ELL News Headlines

Puerto Ricans who survived Hurricane Maria seven years ago and are now living in Florida are not only grappling with the aftermath of Milton, but they are also coping with the emotions that come when reminded of one of the deadliest and most devastating tragedies.

Staffing shortages are both a national challenge and a highly localized problem for districts. While teacher vacancies have risen significantly since the pandemic, the exact educators in demand vary considerably by field, and promising recruiting programs in one district may not transfer to another in a different state.

As diversity continues to (slowly) rise in publishing, the horror genre has greatly expanded, bringing readers many new writers with fresh tales to tell. Inclusivity across race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, mental health, physical ability, and more are highlighted in the following 18 titles, reflecting the diverse lives and needs of young adults. Short, vicious stories; long, whimsical novels; and everything in between are represented here and reflect the disparate backgrounds of a group of authors whose works will likely continue to drive the genre’s development for years to come.

Hurricane Milton is expected to unleash its greatest force over hundreds of thousands of immigrants who don’t speak English, most of them Latin Americans harvesting oranges and tomatoes in the fields along Florida’s I-4 corridor, washing dishes in restaurants, cleaning hotel rooms and working construction.

Schools are legally obligated to enroll any immigrant student who is eligible to attend, regardless of legal status. Schools are also obligated to provide English learners with English-language instruction and ensure that they have access to the core academic content other students have. But schools aren’t always meeting those obligations. Researchers have found, for instance, that English learners often aren’t enrolled in the core courses they need to complete high school.

Teachers can use these strategies to help keep students who are still learning English on track with their peers.

The Department of Education dubbed speaking a second language a “superpower” when it announced plans last year to support multilingual education with grants. In states like California and New York, students speak as many as 150 languages.

Dr. Sharmil Shah, assistant deputy director of the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, explains the $278-million plan to build a more diverse workforce and better serve young people across the state.

As September comes to a close, public schools across the country are finding themselves at the edge of a funding cliff as pandemic-era federal dollars run out. Principals in Georgia and Ohio describe how they are affected, and Ali Rogin speaks with Marguerite Roza, director of Georgetown University's Edunomics Lab, for more about what schools have planned.

In celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, SLJ reviews director Shelley Diaz will speak with Newbery Medalist and National Ambassador of Young People's Literature Meg Medina about Latinx representation in children's literature, her most recent picture book,  No More Señora Mimí, upcoming projects, and more on Monday, October 14 from 1 to 2 p.m. ET.