Schools are encountering a unique problem regarding how to best accommodate the increasing number of active bilingual learners/users of English (ABLE) students on state achievement tests. Previously, states used disability focused rather than language responsive accommodations for these students. The current study employed double-coding procedures…

Purpose: The purpose of this review article is to conduct a critical analysis of state-level policies focusing on the provision of speech-language therapy and special education to children and youth who are racialized emergent bilinguals (REBs) suspected or labeled as dis/abled. Method: We analyzed the state-level policies focusing on…

Determining whether an English learner with significant cognitive disabilities should participate in an alternate English language proficiency (alt-ELP) assessment is a challenge for Individualized Education Program teams. Although some states provide guidelines for making the decision, many do not. The purpose of this resource is to provide…

There is a growing concern in US schools about the over-identification and under-identification of English Learners (ELs) with disabilities (Hoover & Klingner, 2011; Hamayan, Marler, Sanchez Lopez, & Amico, 2007; Artiles & Ortiz, 2002). US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics data (2017) shows that the…

This paper explores societal perceptions of a child's disability and bilingualism through the author's observations and reflections. Drawing from the observations of the child in different public schools in the United States, the author shares how the child has been viewed differently and similarly by school personnel. By reflecting on different…

This study explored perceptions of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers on the prereferral process for Latino English language learners (ELLs). Using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews with four ESL teachers. Analyses of the data indicated that the ESL teachers used research-based…

The federal government's role in PreK-12 education has long been contentious and continues to evolve. Many have written about education governance, but few have attempted to define an appropriate role for the federal government. That is the core purpose of this essay. The authors articulate a set of principles to guide the federal role in…