Educating English Learners during the COVID-19 Pandemic
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MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE
NATIONAL CENTER
ON IMMIGRANT
INTEGRATION POLICY
Educating English Learners during the
POLICY BRIEF
COVID-19 Pandemic
Policy Ideas for States and School Districts
SEPTEMBER 2020
BY JULIE SUGARMAN AND MELISSA LAZARÍN
Executive Summary As a result, ELs may face setbacks in their English
language development after five or more months
without consistent opportunities to listen, speak,
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp write, and read in English—especially the level of
relief the inequities that English Learners (ELs) academic English that is foundational to educational
and children from immigrant families experience success. Research suggests that these losses may lin-
in U.S. schools and in their communities. Many of ger for years to come. With many schools beginning
the nation’s 5 million ELs attend low-income, un- the 2020–21 year either partly or entirely remotely,
der-resourced schools, which often struggle—de- these losses may be even more acute. According to
spite decades-old legal requirements—to provide one estimate, if schools operate remotely through
high-quality instruction and necessary academic the fall, students participating in distance learning
supports to these students. The shift to remote of poor quality could lose seven to 11 months of
learning in March 2020 resulted in an enormously learning, and those who do not participate at all
uneven response by states and districts, and the may find themselves up to 14 months behind.
ongoing public-health crisis is likely to result in the
widening of already significant opportunity and
achievement gaps. The ongoing public-health crisis is
likely to result in the widening of
Despite enormous efforts on the part of educators
already significant opportunity and
to provide continuity of learning in Spring 2020
through remote learning, these efforts fell short
achievement gaps.
for many ELs and their families. Some of the school
Finally, for many families of ELs, the pandemic and
systems with the greatest number of enrolled ELs
accompanied school building closures have com-
estimated that less than half of ELs were logging in promised their access to food and income security
to online instruction. Among the most significant as well as social and mental-health supports. Immi-
barriers to ELs’ participation were: a lack of access to grant communities also appear to be especially vul-
digital devices and broadband; parents’ limited ca- nerable to the coronavirus, yet lack equitable access
pacity to support home learning; inadequate remote to health services. Some immigrants may also be
learning resources and training for teachers; and hesitant to seek medical assistance out of fear—fu-
school–family language barriers. eled by federal policies seeking to limit immigrants’EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
access to public benefits—that doing so could have capacity to serve ELs as they continue
immigration consequences. As such, school may be remote learning and as regular instruction
but one of many pressing concerns for many families resumes. State EL leaders should play a key
for some time to come. role in policymaking and tracking fiscal and
educational impacts on ELs.
States, districts, and schools have a variety of op-
portunities to support EL and immigrant students ► Attach a “maintenance-of-equity”
during this period of intense uncertainty. The requirement to the use of federal funds.
topline recommendations of this analysis offer ways With budget cuts likely in the coming years,
in which education leaders can build and reinforce such a policy would require states to shield
equity structures within school systems as a new ac- high-poverty districts from the brunt of the
ademic year—and era—in education begins: cuts and, likewise, limit staff and resource
reductions in the highest-need schools within
► Prioritize ELs for in-person instruction school districts. Particular consideration
when it is safe. Some school districts have could be given to ensuring cuts do not
announced or begun to implement plans to disproportionately affect EL instructors.
allow students back into school buildings in ► Prioritize parent engagement. Schools must
phases. Given that ELs and other high-needs ensure families of ELs receive meaningful
students are expected to experience higher communications and participate in decision-
levels of learning loss in a remote setting than making around school reopening and
their peers, schools should offer ELs in-person recovery. Schools should also explore ways to
instruction as soon as it is safe to do so. help parents develop their digital literacy and
Further, schools should increase the amount systems knowledge so they can be effective
of learning time during the school day and partners in helping students navigate online
academic year to provide ELs opportunities and digital learning resources.
for language and academic enrichment.
► Foster partnerships between school
► Ensure all teachers participate in districts and community-based
professional development on digital organizations (CBOs). Partnerships with
instruction that includes a focus on ELs. CBOs that have strong relationships with
Prior to COVID-19, few districts offered immigrant communities can benefit both
professional development that focused on families and schools. CBOs are well positioned
digital instruction for ELs. As the EL student to enhance two-way communication,
population continues to grow, however, it is disseminating information from schools and
important for all teachers—including those providing educators updates on families’
who teach core content—to have adequate needs. They can also offer supports for ELs
preparation and training in low-tech and and immigrant students, such as mental-
digital strategies to support EL learning. health care and afterschool enrichment.
► Leverage the role of state education ► Address issues related to how English
agencies to coordinate a systemic and language proficiency (ELP) data are used
equity-focused response. State agencies are at the school, district, and state level.
well placed to help districts build educator Given the interruptions to ELP testing and
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 2EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
the likelihood that many ELs will backtrack in Even before COVID-19, ELs and immigrant children
their development of academic English, states were facing obstacles to achieving academic suc-
should consider how to interpret and use cess. These barriers are related, among other things,
2020 ELP test data and how to fairly evaluate to the effects of poverty, stress associated with
ELP test results over the next few years. These increasing hostility to immigration, and attending
data affect not only instructional decisions for under-resourced schools.4 Civil rights groups have
long pushed for states and school districts to rectify
individual ELs but also evaluation of school
immigrant-background students’ inequitable oppor-
programs and the distribution of school
tunities to learn. Beginning with the Civil Rights Act
funding.
