English learners represent one of the fastest-growing student populations in U.S. schools, yet district leaders and educators consistently face challenges in building equitable systems that support them. This forum will examine how K-12 leaders can reimagine instruction, screening, and family engagement for English learners across all grade levels.
Through interactive sessions, expert panel discussions, and data insights, we will unpack how school structures impact daily instruction, the risks of high-stakes screening in early childhood, and the practical implementation of AI-powered translation tools.
Attendees will gain:
- Research-backed insights on play- and story-based screening tools that prevent the early misclassification and tracking of young multilingual learners
- Concrete frameworks for evaluating how a district structures daily English learner instruction and where instructional responsibility falls
- Practical guidelines for leveraging AI translation tools to bridge family language gaps while protecting student data privacy and maintaining cultural accuracy
- Strategies for measuring general education, teacher preparedness, and more!
Join us to explore teacher preparedness, privacy-compliant family communication, and play-based assessment strategies to ensure equity and opportunity for every student.
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Event Agenda
2:00pm ET
Welcome & Introduction
We’ll highlight key insights from Education Week reporting on instruction for English learns and give you a preview of the content to come in this event.
Daniela Franco Brown is an Assistant Managing Editor for race, opportunity and equity.
2:10pm ET
Interactive Session | Where, How, and with Whom English Learners Spend Their Day
This session will explore how schools structure English learner instruction. We’ll examine pull-out practices, classroom placement models, and where the primary responsibility for EL learning lands in their districts.
Daniela Franco Brown is an Assistant Managing Editor for race, opportunity and equity.
Ileana Najarro is a reporter for Education Week covering race and opportunity in schools across the country.
2:20pm ET
Industry Perspective | From Access to Opportunity: Designing Systems Where Multilingual Learners Thrive
Sponsor content provided by Lexia
Drawing on his journey from multilingual learner to classroom educator and national education leader, Dr. José Viana offers a personal and thought-provoking perspective on what multilingual learners need to succeed. He challenges K-12 leaders to unite language development with rigorous literacy instruction, ensure that access never means simplification, and move beyond compliance toward coherent systems designed around multilingual learners’ strengths. His message invites leaders to consider a defining question: Are our systems prepared not only to recognize the potential of multilingual learners, but also to nurture it?
Drawing on his journey from multilingual learner to classroom educator and national education leader, Dr. José Viana offers a personal and thought-provoking perspective on what multilingual learners need to succeed. He challenges K-12 leaders to unite language development with rigorous literacy instruction, ensure that access never means simplification, and move beyond compliance toward coherent systems designed around multilingual learners’ strengths. His message invites leaders to consider a defining question: Are our systems prepared not only to recognize the potential of multilingual learners, but also to nurture it?
José Viana
Senior Education Advisor,
Lexia Learning
José Viana, who began his career as an educator of English learners in Miami, Florida, has more than 27 years of experience in education. A former English learner himself, Viana most recently served as Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition at the U.S. Department of Education, where he led national efforts to support English learners.
2:30pm ET
Panel Discussion | Rethinking Early Identification for Young English Learners
When screening tools misread young children’s natural development, early identification can quickly slip into premature tracking. This panel will look at the shift toward play- and story-based screeners, the risks of misclassification, and how longitudinal data tracking can help schools support every child’s potential from pre-K onward without reliance on high-stress testing.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens is a reporter for Education Week who covers special education and school district management.
3:15pm ET
Industry Perspective | One Platform, Every Language Learner: Digital Tools for Multilingual Students
Sponsor content provided by Sora
Multilingual learners are one of the fastest-growing student populations in U.S. schools – and equitable access to tools that support their needs is essential for their success.
During this session, you’ll learn how digital reading platforms designed for the classroom can support language acquisition, increase access to relevant texts, and provide built-in scaffolds for multilingual students. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas to boost literacy, engagement, and academic outcomes across diverse language needs.
Multilingual learners are one of the fastest-growing student populations in U.S. schools – and equitable access to tools that support their needs is essential for their success.
During this session, you’ll learn how digital reading platforms designed for the classroom can support language acquisition, increase access to relevant texts, and provide built-in scaffolds for multilingual students. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas to boost literacy, engagement, and academic outcomes across diverse language needs.
Meredith Wemhoff
Account Executive,
Sora
Meredith Wemhoff works with K-12 schools to increase access to ebooks, audiobooks, and digital resources. With experience supporting districts across the U.S. and around the world, she helps educators leverage digital content to engage diverse student populations, including multilingual and English learner students. Wemhoff began her career as a high school Spanish teacher and remains committed to helping every student find books that inspire a love of reading.
3:25pm ET
Panel Discussion | Lost in AI Translation: Navigating Equity, Accuracy, and Privacy
As school districts turn to artificial intelligence to bridge language gaps with non-English-speaking families, educators face a high-stakes balancing act between accessibility and accuracy. This session will delve into how K-12 leaders can harness AI-powered translation tools without compromising student data privacy, misinterpreting crucial cultural nuances, or risking communication errors in high-stakes scenarios.
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
3:55pm ET
Interactive Session | Beyond 'English-Only': Assessing Teacher Preparedness and Language Integration
This session will examine how general education teachers integrate language development into core content and measure up in specialized instruction.
Daniela Franco Brown is an Assistant Managing Editor for race, opportunity and equity.
Ileana Najarro is a reporter for Education Week covering race and opportunity in schools across the country.
4:05pm ET
Closing Thoughts and Takeaways
We’ll recap the big ideas and key insights from the event.
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