ELL News Headlines

What makes a stellar mystery triumph where others fail? It happens when adventure, suspense, and logic combine with wit and curiosity. Albert Einstein encouraged people to raise questions because curiosity is fundamental to creativity and critical thinking. Successful detectives are those who reflect, question, and challenge the status quo. Mystery as a genre includes suspects, red herrings, code-breaking, deductive reasoning, and problem-solving as elemental to the story structure. Horror is often intermixed because a crime (murderous or not) is committed. Many of these titles also have eco-lit themes, as climate change continues to show up in the plot or subplot.

The majority of students identified as English learners (ELs) enter the public education system in kindergarten. Given this fact, it may be easy to assume that most ELs are concentrated in the elementary grades, but in reality, 43 percent of EL students are enrolled in grades 6-12. Students within this age/grade range are considered adolescent ELs, and they are not a homogenous group. In addition, adolescent ELs have distinct social-emotional, linguistic, and pedagogical needs from their younger counterparts.

Louisiana’s first alternative program to certify teachers of English learners will seek final approval Wednesday from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in hopes of addressing a shortage of teachers serving the state’s growing English learning student population.

A new round of layoffs at the Education Department is depleting an agency that was hit hard in the Trump administration’s previous mass firings, threatening new disruption to the nation’s students and schools in areas from special education to civil rights enforcement and after-school programs.

The agency that lost half its staff earlier this year will see a fifth of remaining employees depart under a new reduction in force.

Sweeping layoffs announced Friday by the Trump administration landed another body blow to the U.S. Department of Education, this time gutting the office responsible for overseeing special education, according to multiple sources within the department.

California may soon pass legislation mandating evidence-based reading instruction, after more than a year of tense negotiations between battling advocacy groups.

Ann Arbor educator Suzanne Vu is an outstanding educator who brings expertise and collaboration to her work every day. "Her deep knowledge of English Language instruction allows her to thoughtfully tailor support to meet each student's unique needs," Logan Elementary Principal Will Wright says. "Suzanne builds strong, trusting relationships with families and is actively involved in every part of our school community. Her dedication makes a lasting difference for our multilingual learners and for Logan as a whole."

For Chelsea Duran, returning to Maywood Academy High School this fall for her senior year means feeling like she has to be on high alert, watching over her shoulder for immigration enforcement agents.

The National Book Foundation today announced the five finalists for the 2025 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The list includes three novels in verse and three authors who were previously finalists for Young People's Literature: Ibi Zoboi (2017), Kyle Lukoff (2021), and Amber McBride (2021).