of 1964, a number of federal policies and court cases
The 2020–21 school year has begun with families, established the right of ELs and immigrant-back-
schools, and communities still coping with the day- ground students to access the same educational op-
to-day effects of the pandemic. One ray of hope is portunity as their English-speaking and native-born
that, depending on how states and districts adapt peers. Over the years, such policies have expanded
to include the right of all students to a free, public
in the coming year, schools could emerge from
K-12 education regardless of immigration status; a
this crisis having built stronger and more resilient
requirement to include ELs in public reporting of ac-
systems on a foundation of equity for ELs and immi-
ademic achievement at the school, district, and state
grant-background students.
levels; and the obligation schools have to translate
communications to parents with limited English pro-
1 Introduction ficiency, so that they may meaningfully participate
in their children’s education.5
As the school year came to an end in June 2020,
more than 500 Sacramento City Unified School
District students had been absent from instruction As schools closed their physical
since their district closed its doors in mid-March due classrooms and instruction went
to the COVID-19 pandemic; 44 percent were English online, educators across the country
Learners (ELs).1 In Chicago, just slightly more than
reported that ELs, immigrant students,
half of ELs logged in to the district’s remote learning
platform at least three days during the district’s most
and low-income students were difficult
engaged week.2 And in Los Angeles Unified School to reach.
District, less than half of ELs participated in remote
However, despite these long-standing legal protec-
instruction each week from mid-March through
tions to ensure equitable access to education, the
mid-May—20 percentage points lower than their En-
pandemic has shined a spotlight on how tenuous
glish-proficient peers.3 As schools closed their phys-
such policies are in many parts of the country. And
ical classrooms and instruction went online, educa- despite heroic efforts on the part of many educa-
tors across the country reported that ELs, immigrant tors to provide their students access to instruction
students, and low-income students were difficult to during school building closures, existing weaknesses
reach. Barriers related to technology, language, child within the school system—such as the widespread
care, and economic and food security contributed to lack of teacher training in using computer-based
a haphazard transition to remote learning that ulti- learning with ELs—have rendered such efforts inef-
mately left many of these children behind. fective.
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 3EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
As Americans grapple with the ramifications of not lation. Not only has this population grown by more
only the pandemic and its economic fallout, but than 1 million students over the last 20 years,6 but
also widespread protests related to police brutality it has grown quickly in states and districts that were
and racial discrimination, some communities are not previously common immigrant destinations.7 In
rethinking their approach to education, using racial 2000–01, 19 states plus the District of Columbia re-
and ethnic equity as a leading principle. With all of ported that ELs made up 5 percent or more of their
these factors under a magnifying glass—inequita- student population; by 2017–18, that had increased
ble access to instructional and societal resources to 34 states plus Washington, DC.8
due to poverty; systemic disinvestment in schools
serving communities of color and from immigrant This geographic diffusion also holds at the local
backgrounds; and the compounding stressors of ill level. According to a U.S. Department of Education
health, xenophobia, racism, and unemployment— analysis of 2014–15 data, 78 percent of schools en-
how schools rise to meet the challenge in the 2020– rolled at least one EL (see Figure 1).9 ELs in “low-im-
21 school year could have profound and long-lasting pact” schools and districts (those in which they make
consequences. up small shares of the student population) may have
been particularly disadvantaged by pandemic-relat-
This policy brief identifies the potential impacts of ed school building closures, as their needs may have
the nationwide response to the pandemic on the ed- been overshadowed by those of the student body as
ucation of ELs and immigrant children, as well as the a whole.
key challenges states and schools must overcome
FIGURE 1
to ensure these students are adequately supported
Share of U.S. Schools Serving High, Medium, and
in this academic year and beyond. It also outlines
Low Concentrations of ELs, 2014–15
recommendations for state and district leaders to
support ELs and immigrant children during these
unprecedented times.
15%
22%
2 Demographic Context 23%
ELs and immigrant-background children and their 40%
families—and the schools that serve them—experi-
enced a number of challenges when schools closed
their doors in Spring 2020 and teaching went online.
Structural inequalities in the nation’s communities High (20% or more ELs)
and school systems, such as inadequate broadband Medium (5% to 0% toEDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
and are thus U.S. citizens.10 The enormous diversity
of this population has posed a particular challenge
3 COVID-19’s Impacts on
for school systems during the pandemic as they English Learners and
work to meet interpretation and translation needs
when communicating with students’ parents and
Immigrant Students
families. Although federal data indicate that about
In ordinary times, school attendance is not typically
three-quarters of ELs speak Spanish at home,11 this
an issue for ELs. National data indicate that ELs are
varies regionally, and many schools serve families
1.2 times less likely to be chronically absent from
who speak dozens of languages. For example, Min-
school than non-ELs.18 However, in the shift to re-
nesota students speak 311 languages other than En-
mote learning following the outbreak of COVID-19,
glish. Moreover, 22 percent of local education agen-
schools were not able to reach large numbers of ELs
cies (LEAs) in Minnesota serve student populations
and immigrant children. And with many school sys-
that speak ten or more languages, and 5 percent tems reopening virtually in the fall, these students’
serve students speaking 50 languages or more.12 For schooling may remain disrupted in spite of districts’
such districts, ensuring meaningful communication best efforts to reach them. As a result, ELs and immi-
with families is challenging even under normal cir- grant children are experiencing reduced access to
cumstances.13 opportunities to support their English language de-
velopment, academic success, and socioemotional
In many immigrant families, parents may struggle well-being.
