U.S. Department of Education: English Learner Toolkit

"Our work is motivated by the belief that all students—regardless of race, gender, income, disability, and English learner status—need and deserve a world-class education," ---U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

On January 7, 2015, the Departments of Education and Justice issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) which outlined legal obligations to English Learners under civil rights laws.  The 10-chapter tool kit is a companion to guidance that was released in January that reminds schools of their obligations under federal law to serve the more than 5 million English language learners attending public schools. Across the country, English language learners make up about 10 percent of all public school students.

The English Learner Tool Kit helps state and local education agencies help English Learners (ELs) by fulfilling these obligations. The Toolkit has 10 chapters (one for each section of the DCL), and contains an overview, sample tools, and resources to help educators identify, serve and fully integrate English language learners.

Download the entire English Learner Tool Kit

Introduction

• Cover Page

• English Introduction

• Introduction Translations:

  • Chinese simplified
  • Chinese traditional
  • Spanish
  • Lao
  • Korean
  • Hmong 
  • Khmer (Cambodian)
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese

Chapters

1. Identifying All English Learner Students (PDF, 1.5MB)

2. Providing English Learners with a Language Assistance Program (PDF, 800KB)

3. Staffing and Supporting an EL Program (PDF, 921KB)

4. Meaningful Access to Core Curricular, Extra Curricular Programs (PDF, 1.75MB)

5. Creating an Inclusive Environment and Avoiding Unnecessary Segregation (PDF, 910KB)

6. Addressing English Learners with Disabilities (PDF, 1.27MB)

7. Serving English Learners who Opt-Out of EL Programs (PDF, 386KB)

8. Monitoring and Exiting English Learners from EL Programs and Services (PDF, 1.23MB)

9. Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Districts EL Program (PDF, 907KB)

10. Ensuring Meaningful Communication with Limited English Proficient Parents (PDF, 1.26MB)