Upcoming Professional Learning and Development Opportunities

Upcoming Webinars

When Indigenous Students are Classified as English Learners in School: Contexts, Opportunities, and Dilemmas | Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm Pacific Time (5:00 – 6:00 pm Eastern Time)

English learner (EL) status is a protected status in U.S. K-12 schools; a status that comes with additional resources for language instruction and accessible core content. Federal law differentiates eligibility for Indigenous students, and nearly one in ten Indigenous students in the U.S. is classified as an EL. Yet an absence of federal guidance on this differentiation has led to a situation in which Indigenous students’ place in EL programs remains ambiguous and variable across states.

In this webinar, Dr. Ilana Umansky and Dr. Taiyo Itoh from the University of Oregon will share findings from their research studies that examine how states identify Indigenous students as EL-eligible. Drawing on reviews of state policies and interviews with state education leaders, they will explore the contexts, dilemmas, and opportunities associated with EL identification for Indigenous students. This webinar aims to create a space for Indigenous education stakeholders and others to discuss critical questions around EL status and ways to improve EL policies and practices for Indigenous students.