to help their children with schoolwork due to their
own limited English proficiency or educational back-
A. English Language
ground. As of 2017, 21 percent of children of immi-
grants were living in households where no parent Development
had completed a high school education, compared
Schools provide a variety of important services and
to 5 percent of children of native-born parents.14
resources to support ELs’ English language develop-
Similarly, in 2018, 18 percent of children of immi-
ment, including formal language instructional pro-
grants were living in families where all members of
grams. These programs vary in their approach across
the household over the age of 14 were limited En-
schools, though research generally finds bilingual
glish proficient.15
education to be more effective than English-only
programs.19 One important component of all EL in-
As will be discussed in the sections that follow, fam-
structional programs is facilitating opportunities to
ilies living in poverty have faced particular challeng-
engage in collaborative peer learning and “produc-
es during the pandemic. Children who live with at
tive talk” in English with classmates, which is critical
least one foreign-born parent are disproportionately
to oral language development.20
likely to live in low-income families: 47 percent did
so as of 2018, compared to 36 percent of children Unsurprisingly, school disengagement limits these
with only native-born parents.16 Likewise, most ELs important learning moments. By definition, ELs have
attend a Title I school—that is, a school receiving a home environment in which English is not the pri-
funds based on enrolling a high number or high mary language spoken. This may also be true of their
percentage of low-income students. In school year neighborhood and broader community. For many
2017–18, 79 percent of ELs were served by Title I ELs, school may be their main or only source of ex-
programs, compared to 51 percent of all children.17 posure to listening, speaking, writing, and reading
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 5EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
in English—especially the academic English that is students will have lost 30 percent of their annual
foundational to success in classwork and on stan- reading gains and up to 50 percent of their math
dardized academic achievement tests. gains for school year 2019–20 as a result of the
Spring 2020 school building closures.25 However,
Without persistent school engagement, ELs’ English with many school districts starting the fall remotely
language development may stall. Although not instead of in person, these initial estimates could
yet empirically demonstrated, some researchers be on the lower end. If in-school instruction does
have made inferences about the effects of remote not resume until January 2021, a McKinsey & Com-
learning on learning loss based on existing re- pany analysis estimates that students who partici-
search. Some research suggests that ELs experience pate in remote instruction of average quality could
setbacks in their vocabulary during the summer lose three to four months of learning, seven to 11
months.21 In addition, studies of chronic absen-
months with lower-quality distance learning, and a
teeism that include ELs indicate that the effects of
full year to 14 months if they do not participate in
missed schooling can influence English language
remote instruction at all.26
development years later; in one study, ELs who were
chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade
scored lower on their second and third grade English
language proficiency assessments than other EL The stakes are especially high for
students.22 With many ELs logged out of school since newcomer ELs in secondary schools,
the Spring 2020 closures, some may be coming into who even before the pandemic were
the 2020–21 academic year with limited growth—or
perhaps even new deficits in their English language
among the students at greatest risk of
skills. dropping out.
Learning loss may be greater for Black, Latino, and
B. Academic Gains, or Losses low-income students, who are more likely to be on
ELs who transition out of English as a Second Lan- the receiving end of lower-quality remote instruc-
guage (ESL) support generally perform as well or tion, based on their low participation rates in online
better on academic assessments than peers who learning in the Spring 2020.27 In addition, research
were never ELs. However, far too many languish in on the impact of summer breaks on academic learn-
EL status beyond the five to seven years research ing suggest that the effects of school building clo-
suggests is needed to gain academic English skills.23 sures for ELs could be much more pronounced.28
These long-term ELs—along with immigrant stu-
dents arriving in their middle and high school The stakes are especially high for newcomer ELs in
years—are substantially less likely to pass academic secondary schools, who even before the pandemic
tests and graduate from high school.24 In this con- were among the students at greatest risk of drop-
text, the prospect of ELs falling further behind their ping out. As they already face obstacles to meeting
English-fluent peers due to remote instruction is es- rigorous high school graduation requirements be-
pecially worrisome. fore aging out of the system, interrupted schooling,
together with added health and economic distress,
These concerns are layered on top of those experts may cause some ELs to disconnect altogether and
have voiced about the impact of pandemic-related drop out.29 Some estimates anticipate that an addi-
disruptions on all students. Some estimates suggest tional 9 percent of high school students, or 1.1 mil-
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 6EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
lion, could drop out as a result of the pandemic and with stress from racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric,
school building closures.30 family separation due to immigration enforcement,
and Trump administration policies targeting im-
C. Socioemotional Impacts migrants’ use of public benefits and the Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.37
The pandemic and associated school building clo- In short, while recognizing the value of education
sures have disrupted more than classroom learning, more generally, classwork may be just one of a num-
particularly for some of the nation’s most overbur- ber of urgent priorities in many homes.
