Although education is in many ways a responsibility of states and localities, the U.S. federal government also has an important role to play. National laws, court rulings, and policy guidance help ensure that English Learner (EL) and immigrant-background students have equitable access to a meaningful education. It is then up to states and school…

This document provides a detailed discussion of two laws and three court cases affecting the education of non-English speaking children. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 addresses equal education opportunities for all Americans. The Four Point Memorandum issued by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare specifically deals with…

Whether bilingual-bicultural education will become a change agent and secure equal status with other programs as a desirable and essential aspect of the American educational process is still a question. Like all socio-political issues, its future depends upon the attitudes and beliefs of the populace. One of the current stumbling blocks for the…

Migration over the U.S. southwest border in the past decade has been composed of growing numbers of undocumented and asylum-seeking families and children from Mexico and Central America, with larger increases starting in fiscal year (FY) 2017. By U.S. law, states must provide education to all children, regardless of immigration status. Yet…

In recent years, record numbers of undocumented and asylum-seeking families and children from Mexico and Northern Triangle countries--El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras--crossed the U.S. southwest border in search of safety and opportunity. Some cross undetected, without registering with immigration authorities and becoming…

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) ensures educational equity for multilingual learners through supporting school districts and charter schools to develop, implement and evaluate research-based language instruction education programs so that multilingual learners, including students with English learner status, attain academic language…

More than 112,000 Indiana students speak a language other than English at home, and there are over 275 different languages represented in Indiana schools. Of these, over 50,000 students have been formally identified as English learners due to limited proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing academic English. English learners make…

The abilities to communicate in multiple languages and navigate distinct cultural settings are significant assets that need to be understood and supported in schools. Minnesota values schools that strive to recognize and build on the linguistic and cultural resources of students and families. Recognizing and building on the strengths and resources…

The ability to communicate in multiple languages and navigate distinct cultural settings are significant assets that need to be understood and supported in schools. Minnesota values schools that strive to recognize and build on the linguistic and cultural resources of students and families. Recognizing and building on the strengths and resources…

These Questions and Answers are intended to assist states and school districts in meeting their legal obligations to ensure that their enrollment policies and practices at the elementary and secondary school levels do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and do not bar or discourage students' enrollment in elementary…

Under Federal law, State and local educational agencies (hereinafter "districts") are required to provide all children with equal access to public education at the elementary and secondary level. Thie Dear Colleague letter was written to remind school districts of the Federal obligation to provide equal educational opportunities to all…

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina displaced the largest number of public school children ever affected by any disaster. Approximately 370,000 children, including 15,000 Latino/Hispanic children from Louisiana, were scattered throughout the 48 U.S. states (Landrieu, 2010; Louisiana Department of Education, 2004). Although much of the media…

Detailed interviews with immigrant students in the California school system indicate that the schools are not meeting the challenge of providing these students with an education adequate to prepare them to be productive members of American society. The first section presents demographic data and background information on immigrant children and…

This brochure, entirely in Spanish, provides information on federal policy concerning equal educational opportunity for limited-English-proficient (LEP) individuals. It first summarizes the provisions of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the subsequent major Civil Rights Office directives concerning that legislation. It then outlines…