Michigan: ELL Resources

As of the 2016-2017 school year, Michigan’s schools were home to more than 94,500 English language learners. As of the 2014-2015 school year, the most common five languages spoken by ELLs in Michigan were Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Albanian, and Chinese. (U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Statistics)
Minnesota is a member of WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), joining in 2010. WIDA is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners which offers states programming for identifying and annually assessing the English language development of its English learners.
State ELL Resources
State Agency: Michigan Department of Education (MDE)
ELL Website: Title III — English Learner and Immigrant Education Programs
Professional Development: Professional Learning & State Continuing Education Hours (including ESL courses)
ELP Standards & Assessment
Overview: Michigan WIDA Website
ELP Standards: WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards
ELP Assessment: WIDA-ACCESS for ELLs
Statewide Standards-Based Assessment
Assessment: Michigan Student Assessment Website
ELL Accommodations: Information is available from the M-STEP website.
Additional Information
NCELA: Title III Information
Common Core State Standards: Yes
ESSA: Michigan ESSA State Plan
Statewide Organizations
The mission of AFT Michigan, the statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, is to advance the interests of our members and the institutions in which they work.
Michigan Education Association
Michigan Education Association is a National Education Association State Affiliate that regularly lobbies legislators for the resources schools need, campaigns for higher professional standards for the teaching profession, and files legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees.
Michigan Alliance for Families
Michigan Alliance for Families is a statewide resource to connect families of children with disabilities to resources to help improve their children’s education. They help facilitate parent involvement as a means of improving educational services and outcomes for students with disabilities.
MITESOL is an organization composed of a diverse group of administrators, educators, materials writers, researchers, and teacher trainers primarily from the state of Michigan involved in teaching students whose first language is not English.
Seal of Biliteracy Update: Michigan
Michigan has a Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. If you are aware of schools or districts that have adopted the Seal of Biliteracy in the state, send an update to the official Seal of Biliteracy site!
Dearborn Public Schools: EL & Compensatory Education Department
Dearborn Public Schools is committed to interventions that provide language support allowing students to achieve academic success on state standards in all content areas while attaining English Language proficiency and preparing all our students for college and career readiness. The Dearborn EL team has provided professional development for colleagues throughout the state of Michigan.
Related Video
Note: Regulations change with time. These guidelines were compiled in January of 2012 and updated in January 2020. If you see something that needs updating, please send an e-mail to Colorín Colorado. For more detailed information regarding ELL guidelines and policies at the state and federal levels, please see the following:
References
National Center for Education Statistics. (2018.) English language learner (ELL) students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, fall 2000 through fall 2016.
U.S. Department of Education. Our Nation’s English Learners. Most Common Non-English Languages Spoken by English Learners.