dened and under-resourced families. Food security,
child care, and mental-health supports have been
interrupted or disappeared altogether. Many immi-
4 Key Policy
grants, who are disproportionately represented in Recommendations
occupations that are critical to the nation’s response
to the pandemic, are being forced to choose be-
for States and School
tween their job and ensuring their children have ad- Districts
equate child care.31 Some youth in immigrant fami-
lies may now be responsible for caring for younger As schools use the 2020–21 school year to begin
siblings, even while they juggle school work. to address students’ learning losses and recalibrate
Meanwhile, immigrants, Latinos, and less-educated their trajectories toward graduation, they will need
workers have been among those most affected by to pay special attention to the needs of ELs and oth-
pandemic-related job losses.32 er students who have been most disadvantaged by
the interrupted learning that look place in Spring
Some racial and ethnic groups are also dispropor-
2020. The policy recommendations in this section
tionately likely to be infected by COVID-19. Black
focus on how states, districts, and schools may direct
and Latino children are experiencing higher hospi-
resources to support EL and immigrant students and
talization rates—a particularly concerning finding
how they can build on and reinforce equity struc-
that could have implications for schools’ in-person
tures within school systems.
instructional plans.33 Immigrant communities are
especially vulnerable to the easily transmissible virus
due to inequitable access to health-care services,
A. Deciding When and How to
often living in close quarters in multigenerational Restart In-Person Instruction
households, and fear of seeking treatment due to
immigration status, among other challenges.34 Immi- In its updated August 2020 guidelines, the Centers
grants also made up an estimated 27 percent of the for Disease Control and Prevention stated that open-
total U.S. uninsured population prior to the outbreak ing schools for in-person instruction in Fall 2020 is
of COVID-19, further limiting their access to care.35 important because of the critical role that schools
play in supporting the well-being of communities,
For some immigrant and refugee parents, the shut- whole-child development, and academic achieve-
down of public services and businesses and the ment. The guidelines acknowledge that “[i]n-person
unchecked spread of disease may be reminiscent instruction may be particularly beneficial for stu-
of past traumas in their origin countries.36 Further, dents with additional learning needs,” including ELs
many immigrant families are simultaneously dealing who may have limited access to quality instructional
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 7EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
supports through a virtual medium.38 Nevertheless, instructional support plan for each EL that outlines
allowing in-person instruction for the beginning of the supports needed to access grade-level content.45
the 2020–21 school year has been complicated by While many schools will incorporate some of these
the worsening of the pandemic in many communi- practices—especially ongoing assessment of learn-
ties and concerns that antipathy to safety measures, ing needs—into remote instruction, it is likely that
such as mask-wearing, would endanger the lives of efforts to more formally diagnose learning loss will
teachers, students, and their family members. take place once schools reopen full time.
Only a handful of states are requiring districts to de- Policy Recommendations
liver in-person instruction at the start of the school
year, and in most cases, it must be paired with re- There is broad consensus that remote learning has
mote instruction.39 Most states are deferring the bulk worked least well for certain groups of students,
of the decision-making authority regarding reopen- including ELs, students with special needs, and
ing plans to school districts. In fact, according to a low-income students. In addition, the degree of
July 2020 analysis of states’ guidance documents, learning loss will likely be greatest for these children.
few states are playing an active role to support dis- While some school districts immediately offered
tricts’ transition to in-person instruction.40 in-person instruction when the 2020–21 school year
began, others are operating under a hybrid in-per-
In an effort to facilitate social distancing on campus, son/remote schedule. As school districts transition
some districts are phasing in in-person attendance to in-person instruction, state and district officials
and prioritizing ELs, students with disabilities, and should consider the following:
other groups of students who have been at the
greatest disadvantage with remote learning. For ► Prioritize ELs for in-person instruction
example, the school district in Albemarle County, when it is safe. Assuming school districts
Virginia, opened in September with in-person access use a phased-in approach for in-person
for a limited number of students, including ELs in instruction, states should strongly encourage
grades 4 to 12 with the lowest levels of English profi- districts to offer ELs, along with other
ciency because the academic content in these older students who have reduced access to or
grades is more rigorous.41 Meanwhile Boston Public benefit least from remote learning, the option
Schools, which has both a hybrid and a remote op- to attend school in person as soon as it is safe
tion, is offering more days of in-person instruction to to do so.
ELs and students with disabilities than to other stu-
dents—four days versus two days per week.42 ► Use diagnostic and formative assessments.
State and school leaders should employ
The majority of states require or recommend that diagnostic and formative assessments
districts assess student learning needs with diag- to evaluate students’ learning loss and
nostic tests.43 Many states also explicitly require or track their progress. These assessments
recommend that districts implement strategies to provide teachers with immediate data and
address student learning loss. Louisiana, for exam- feedback about student learning and can
ple, recommends that districts develop individual help outline individualized student learning
academic plans for students who re-enter school progressions. California has provided districts
with the greatest learning gaps.44 In addition, dis- detailed guidance on how to use such
tricts must continue to develop and refer to an assessments to determine where students
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 8EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
are in their learning progression, including B. Improving Remote Learning
how to employ the state’s English language
proficiency practice and training tests in
for ELs
formative ways.46
As of September 2020, 73 of the country’s 100 larg-
► Increase learning time. Even during typical est school districts had announced an entirely virtu-
school years, research suggests that ELs al start for the 2020–21 academic year.48 In preparing
are among those who benefit most from for the fall semester, many schools undoubtedly
increased learning time. Increased learning reflected on the experience of offering remote learn-
time can include a longer school day or year, ing in the spring. While some of these lessons reflect
summer school, and before- and after-school the chaotic nature of a wholesale transformation
programming. ELs could use this time to of instruction—mostly without research guidance,
focus on language enrichment and catch training, or planning time—other lessons are more
up on academic content they might have enduring. Among these enduring lessons were three
missed.47 major barriers to remote learning: the lack of access
to digital devices and broadband internet, particu-
► Fully fund needed resources to address larly in rural and impoverished communities; circum-
learning loss among ELs. States and school stances that limit parents’ capacity to support their
districts will likely need to increase resources children’s schoolwork at home; and a lack of instruc-
for planning and implementing services to tional resources and training for teachers on how to
support ELs, particularly where instructional support ELs in the remote learning environment.
