Supporting English Learners in the COVID-19 Crisis

As the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the families of English learners (ELs) have experienced disproportionate distress with the shuttering of schools and the economic crisis. The reality of what many EL and immigrant families have faced during the pandemic must be incorporated at the outset into any planning for the reopening of schools to ensure appropriate supports for English learners and their families. The failure to address the needs of these students in the reopening of schools would jeopardize the educational outcomes of a sizable portion of students and the overall recovery efforts of districts across the country. This guide is the ninth in a series developed by the Council of the Great City Schools to help districts as they prepare to reopen schools--whatever that may look like--in the 2020-21 school year. Many of these guides identify some EL-specific needs and challenges. This guide addresses the issues facing families of English learners in greater detail. It also includes some of the lessons that districts have learned while working to support their English learner and immigrant communities during school closures. The EL-focused recommendations in this report also reflect a "systems approach" consistent with the findings and recommendations of the Council's seminal report, "Succeeding with English Language Learners: Lessons Learned from Urban School Districts." The suggestions made in this document build on the notion of shared responsibility across school district departments and the importance of a well-articulated curriculum for the success of English learners; and it covers a range of areas: screening and placement, instructional practices and technology, English language development, staffing, professional development, assessment, and family engagement. [For "Succeeding with English language learners: Lessons learned from the Great City Schools," see ED508234.]