As a collective of organizations and advocates committed to advancing educational equity and
opportunity for California’s almost one million English learner students and 1.5 million dual
language learners, we are deeply concerned by the Trump administration’s decision to close
the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) within the U.S. Department of Education. For
the past 25 years, OELA has played a critical role in supporting states and local educational
agencies (LEAs) through technical assistance, policy guidance, and oversight focused
specifically on the needs of English learners. The loss of this dedicated office raises serious
concerns about the federal government’s capacity to effectively support the implementation of
high-quality programs for multilingual learners nationwide and is part of a broader pattern of
federal cutbacks and aggressive actions negatively impacting multilingual learners.
Regardless of this structural change, federal and state requirements for serving English
learners have not changed. The U.S. Department of Education’s statutory responsibilities to
English learners remain, including administration of Title III, which provides formula grants to all
50 states to help English learners attain English language proficiency and meet academic
standards. Districts must continue to:
- identify English learners;
- provide appropriate designated and integrated ELD instruction;
- ensure meaningful access to grade-level curriculum;
- provide interpretation, translation, and culturally responsive engagement with families; and
- monitor student progress toward English proficiency and academic success.
In short, schools and districts remain legally obligated and educationally responsible under
federal and state civil rights laws to provide English learners with the services and supports they
need for meaningful and equitable educational access.
California has long served as a national leader in supporting multilingual learners, and
this moment calls on all of us to reaffirm that commitment. The California English Learner
Roadmap Policy grounds us in the belief that multilingualism is an asset and that every student
deserves access to rigorous, affirming, and high-quality instruction. Even amid federal
uncertainty, California must continue to champion and expand policies and practices – like
widely available bilingual education programs – that increase opportunities for multilingual
learners. And, at a time when many immigrant and newcomer students are experiencing
heightened fear and uncertainty, schools must remain safe, welcoming, and affirming
environments where every student can learn and belong.
District and school leaders should not interpret the closure of OELA as a signal to reduce
staffing, professional learning, bilingual programming, newcomer supports, family engagement
services, or accountability for multilingual learner outcomes. Instead, this moment requires an
even stronger commitment to ensuring multilingual learners receive the instruction, support, and
opportunities they deserve.
Fortunately, California educators and advocates can continue to rely on strong resources
and guidance developed by policymakers and practitioners to support these efforts,
including:
- California English Learner Roadmap Policy
- Multilingual learner support resources for practitioners and families from the California Department of Education (CDE)
- Educator Workforce Investment Grant (EWIG) resources through the Multilingual California Project and EL RISE!
- California Newcomer Education and Well-Being (CalNEW) and California Newcomer Network (CANN)
- Multilingual Education For All campaign
- Multilingual Learning Toolkit
English learners enrich our classrooms and communities with their languages, cultures, and
perspectives, and we have a collective responsibility to deepen our commitment by investing in
research-based practices that support them. We will continue to advocate to ensure
multilingual learners receive the support and high-quality educational opportunities they
deserve, and we call on educators, policymakers, and advocates to deepen – not
diminish – their commitment to multilingual learners amidst the latest federal decisions.