models are changing and learning losses are
identified. Yet, many find themselves in an Remote Learning in Spring 2020
environment of drastic budget cuts. Where
investments can be made, schools might Over the course of two weeks in mid-March 2020,
consider increasing EL specialist staffing, every state issued orders requiring or recommend-
incorporating planning time into teachers’ ing that school buildings close due to the pandemic.
work schedules for curriculum development With the clock ticking on the end of the school year,
to address learning losses revealed by educators scrambled to figure out how to provide
diagnostic assessments, and purchasing instruction for the remainder of the year while stu-
supplementary learning materials. dents sheltered at home.
► Leverage the role of state education The planning and implementation of distance learn-
agencies to coordinate a systemic response ing varied enormously across the country. Some dis-
to learning loss. These are unprecedented tricts engaged in extensive planning and coordina-
times for school and district leaders. States tion, while others left teachers more or less to their
need to play a coordinating role for their own devices. Schools used a variety of instructional
school districts and ensure that they have modalities, including synchronous classes (where
the capacity, pedagogical supports, and teachers and students see and hear each other in
resources to address the needs of ELs. State an online space), asynchronous digital learning
EL administrators, especially, should be at the (where teachers provide videos and other online
table for critical discussions about resources resources for students to complete on their own
and educational priorities. schedule), and low-tech learning (such as photocop-
ies and workbooks).49 In general, remote learning in
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 9EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
high-poverty districts relied more on paper packets especially households in which some members are
than live instruction and digital materials, and was unauthorized immigrants. Such families may be con-
more likely to primarily involve reviewing content cerned about whether information about them—
taught earlier in the year compared to remote learn- including videos taken inside students’ homes that
ing in affluent districts.50 And while some districts show their locations and who they live with—could
maintained strict policies regarding daily attendance potentially reach U.S. Immigration and Customs En-
and grades, others turned to pass/fail grading and forcement (ICE) if it were to be shared intentionally
suspended attendance reporting.51 or unintentionally (that is, via hacking, unauthorized
individuals joining online meetings, or the sharing
Digital Access, Privacy, and Literacy of data such as students’ locations and what they say
or write).55 Although personally identifiable informa-
One of the most widely reported aspects of the tran-
tion is protected—to an extent—by privacy laws,56
sition to remote learning was uneven access to tech-
unauthorized-immigrant and mixed-status families
nology. According to one analysis of 2018 Census
may be concerned about how those laws will apply
data, 17 million U.S. children live in homes without
in the new context of online learning.
internet subscriptions, and 7 million have no access
to computers or tablets. The digital divide is far more Another concern for ELs’ families is digital literacy
pronounced in low-income, Black, Latino, Native and the ability to access help with technology. One
American, and rural homes. Nearly one-third of Lati- analysis of employed adults in the United States
no families with children do not have high-speed found that 62 percent of immigrant workers have
internet, and 17 percent lack computer access.52 limited or no digital skills; that number rises to 67
percent for limited English proficient workers.57 Al-
The digital divide is far more though these findings are an imprecise proxy for the
pronounced in low-income, Black, EL parent population, they suggest that many ELs
Latino, Native American, and rural are not able to rely on their parents to help them
with online learning. And even among those with
homes. some digital skills, limited English proficiency is an-
other likely barrier for some ELs’ parents. Some larg-
While many schools were able to distribute devices
er school districts have published technical help on
in the spring, reports abounded of students access-
their websites in multiple languages.58 Metro Nash-
ing wireless internet hotspots in restaurant and
ville Public Schools issued such guides in five lan-
school parking lots. And even in homes that have
guages other than English, but it has also gone fur-
access to digital devices and internet, problems may
ther. The district lists a telephone number on its tech
remain. In homes where parents and children need
support homepage that students and their families
to work online at the same time, there might not be
can use to reach a district translator for help with
enough devices or strong enough broadband to go
technology issues and, when needed, to bring in the
around. Tablets and phones might suffice for some
district’s technical support team for extra help.59
tasks, but students may still lack the access to com-
puters needed to complete more complex work.53 Home Supervision and Support
Digital privacy is also a widespread concern. It is an Aside from technology issues, families have also
issue that pertains to all families54 but has particu- faced other challenges supporting their children’s
lar resonance for immigrant-background families, remote learning. With large shares of immigrant
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 10EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
adults working in “essential” jobs,60 some parents of than of general education students (75 percent). The
ELs have not been able to supervise their children’s same study found that EL teachers reported fewer
schoolwork during the day. Additionally, older youth hours of training in using digital learning resources
may have jobs or supervise younger children, thus than general education teachers.63
making it difficult for them to focus on completing
their own schoolwork. Some homes lack basic learn- Within the first few weeks of remote schooling in
ing materials, including paper and pencil, let alone Spring 2020, educators and professional developers
the resources that middle- and upper-class families began sharing resources on Twitter and other social
may use for enrichment, such as home gardens, media sites. Schools and districts also provided long
access to nature trails, and scientific equipment lists of online educational resources to teachers
such as telescopes. And with low-income families and parents. But many of the resources circulated
and people of color disproportionately feeling the were not vetted for quality, nor were they checked
effects of the virus itself,61 many such families have for their alignment to school curricula. Further, re-
been dealing with personal struggles as well as the sources for teachers of ELs were in short supply. For
need to support their children’s learning. such teachers, some of the greatest needs were for
online learning resources to support language de-
While the above issues apply to many families living velopment through the content areas and bilingual
in poverty, the specific circumstances of parents resources of all kinds.64
with limited English proficiency may pose extra chal-
lenges. For example, such parents might struggle to In addition to a lack of appropriate resources, teach-
help children understand their teachers’ instructions ers also struggled with how to adapt the strategies
or answer questions about lesson content. Immi- they typically use in the classroom to build language
grant parents are also more likely than native-born skills and make content comprehensible to students
parents to have lower levels of education them- in the online environment. For example, effective
selves, as noted in Section 2, and some lack familiar- lessons for ELs typically involve students practicing
ity with U.S. school norms. This can make it difficult speaking in pairs or small groups before sharing
for them to help children working asynchronously their ideas with the whole class—activities that
through online learning or with paper packets. would not seem to lend themselves to the online en-
vironment. Teachers needed time to identify strate-
Pedagogical Issues gies that would work online and to learn how to use
them. They also needed to adapt lesson plans and
Transitioning from in-person to remote learning was
activities, and to create new supports for ELs and
a struggle for educators as well as for families when
students with other learning needs.
