Links to English Learner Family Resources

English learners in Massachusetts attend schools in which all educators share responsibility for their success, engage effectively with their families, and value and nurture their linguistic and cultural assets. English learners are taught by effective, well-prepared, and culturally responsive educators who hold them to high standards and have the materials and professional learning they need to advance students’ academic and linguistic development simultaneously. English learners have equitable access to meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities that build on their cultural and linguistic assets and the academic, linguistic, social, and emotional supports they need to excel. English learners thrive in high school and graduate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to be successful in college and/or a career of their choice, and to contribute to civic life in a global community.

DESE English Learner Education Family Resources

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education annually updates district and school profiles to provide families with current information about the district and schools’ student population, personnel, finance, accountability ratings, assessment results, and school and district report cards. This resource also provides a tool (DART) that allows users to compare districts on each of the aforementioned categories.

The Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) is part of the Center for Instructional Support at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. OLA provides leadership and support designed to increase the capacity of educators in Massachusetts public schools to provide an excellent education to English learners (ELs) and foreign language students in Massachusetts. OLA also coordinates state EL initiatives and EL policy development. 

English Learner Tool Kit Updated with ESSA references. OELA’s EL Tool Kit was published in 2015 was produced by the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, and the Department of Justice, outlining legal obligations for ELs. 

The English Learner Tool Kit assists state and local education agencies educate English Learners (ELs) by fulfilling these obligations. It is also a resource for parents to reference when advocating for their child.  The website has the toolkit available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Lao, Korean, Hmong, Khmer, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

The Family and Community Engagement webpage:

Check out the resources on this webpage supporting the framework for building greater support and capacity in schools, homes and communities, so ALL students have the chance to succeed.

 Strong family-school partnerships are built on mutual respect and trust and are based in a foundational belief that student success and district improvements are a joint responsibility. 

As a parent, there are many ways that you can help your child succeed every single day! These bilingual parent resources offer tips on helping your child learn to read, succeed in school, and learn a new language. They also provide information about the U.S. school system and share ideas on how to build a relationship with your child’s teacher and school.

In addition, you can find fun reading tips and games, bilingual booklists, ideas for using the public library, and videos of children’s authors, illustrators, and musicians. Resources are organized by topic.

For many younger people, going to school can be a source of severe anxiety, depression, and stress, which is especially true for kids who may feel on the outside due to their disability. Everyday Health’s guide not only explains the connection between mental health and academics but is packed with tips to help families improve mental well-being, like how to:

  • Practice self-care for mental health at any age

  • Plan ahead for academic challenges using easy time-management techniques

  • Find mental health care when the going gets tough