Members and Partners: During the past nine months PON has engaged with parents, students, school staff, and researchers to deepen our understanding about English Learners (ELs) and English Language Development (ELD). Our goal was to better support families and provide more meaningful input to school district's Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) around ELs. We have learned that: ELs have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and are faring the worst of all students in several academic and socioemotional indicators. California's ELD standards, tests, and guidance have changed a lot in the past decade. Parents, teachers, and community advocates supporting families are still catching up to fully understand these changes. Providing services and measuring progress and success of ELs is very nuanced. When done right, services for students such as ELD programs, instruction adaptations, and interventions are tailored by: EL typology (i.e., English Learners on Track, Newcomers, Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education, Potential and Long-Term English Learners, English Learners with Disabilities, English Learners Identified as Gifted), students’ grade levels, English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) levels, and the domain(s) where students need support (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing).   Districts with more successful ELD programs tend to have a strong district team with specialists supporting teachers, parents, and students to monitor progress. To support parents to better understand ELD programs we compiled resources and co-designed tools with parents and teachers that are now available on our website. Please help us share these resources broadly with others. Thank you!

Resources: Videos, Plans, Guides & Additional Support

Instructional Programs Parents learn about the history of English learners in the United States and the rights of these students to have equal access to education. It also describes the different types of ELD programs and strategies to support students in learning grade-level subject content while learning the English language.

Monitoring Student Progress Parents learn about ELPAC, the test that measures students' skills in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Parents learn how to locate their English Learner's ELPAC score, how to monitor academic progress, and the type of supports available to their child while in ELD programs and after reclassifying. This video reviews how to interpret test results and where to find practice tests to support students.

Reclassification Parents learn about general requirements to reclassify a student to mainstream classes. It also reviews a reclassification plan to help the family make progress toward this goal. Finally, participants discuss high school graduation plans and post-secondary education options.

Thanks to our partners and sponsors for making this possible  Many thanks to parents from PON's LAUSD Committee, Latinos In Action in Long Beach, Gente Organizada and Padres Unidos de Pomona for co-designing these tools. We greatly appreciate the expertise from Californians Together's EL RISE! and ELD teachers Lillian Ruvalcaba and Alicia Raygoza from Mountain View School District. This project was funded with support from the English Learner Consortium, The Education Trust-West, and the California Community Foundation.

Donate