schools closed their doors at the onset of the pan-
demic. With only about 800 virtual schools operating Remote learning may also challenge the way EL
in the United States prior to the pandemic,62 few specialists and general education teachers plan
educators had experience with teaching, administra- and teach cooperatively. As the role of EL teachers
tion, curriculum planning, or assessment via online has shifted over the last two decades to provide
learning. Collectively, U.S. teachers had even less ex- more support to ELs in their content classes—and,
pertise with digital learning for ELs: A national study likewise, as general education teachers have rec-
found far fewer districts offered teacher training ognized their role in supporting ELs’ language de-
on incorporating digital learning resources into the velopment—it has become more important for the
instruction of ELs (38 percent of districts surveyed) two types of teachers to work closely together. It is
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 11EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
likely that some of the factors that make such col- schedule students for such services online or in a
laboration challenging in a face-to-face setting may shortened in-person school day. For students able
be even more acute in remote learning, and perhaps to come to school buildings, administrators may
doubly so in Fall 2020 as more schools attempt in- also find it challenging to find space for small group
struction of new concepts than did in the spring (see instruction outside the classroom to accommodate
Box 1). For example, EL and general education teach- social distancing protocols.
ers may find it difficult to schedule common plan-
ning time while working remotely, and core content Policy Recommendations
teachers may struggle to find time for important
language development activities during general ed- Schools will need a mix of high- and low-tech strat-
ucation classes.65 egies to ensure that ELs are well served for as long
as remote learning is necessary. EL teachers and
Making things even more complicated, some ELs administrators—as well as ELs’ parents and com-
receive a number of interventions during a normal munity members—should be involved in all key
school day, such as special education services, phys- decision-making, including curriculum planning and
ical or occupational therapy, and reading or math budgeting, in order to make sure that ELs’ needs are
remediation. Administrators may find it difficult to prioritized.
BOX 1
Questions of Equity and Civil Rights Protections in Remote Learning
In the initial weeks of remote learning in Spring 2020, some states, districts, and schools told teachers
not to introduce any new concepts to students, and to instead simply review what students had already
learned. Administrators were concerned that schools could be charged with civil rights violations if some
students were not able to access the remote educational program or special services to which they were
entitled while others were. A spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Education, for example, stated
that if distance learning could not be accessible for ELs, students with disabilities, and students without
computers or internet access, it could not be offered to any student for equity reasons.
In response to these concerns, the U.S. Department of Education released guidance on March 21 admon-
ishing school systems for this practice and reminded them of their legal obligation to serve all students,
including students with disabilities. The department acknowledged that it would allow flexibility, where
possible, in its oversight functions (for example, recognizing services provided online rather than in per-
son, as was written into school planning documents). Subsequent guidance from the department, issued
on May 18, reiterated a similar message in regard to ELs, stating that services must be offered but may be
provided in a different manner to those offered to other students.
However, neither memo addressed the concern implicit in the Oregon statement: that systems were un-
able to replicate specialized services with the time and resources available to them, nor were they able to
fully remedy the digital divide that disproportionately affected students such as ELs. It remains to be seen
whether schools had sufficient planning time over the summer to effectively close those gaps.
Sources: Eder Campuzano, “Coronavirus Closure Won’t Lead to Online Classes in Oregon Public Schools. This Is Why,” The Oregonian,
March 19, 2020; U.S. Department of Education, “Supplemental Fact Sheet Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary
and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities” (fact sheet, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC, March
21, 2020); U.S. Department of Education, “Providing Services to English Learners During the COVID-19 Outbreak” (fact sheet, U.S.
Department of Education, Washington, DC, May 18, 2020).
