As K-12 schools around the United States transition to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there is concern that English Learners (ELs) could be left behind. According to the most recent U.S. Department of Education data, there are more than 4.8 million EL students, representing 10 percent of public school enrollment. Due to more limited technology access, language barriers, and often stressful home situations, these students face unique challenges in keeping their education on track. 

A December U.S. Department of Education report revealed that many EL students do not have access to the technology resources necessary for virtual learning, with many immigrant families lacking at-home Internet connectivity and having to rely on limited cell phone data plans or no Internet access at all. As a result, with schools transitioning lessons and assignments online, many ELs are disconnected from their teachers and course plans. They also face new language hurdles, as many ELs depend on in-class bilingual support staff to help them complete assignments and contribute to class conversation. As education has shifted from the classroom to the home, this role is one that has shifted to parents and guardians. But while districts are providing resources to help parents assume a greater role in their children’s education, these aids are often only in English, making things difficult for the parents, who often have lower levels of English fluency than their children. 

Students in immigrant families may also be experiencing added stress in the home that can be distracting to their education, as immigrant communities have been among those hard hit by the shutdown of nonessential businesses. The stressors may be even greater for those families with an unauthorized immigrant member, which are cut off from federal pandemic relief. Without a valid Social Security number, unauthorized immigrants are not eligible to receive the $1,200 federal stimulus check (even if they have a valid taxpayer identification number) and are unable to apply for unemployment, leaving families, many without savings, with no source of income. Food security has also become an issue for many children who typically rely on school meals.

Even as the pandemic and resulting economic fallout have emphasized deep inequalities in society, many school districts and teachers have stepped up to try and fill in the gaps for their EL students. Districts across the country, including in New York City and Washington, D.C., have been providing low-income students with laptops, iPads, and WiFi hotspots. Recognizing the difficulty ELs may have in navigating different learning platforms and multiple instructional emails, a teacher in Kentucky has created daily organized assignment spreadsheets for her EL students, walking them through each assignment over the phone in Spanish. Finally, many students in immigrant families live in crowded homes with multiple generations, spurring educators to increase their outreach to ELs on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , keeping students and their families safe during this uncertain time.

Best regards,

Editor, Migration Information Source