ELL News Headlines

Administrators at Dorchester School District Two in suburban Summerville, South Carolina, were well aware of the digital divide when they decided to give students both paper and online resources after shuttering schools because of coronavirus. But even their best efforts have some educators worried, especially those who teach English to speakers of other languages (ESOL).

When schools moved to virtual learning because of the coronavirus pandemic, there was growing concern over how English as a second language students would adapt. "I was a little worried," East High School ESL Teacher Catalina Thompson said. "How do we keep the momentum going?"

When schools reopen in the fall, they will look very different than the schools children left in the spring. There will likely be masks, temperature checks and extra space between desks. Nearly 1 out of 5 teachers may not be able to return to school buildings. And looming over schools will be the potential for additional closures forcing students back to remote learning. This new Blueprint for Back to School lays out the issues leaders need to address in these next four months. It is a product reflecting the thinking of 21 former state education chiefs, federal policymakers (spanning the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations), district superintendents and charter school leaders.

Many states are leaving decisions about how to continue instruction during school closures up to districts. Digital Promise and The Education Trust partnered to compile the following questions to guide equity advocates and district leaders as they engage in conversations about ensuring that our most vulnerable students have equitable access to distance learning, both now and for however long school buildings are shuttered. Depending on public health guidance, distance learning may be needed for the summer and parts of the next school year. In this guide, we share ideas that advocates and district leaders can consider when planning for how to continue teaching and supporting students, based on what other states and districts have begun to do.

Beatriz Morales, who only speaks Spanish, has been trying to teach her first grade daughter how to read in English ever since schools closed and Chicago Public Schools rolled out remote learning. "My English is upside down, but I try to be there for my little girl," Morales said in Spanish. Her two children go to Seward Elementary on the South Side and are also learning English. "We try to figure out the pronunciation together." When Morales needs help with pronunciation, she asks her son for guidance. He’s a third grader who also needs help with English. She pretends to be in control so her kids don’t lose confidence, but she knows they are falling behind.

Some private schools provide online luxury learning during the pandemic. As many public schools struggle to adjust, the nation’s educational gaps widen.