The lack of teachers who have the training necessary to effectively support multilingual learners has been plaguing school districts across the country for years. The pandemic has only exacerbated the problem putting multilingual learners at greater risk. Panel members from school districts and organizations around the country come together to discuss how they are responding to this challenge and the plans they have moving forward. Amaya Garcia from New America moderates the panel and provides perspectives on what the research data is telling us.

Panelists:

• Alice Solis, Director of ELs, Assessment and Special Programs in Turlock Unified School District

• Jeremiah Lack, Curriculum Specialist at Colton Joint Unified School District 

• Magda Grape, Executive Director of Bilingual/ESL Programs Grand Prairie ISD

• Dr. Yolanda Rios, Middle School Principal at New Caney Independent School District 

The second annual Impact Conference was a free virtual event that took place on December 6th, 7th, and 9th and featured experts in supporting the needs of multilingual learners. Impact is an opportunity for classroom teachers and administrators, curriculum and instruction specialists, education advocates, policymakers, and more to join in a community of professional learning with the common goal of furthering progress in multilingual education. Learn more about our presenters below and watch all the recorded sessions on the EL Community page.

Presenter Amaya Garcia is deputy director of PreK-12 education with the Education Policy program at New America. She provides research and analysis on policies and programs related to English learners including dual language education, bilingual teacher preparation and career pathways, bilingual education, English language proficiency, and early education. Prior to joining New America, Garcia was a policy analyst at the DC State Board of Education and a research associate at the American Institutes of Research.