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 12EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Although remote learning in 2020–21 will ideally the short and the long term, state and
be a short-term proposition, it would be wise for local education leaders should ensure that
administrators to make decisions that can also serve students and parents of ELs have access to
long-term digital learning planning goals. With that multilingual technological support so they
in mind, ongoing decision-making around digital can immediately troubleshoot tech glitches
learning should prioritize: and barriers that might disrupt learning.
► Increasing access to internet connectivity ► Expanding access to a curated selection
and digital devices. Many states and school of low-tech and digital learning materials.
districts worked over the summer to ensure State leaders, with input from teachers and
students—especially those in rural and EL experts, might consider selecting and
low-income communities—would start the purchasing supplementary materials to
fall with improved access to digital devices support ELs’ home learning. Digital materials
and internet access.66 However, narrowing should be paired with multilingual and
the digital divide to ensure that all students English language development support.
have connectivity and access to appropriate In addition, state leaders might encourage
devices, including a sufficient number per software developers to incorporate
family, will require further federal and state multilingual versions and English language
investments and leveraging partnerships with development elements into upgrades and
local technology providers. In the interim, new products.
school districts have implemented innovative
► Ensuring all teachers participate in
temporary solutions, such as outfitting
mobile buses with Wi-Fi hot spots and issuing professional development that includes
devices to families that are pre-loaded with a focus on EL instruction. Both language
data.67 instruction teachers and general, core-
content teachers can benefit from increased
► Providing digital literacy support for professional development that focuses on
parents. State and district leaders should supporting EL instruction in the digital sphere
support parents in developing digital literacy as well as low-tech strategies that support
skills that will allow them to supervise and home learning. Teachers should also continue
engage with their children’s online learning. to share ideas with each other on what is
Creating adult education programming that working well, including strategies they have
focuses on digital literacy skills, navigating shared with parents to foster home language
web platforms utilized by schools, and development and less-formal learning
other topics related to supporting children’s activities. Training opportunities should also
academic success can help to close equity touch on how EL and general education
gaps and lift longer-term education teachers can effectively collaborate in a
trajectories for children in immigrant remote learning environment.
families. Parents of children in preschool and
elementary grades should be a top priority ► Tracking attendance metrics for all
for such programming, given that younger students. States should provide districts
children are heavily reliant on their parents and schools with specific guidance to
to mediate and guide their participation ensure all school systems are tracking the
in remote instruction. In addition, for both same data across the state. As an example,
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 13EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
researchers from FutureEd and Attendance the total amount LEAs and schools spend on ELs.
Works propose recording metrics related to As a result, the overall financial health of the school
contact (such as percentage of families with system is as relevant as targeted EL funding for un-
working contact information); connectivity derstanding how well ELs are served.71
(percentage of students who log on to a
school learning platform); engagement Before the pandemic, U.S. schools were still recov-
(percentage of students and families ering from drastic funding cuts due to the 2008
engaging with teachers at least three times recession. In 2017–18, 20 states were still spending
per week); and participation (percentage of less on primary and secondary education than they
students completing all assignments).68 had before the recession.72 Inequities within school
finance systems can be barriers to supporting stu-
C. Navigating a Difficult dents who need the most resources to meet rigor-
Funding Environment ous academic goals. Although about half of states
send more money to high-poverty districts than
Schools must be adequately funded in order to low-poverty ones, most do not go far enough to
meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic fully bridge gaps. Nationwide, spending in high-pov-
and to recover from its effects. Although federal erty districts is about 70 percent of the amount
funds accounted for only about 8 percent of educa- schools need to ensure students meet state academ-
tion spending in 2018,69 the federal government is ic standards.73 In this context, the prospect of deep
uniquely positioned to provide relief to states and cuts to education funding for 2020–21 and beyond
localities whose tax base has shrunk due to slow- could have a particularly detrimental impact, given
downs in economic activity. the urgent need to build new infrastructure for so-
cial distancing and/or distance learning and to sup-
In addition to supplementing state and local spend- port students’ socioemotional needs.
ing, federal education funding is intended to en-
hance education for students at risk of academic Emergency Federal Funding in Response to
failure or who need extra support. For example, Title COVID-19
III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which
Education policy groups estimate that the costs
supports instruction and services for ELs, provides
of safely reopening schools will run into the bil-
critical funds to LEAs based on how many EL and
lions of dollars. One analysis suggested that the
recent immigrant students they have. Congress
average-sized district would require $1.8 million in
increased Title III to $787.4 million for the 2019–20
additional spending just for health and safety mea-
school year after five years of flat funding at $737.4
sures.74 Yet, state and local budget cuts may result
million.70 Although many civil rights and education
in the loss of 10 percent to 20 percent of annual
policy groups cite Title III funding as evidence of
revenue in 2020–21, and potentially even more the
how well or poorly EL education is funded, it is also
next year, leading experts to suggest the total short-
supported by a number of federal, state, and local
fall will be in the $100 billion to $200 billion range
funding streams. Outside of Title III, it can be difficult
nationwide.75 Because states are generally limited
to track spending on EL education within school
in how much money they can borrow—in ways the
finance systems. Because of this, and because many
federal government is not—states will be looking to
EL services may be provided by educators who are
the U.S. Congress for help.
