ELL News Headlines

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).

A groundbreaking children’s television show is set to introduce a new character who is largely non-speaking and communicates with the help of a special speech tablet. "Carl the Collector," which made history when it premiered last year with its focus on a cast of neurodiverse characters, will add Paolo, a new friend with autism who loves outer space.

One of the world’s most beloved and influential primatologists and conservationists has died. Jane Goodall spent more than half a century studying chimpanzees and advocating for animal rights and environmental protection. As Jeffrey Brown reports, Goodall helped change the way we look at animals and their behavior.