Bilingual Education

This division provides leadership, advocacy, and support to districts, parents, and policymakers by ensuring access to language support services for students who have been identified as English Learners and come from varied cultural and language backgrounds. The mission of the United States Virgin Islands’ English Learners (ELs) program is to help students develop strong listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English while reaching high levels of academic achievement. All stakeholders—students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members—share the responsibility of supporting English learners in developing their language, thinking, and academic skills through research-based, high-quality instruction that prepares them to reach their goals and contribute to college, careers, and society at large.

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New Education Law: ESSA Updates and Resources

Recent Developments: FAQs on transitioning to ESSA and essential resources, including guidance and regulatory details, are now available. Access the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as revised by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (PDF, 1.2MB).

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed into law by President Obama on December 10, 2015, marks a significant development in U.S. education. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), reflecting a long-standing commitment to fair education for all students.

Previously, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, enacted in 2002, was a major step forward in highlighting student progress and areas needing support, regardless of background or income, for students who require additional support. However, as the years passed, the rigid requirements of NCLB became challenging for schools and educators. Recognizing these limitations, the Obama administration in 2010 joined educators and families in support for a law that more effectively prepares students for college and career success.

Key Features of ESSA:

• Protections: ESSA strengthens protections for high-need students.
• Higher Standards: It mandates that all students be educated to rigorous academic standards, ensuring college and career readiness.
• Transparent Assessments: Through annual statewide assessments, families and communities receive vital information about student progress toward meeting these standards.
• Innovation and Local Solutions: The law supports local innovations, including evidence-based and place-based interventions by local leaders and educators.
• High-Quality Preschool Access: ESSA expands investments in early childhood education.
• Accountability for Low-Performing Schools: It reinforces accountability measures to drive improvement in schools where student groups struggle to progress, including schools with persistently low graduation rates.

ESEA Background: Signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was intended as a civil rights measure to ensure "full educational opportunity" as a national priority. ESEA initially provided grants to districts serving low-income students, funding for textbooks and libraries, special education centers, and scholarships for disadvantaged college students, along with grants to state agencies to improve education quality.

NCLB and Accountability Efforts: The No Child Left Behind Act highlighted achievement gaps and drove a national focus on accountability in education. Although these measures were essential for quality education, they also underscored implementation challenges. Acknowledging these, the Obama administration, in 2012, began offering states flexibility on specific NCLB requirements in exchange for state-developed plans focused on closing achievement gaps and enhancing instructional quality and student outcomes.

https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/laws-preschool-grade-12-education/every-student-succeeds-act-essa

An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41a relating to bilingual education to direct the Department of Education to establish and maintain the Bilingual and English Language Development Program in the public schools. Click on the link below to read ACT 8555.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14JqqTBQP1ri9jBlbCn948vt3sDVMTCcK/view?usp=sharing

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) plays a crucial role in supporting English Learners (ELs). OELA’s mission is to promote English proficiency and academic success for these students while also valuing the preservation of languages and cultures. Aiming to expand biliteracy and multiliteracy for all students, OELA contributes to this goal in the following ways:

• Shaping Policy: Offering national leadership to inform policy decisions that impact ELs.
• Grant Programs: Administering discretionary grants to train professionals in teaching and supporting English learners effectively.
• Research and Evaluation: Investing in studies that yield practical insights for equipping ELs to meet college and career standards.
• Resource Sharing: Providing research-backed information, practices, and policies through the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA). Resources include:
  • Educational and Employment Hurdles for Adult & Adolescent ELs
  • EL Family Toolkit
  • EDTech Resources for English Learners
  • Gifted & Talented EL Program Studies
  • Guidance for Identifying Gifted EL Students
  • Newcomer Tool Kit and English Learner Tool Kit
  • NCELA Fact Sheets and RAISE THE BAR Infographic: Pathways to Multilingualism

Through these initiatives, OELA supports educational strives to create pathways to multiliteracy for all students. A link to access these resources will be provided.

https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/oela/the-office-of-english-language-acquisition-language-enhancement-and-academic-achievement-for-limited-english-proficient-students-oela

Fact Sheets

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has condensed essential data on English Learners (ELs) into easy-to-use two-page sheets covering a range of topics. These sheets are available to read online, print, and share with others. Check this page and Nexus regularly for updates and new additions to the Fact Sheets collection. Links to these resources will be provided.

https://ncela.ed.gov/fact-sheets

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