ELL News Headlines

Throughout the week, Colorín Colorado gathers news headlines related to English language learners from around the country. The ELL Headlines are posted Monday through Friday and are available for free!

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Georgia Judge: DACA Students Can Pay In-State Tuition Rate

Undocumented immigrants in Georgia who came to the U.S. as children and have received temporary protection from deportation under the Obama administration will now be able to pay in-state tuition at the state’s colleges and universities, a judge ruled in the years-long court case Tuesday.

Libraries Join National Initiative to Transform Public Housing into Book-Rich Environments

A new initiative designed to boost literacy and improve educational outcomes for public housing residents has been launched. The announcement was made by Julián Castro, secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); John B. King, Jr., secretary, U.S. Department of Education; and Broderick Johnson, chair of My Brother's Keeper Task Force and assistant to the President, on January 5 at the Washington, DC Southwest Public Library. The primary goal of the Book-Rich Environment Initiative is to bring free, diverse, high-quality books and other literacy tools to families living in HUD-assisted housing, home to nearly four million children.

Happy Three Kings Day! Families Celebrate a Cherished Tradition

Many Latino children across the U.S. are waking up on January 6th to presents and more importantly to a cherished tradition: El Día de los Reyes — or Three Kings Day, also known in the Christian religion as the Feast of the Epiphany. Susana Torres, a Mexican American mother who lives in Denver, Colorado tells NBC that her children do not wait for Santa Claus to receive gifts — instead they anxiously wait for Los Reyes Magos (The Magi).

Quality Counts 2017: Building on ESSA's K-12 Foundation

The 21st edition of Quality Counts examines what states and districts are doing to make ready for the Every Student Succeeds Act's implementation, and offers state-by-state grades for how the nation's schools are faring on a range of educational measures.

Spotlight on Newburgh: How State Reform for English Learners is Taking Root in New York

As Janie Carnock details in her recent report, From Blueprint to Building: Lifting the Torch for Multilingual Students in New York StateNew York has recently led a bullish redesign of policies and practices to better support the education of its growing, diversifying ELL population. Passed in 2014 under the umbrella of the state’s Blueprint for ELL Success strategy, new rules comprehensively revamp ELL policies across the board. With 2015–16 as the first school year of full implementation, promising changes are already unfolding in districts like Newburgh, which sits on the bank of the Hudson River sixty miles north of New York City and has seen an influx of new immigration from Central America in recent years.

'The Magic School Bus' Will Return to Teach New Generations About STEM

Everyone's favorite red-headed science teacher—and her pet lizard—will soon be back. Netflix's appeal to nostalgia continues with its upcoming reboot of the beloved '90s Saturday morning cartoon "The Magic School Bus," starring eccentric science teacher Ms. Frizzle and her eager students as they embark on out-of-this world field trips. 

Helping English-Learners Break Through Language Plateaus

Long-term English-language Learners (LTELs) are students who have been classified as English-language learners (ELLs) for more than six years, are verbally bilingual, are below grade-level in reading and writing, and are at high-risk for dropping out. Although there is no national data on LTELs, a high percentage of our secondary schools' ELLs is considered long-term, with a myriad of literacy needs, including mitigating their fossilized language habits.

Review: Flying Lessons & Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh

Grades 4-6: This anthology, published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, presents 10 short stories from a stellar list of authors: Kwame Alexander, Matt de la Peña, Jacqueline Woodson, Soman Chainani, Grace Lin, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Federle, Meg Medina, Tim Tingle, and Kelly Baptist…Inclusive, authentic, and eminently readable, this collection of short stories is an excellent addition for libraries and classrooms.

Living In America 101: When Refugees Arrive, What Do They Need To Learn?

I was standing by the airport exit, debating whether to get a snack, when a young man with a round face approached me. I focused hard to decipher his words. In a thick accent, he asked me to help him find his suitcase. As we walked to baggage claim, I learned his name: Edward Murinzi. This was his very first plane trip. A refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, he'd just arrived to begin his American life. From finding his bag to finding his apartment and finding a job, there was a lot for Edward to learn.

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