not EL specialists, it can be challenging to estimate
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 14EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
In late March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavi- sus among researchers and advocates of school
rus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES funding that schools need additional support, par-
Act. This was the third emergency funding bill ticularly as the pandemic continues to affect school
passed but the first to provide significant funding systems. Lawmakers have proposed several other
to schools. Within the CARES Act, the Educational measures to support schools. Notably, in addition
Stabilization Fund had two measures for K-12 edu- to contributing additional dollars to the ESSER and
cation: the Elementary and Secondary School Emer- GEER Funds, the Coronavirus Child Care and Educa-
gency Relief (ESSER) Fund, worth $13.2 billion, and tion Relief Act, introduced in the Senate in June 2020,
the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) would allocate an additional $300 million to the
Fund, worth $3 billion. Migrant Education Program and $1 billion to Title III
programs for ELs and recent immigrant students.79
While the CARES Act provided states Whether or not this proposal passes, incorporating
such measures into future federal relief will be criti-
and schools with much-needed aid
cal to ensure states can fully support EL education.
in the initial months of the school
building closures, there is a general What the Funding Situation Means for ELs
consensus ... that schools need Congress and the U.S. Department of Education are
additional support. providing LEAs with as much flexibility as possible
in their use of CARES Act funding. While this allows
ESSER funding was distributed to states, and in turn money to flow as quickly as possible to schools
to LEAs, using Title I student population counts and gives administrators flexibility to meet local
from 2019–20.76 However, there is no requirement needs, the tradeoff may be less transparency in the
to spend these funds on Title I activities for stu- extent to which funds are benefiting specific popu-
dents living in poverty. Funds may be used for any lations, such as ELs. Further, distributing the ESSER
purpose, and states are not allowed to restrict LEAs’ Fund based on Title I allocations calls into question
use of ESSER funds. Normal provisions forbidding whether states and districts will prioritize funding
schools from using federal dollars to replace state needs beyond those associated with students living
and local dollars do not apply, but the “mainte- in poverty.
nance-of-effort” provision does, forbidding LEAs
from spending substantially less on educational pro- One state has made such a consideration to ensure
grams from one year to the next.77 The GEER Fund CARES Act dollars are allocated to support high-
allows governors to allocate funds to LEAs, institutes needs students outside of Title I. In addition to ESSER
of higher education, or other entities that provide and GEER Fund allocations, Colorado Governor Jared
educational services in the localities most affected Polis has directed $510 million from other CARES
by COVID-19. Sixty percent of the fund was distribut- Act funds to K-12 education. These funds will be
ed to states based on the number of residents ages distributed to LEAs on the basis of their population,
5 to 24, and 40 percent based on the number of chil- with twice the standard per student amount allotted
dren ages 5 to 17 living in poverty.78 for ELs.80 The governor also created an opening for
local actors to prioritize EL education through the
While the CARES Act provided states and schools state’s GEER funding, three-quarters of which will be
with much-needed aid in the initial months of the awarded on a competitive basis, with priority given
school building closures, there is a general consen- to proposals that address the needs of students and
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 15EDUCATING ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
families disproportionately affected by the pandem- In addition to enacting a maintenance-of-equity
ic, including ELs.81 Other states, such as California, requirement, federal and state policymakers should
Kansas, and Pennsylvania, have set out GEER Fund consider the following:
plans that call out ELs as one population to be priori-
tized in the use of funds.82 ► As educators and education policy groups
nationwide have stated, Congress should
Although most states do not track total spending prioritize additional funds for public
on ELs,83 EL equity advocates can monitor the effect education in future coronavirus relief
of budget cuts—and the use of federal funds to packages. Given well-documented disparities
in outcomes between ELs and other students,
mitigate them—through how schools and districts
Congress might include the number of EL and
spend their money. Some spending decisions that
recent immigrant students (and other groups
would be detrimental to ELs include cutting EL
who might need additional resources) in each
teacher and instructional assistant positions or elim-
state in the formula used to allocate future
inating transportation options that help students ac-
economic relief to schools.
cess their programs of choice, such as dual language
programs. On the flip side, school and district spend- ► While ESSER funding is distributed on the
ing decisions that would benefit ELs include funding basis of Title I student counts, oversight of
professional development focused on supporting the fund at both the state and district level
language development, purchasing multilingual should not solely be the responsibility of Title
materials, and conducting multilingual outreach to I administrators; EL administrators should
also be included to ensure that appropriate
parents of ELs.
attention is given to the unique needs of ELs.
Policy Recommendations ► For federal and state funds not distributed on
the basis of Title I allocations, state and local
If economic predictions come to pass, some degree
EL directors should be included in the process
of state and local budget cutting is inevitable. One
of deciding how funds are directed. These
suggestion to keep across-the-board cuts—used
decisions should also be made in consultation
widely in the 2008 recession—from disproportion-
with community and parent groups that
ately harming high-needs students is for Congress
are representative of EL and immigrant-
to attach a “maintenance-of-equity” requirement
background families.
to the use of federal funds. Under this policy, states
must shield high-poverty districts from the brunt ► State fiscal oversight for the use of federal
of budget cuts, and in turn, districts must protect funds and the implementation of budget cuts
their highest-need schools from staff reductions. A should track fiscal impact on ELs.
maintenance-of-equity requirement could include ► As states reconsider their budget priorities,
separate consideration for ensuring cuts do not including how to spend new dollars once
disproportionately affect EL instructors. The policy in economic recovery, policymakers should
proposal also suggests that in the coming months explore ways to make formulas more
and years, states and districts should report on how equitable, not just along economic lines
budget cuts are affecting their most and least eco- but also to prioritize the needs of ELs and
nomically disadvantaged schools.84 students in immigrant families.
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