Overview
English Learners, Multilingual Learners, and Migratory Students bring rich cultural and linguistic assets to their school communities. However, persistent differences in academic achievement highlight the need to address opportunity gaps and accelerate learning for these students. Specialized knowledge, expertise, and systemic supports are essential in order to appropriately serve this growing population of students.
To help educators ensure access to high-quality instruction and build equitable systems in which all English Learners, Multilingual Learners, and Migratory Students can thrive, WestEd offers research, professional learning and services designed to strengthen learning outcomes.
By working directly with practitioners, English Learner and Migrant Education Services at WestEd partners with schools, districts, and states to:
- Understand the unique needs of English Learners, Multilingual Learners, and Migratory Students
- Address persistent opportunity gaps
- Design and deliver academically rigorous, culturally relevant instruction
- Create inclusive, strengths-based learning environments that recognize the cultural and linguistic assets of diverse student groups
- Provide access to education and health support services
- Build capacity through professional learning, comprehensive needs assessments, strategic improvement planning, and leadership development
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Featured Experts
Debra BenitezDebra Benitez is the Director of Migrant Education Special Projects. She works to support educational leaders to better define organizational values, build capacity in systems change, and develop inclusive programming to address inequities and improve outcomes for migratory students and students served in special education.View Full Bio
Haiwen ChuHaiwen Chu is a Senior Program Associate with Mathematics at WestEd. He designs curriculum materials and leads professional learning experiences to expand math teachers’ capacity to teach English Learners. He also designs and conducts mixed-methods studies and evaluations in partnership with districts.View Full Bio
Molly Faulkner-BondMolly Faulkner-Bond is a Senior Research Associate with WestEd’s English Learner Services who collaborates with educators, researchers, and communities to strengthen the field of education research, increase the use and utility of educational research results, substantively impact teaching and learning, and improve educational outcomes for linguistically and culturally diverse learners.View Full Bio
Annette Gregg Annette Gregg is the Director of English Learner and Migrant Education Services (ELMES) at WestEd. She works collaboratively with schools, districts, and state agencies to help build the capacity of educators to change outcomes for English Learners. She partners with leaders to engage in systemic improvement planning that will enhance educational programs and build upon the rich cultural and linguistic assets that English learners bring to school.View Full Bio
Mary Schmida Mary Schmida is a Senior Research Associate with WestEd’s English Learners and Migrant Education Services. She designs and facilitates in-person and virtual professional learning experiences for teachers that exemplify powerful learning opportunities for students designated as English Learners. She has over 20 years of experience working with educators to develop their expertise to serve all students—especially English Learners—with rigor and future-oriented pedagogy.View Full Bio
WestEd Bulletin
Stay up to date with the latest WestEd news, events, research, and leading voices to support your commitment to improving learning, healthy development, and equity in schools and communities.
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Developing and Improving Integrated ELD Programs: Guidance for Leaders
Events / September 25, 2024
Join us for the fourth session of our webinar series, Where the Evidence Leads: Preliminary Findings From IES-Funded English Learner Research Studies, hosted by the National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners.
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Education Innovation and Research Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum Study
Events / August 1, 2024
Join the Expository Reading and Writing grant study and gain free access to a curriculum that has been proven to improve students’ academic achievement in English language arts.
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Two Key Ways States Can Reorient K–12 Systems to Provide Students With Essential Oral Opportunities to Learn
Insights & Impact / August 26, 2024
State and local educational agencies can better support teachers by enhancing their ability to engage students in meaningful discussions and using formative assessments to track and improve students' progress.
Success Stories
We have partnered with state, regional, and school district leaders nationwide to build organizational capacity for strategic resource use and systemwide improvement. Below, we highlight featured projects which illustrate the depth and breadth of our work.
Raising the Bar: English Learners in Colorado Thrive Under High Expectations
WestEd collaborated with the Greeley-Evans School District (CO) to develop a Master Plan for English Learner Success and implement an integrated approach to high-quality instruction for English Learners of all proficiency levels. Schools have seen impressive growth in academic performance.
Embracing the Challenge: How a Wisconsin Elementary School Radically Improved Its Performance
After identifying areas of need, WestEd helped Fort Howard Elementary to implement a multifaceted, whole-child approach to improvement. Find out how Fort Howard achieved an “Exceeds Expectations” score on the state accountability rating.
