NCELA Professional News

August 16, 2016 | nex•us: noun \’nek-ses\ a relationship or connection between people or things
Institute of Education Sciences (IES)Announces Research Grant Awards. IES has recently awarded more than $100 million in grants for education research across a wide array of subjects. American Institutes for Research, the University of Delaware, and the University of Maryland received grants for research on ELs. Follow the links on the grants page linked above for details on the research projects. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Announces Expansion of its Central American Minors Program. The Central American Minors program provides children in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with a safe and orderly alternative to the dangerous, irregular journey that some children are currently undertaking to reach the U.S. U.S. Department of Education Takes Actions to Address Religious Discrimination. The Department has recently shared a series of actions that confront religious discrimination in schools and promote inclusive school environments. U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Offers Spanish/English Natural Disaster Alert App. This FEMA app in both Spanish and English provides alerts for families concerning natural disasters. Feel free to share this information with students and their families. American Institutes for Research What ESSA really means for students and educators. This collection of articles outlines evidence presented in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) on how educators are expected to work with various populations and subgroups. The Atlantic The new bilingualism. This article explores the growth of dual language programs across the United States. Why are third graders afraid of Donald Trump?This article discusses how schoolchildren are becoming engaged in the 2016 election, specifically around the topic of immigrants and immigrant children. It also shows how educators might navigate political discussions while ensuring impartiality. Education Week U.S. Secretary of Education: Let’s educate, not incarcerate. This commentary from U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. argues for a decrease in incarceration spending and an increase in education spending. Richard Carranza selected as new Houston schools superintendent. The Houston school board announced San Francisco Unified Superintendent Richard Carranza, a former English learner himself, as their pick to lead their district. EdSource Dual language programs could get boost with initiative on November ballot. A new ballot initiative in California, Proposition 58, seeks to overturn key parts of the two-decade-old Proposition 227—which emphasized English-only education for ELs—to make it easier to create dual language programs. The Hechinger Report When it comes to wiping out the achievement gap for Hispanic students, rigor is only part of the battle. This article discusses ways to make more resources available for Spanish-speaking families. Pulling reservation schools back from the brink. This article discusses a program to improve American Indian high schools in Montana, and increase the college- and career-readiness of Native Americans. Alliance for Excellent Education Every Student Succeeds Act primer: American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students. This report outlines provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) specific to the American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian populations. Arizona State University Closing the education gap for migrant children. This report illustrates how Conexiones, a program at Arizona State University, works to assist school districts working with migrant students. The Philadelphia Inquirer Learning English on the job, in school. This article provides examples of some of the success stories of EL programs in Philadelphia. New America A turning tide: Massachusetts’ new bill and the growing demand for bi-lingual education. This report outlines Massachusetts’ new Language Opportunities for Our Kids (LOOK) bill, which promotes bilingual education. Helping every English learner student succeed…by leaving 40% out. This article highlights the fact that EL accountability systems in ESSA are only necessary for grades 3–12, as opposed to K–12. Politico The importance of ‘n-sizes’. This article discusses accountability measures for subgroups, such as minority students and ELs, according to ESSA. Social Science Research Network Every dollar counts: In defense of the Education Department’s “supplement not supplant” proposal. This paper outlines the Department’s proposal to regulate Title I funds to ensure that low-income schools are funded equitably. The authors support the Department’s proposal, and argue against legal objections raised by the Congressional Research Service.	TransACT Communication, OCR/DOJ Joint EL Guidance Webinar Series, August 31, 2016, 3:00–4:00 p.m. PT. This is the next open session in a monthly, year-long series that focuses on the issues addressed in the Dear Colleague Letter on ELs published in January 2015 by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, and the U.S. Department of Justice. The series will also cover material provided in the EL Tool Kit published by OELA, and has been updated to include ESSA requirements. [Register now for open sessions in coming months; slots are filling up!] Colorado Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), CABE 2016: Multilingual Voices por un mundo mejor!, September 14–15, 2016, Westminster, Colorado. This year’s conference includes state and national experts leading meaningful professional development sessions that focus on equity and achievement, science-technology-engineering-arts-mathematics, and “simultaneous bilinguals, the new American reality.” Excelencia in Education, Accelerating Latino Student Success (ALASS) Workshop, September 22, 2016, Washington, DC. Register for interactive sessions with innovative professionals from across the country sharing effective institutional strategies, powerful analysis, and new resources. Early bird registration ends July 31. Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS), 13th Annual ALAS Education Summit: Leading and Learning in a Digital Era, October 12–15, 2016, Philadelphia, PA. The conference will focus on how technology can help support and advance instruction to promote Latino student and EL achievement. Each session will emphasize student-centered, data-driven approaches. WIDA 2016 National Conference. Drawing on Life’s Experiences: Designing Bright Futures,October 12–15, 2016, Philadelphia, PA. Administrators and educators of pre-K through grade 12 ELs will find opportunities for professional learning, idea sharing, relationship building, and strategic collaboration. The Division for Early Childhood (DEC), 32nd Annual International DEC Conference, October 16–20, 2016, Louisville, KY. This year’s conference—with the theme “A Winning Trifecta: Knowledge, Implementation, and Evaluation of DEC Recommended Practices”—features leading experts from around the world in early intervention, early childhood special education, and related disciplines. University of Minnesota, Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA),Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education, October 20–22, 2016, Minneapolis, MN. The conference will focus on connecting research and practice, and engaging in research-informed dialogue and professional exchanges, across languages and contexts. La Cosecha, 21st Annual Dual Language Conference, November 9–12, 2016, Santa Fe, NM. La Cosecha 2016 will bring together educators, parents, researchers, and practitioners supporting dual language enrichment programs from across the country. TESOL, Virtual Seminar: Flipping the ELT Classroom With Technology, August 24, 2016, 10:30 am-12:00 pm ET. Register by 21 August. Pearson, SIOP® Institute II, October 20–21, 2016, St Louis, MO. Learn successful coaching and implementation practices at this two-day workshop designed for educators who are currently using the SIOP® Model in their schools or classrooms. Bank Street College of Education, The Language Series: 2016, November 18–19, 2016, New York, NY. The Language Series supports educators in understanding the critical role that language plays in the social and academic success of all students. The focus of the fall event is using the social language of our students for academic language development. Pearson SIOP® Institute I, December 8–10, 2016, San Diego, CA. Learn how to effectively implement the SIOP® Model to teach academic language and content knowledge at the same time. TESOL, Fundamentals of TESOL, Self-Study. This is a self-paced, individualized learning experience. Additional self-study classes and scheduled online courses can be found on TESOL’s website. The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), Madison, WI, is currently taking applications for a variety of positions, including Bilingual Educators (Hmong/English and Spanish/English) and a Bilingual Library Media Technology Specialist. Visit http://www.mmsd.org/jobs, then ‘View Jobs’ for open positions. Prince William County Schools, Prince William County, VA, is seeking teachers of ELs. The district provides extensive professional learning, opportunities to benefit from instructional coaching, and an environment that utilizes collaboration to provide integrated language development and academic learning experiences for our ELs. Candidates must be eligible for licensure in ESOL K-12 in Virginia. Next Step Public Charter School, Washington, DC, seeks an English-Spanish Bilingual Case Manager. The Bridgeton Public School District, NJ, is seeking a Bilingual Teacher and an ESL Teacher.