English learners (ELs) are students who are learning English as an additional language and may require support to develop proficiency in English. Public schools in the United States have legal obligations to provide instructional services to all ELs. Under civil rights law, schools are obligated to ensure that ELs have equal access to education. The number of ELs in K-12 schools has been increasing, with ELs making up 10.1% of the total student population in 2017.
Additionally, during the 2017-2018 school year, over 5 million ELs were enrolled in K-12 schools in the United States. Four states had an EL population that was above 12% of total student enrollment, with California having the highest percentage, over 20% [3]. It’s important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the percentage of ELs in the student population in 2022.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the fall of 2019, the percentage of ELs was higher for school districts in more urbanized areas than for those in less urbanized areas. On average, ELs constituted 14.8 percent of total public school enrollment in cities, 10.0 percent in suburban areas, 7.0 percent in towns, and 4.4 percent in rural areas [1][2].
To meet their legal obligations, public schools are required to provide ELs with language assistance services, which may include bilingual education, English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, and/or other language acquisition programs. Schools must ensure that ELs receive the same educational opportunities as non-ELs and must not discriminate against ELs based on their national origin or limited English proficiency. Schools are also required to assess the English language proficiency of ELs and monitor their progress in acquiring English language skills.
In summary, public schools are required to provide instructional services to all ELs and ensure that they have equal access to education. Schools must provide language assistance services, assess English language proficiency, and monitor ELs’ progress in acquiring English language skills. Failure to meet these legal obligations may result in legal action, as seen in the D.J., et al. v. State of California, et al. lawsuit settlement.
Our services to public schools help school staff, students, and parents facilitate communication quickly, efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively. Our language services company is equipped to offer both translation and interpretation services to help bridge communication gaps between limited English proficiency (LEP) students and school staff. This can include translation of important school documents such as enrollment forms, consent forms, and disciplinary forms. Our trained interpreters can also help facilitate communication between students, teachers and parents, which can be critical in situations where timely and accurate communication is necessary. We can provide interpreters in-person, telephonically or remotely via video.
TLB has extensive experience working with government agencies and understands the legal requirements of providing language services to ELs and LEP individuals under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 13166. This means that public schools can trust us to provide rapid solutions in compliance with legal requirements.
If your school, or district, is looking for a reliable service provider to assist with management of communications and notifications with EL LEP students and families, TLB is a turnkey solution.