U S Policy Updates What English Language Educators Need To Know

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 28, 2025, 3:00 PM

u s policy updates what english language educators need to know

KEEPING ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFESSIONALS CONNECTED 2025 began with a dramatic shift in U.S. political priorities. Administrative and legislative actions at the federal and state levels have generated concern and challenges across the educational landscape, especially for English language teachers serving communities that include undocumented learners. Educators and schools are quickly responding to these actions, seeking answers and legal guidance while continuing to serve the learners and families within their communities. Here are three key policies that impact multilingual families in the United States, with guidance and resources for educators at varying levels—district administrators, campus administrators, and classroom teachers.

The protected area policy1, which exempts schools, hospitals, and places of worship from nonexigent circumstances (U.S. Const. amend. IV, § 6.3) on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), goes back at least to 1993 (Puleo). The policy, though, has never been made into law and, as a result, is contingent upon agency and executive leadership for adherence. On Monday, 20 January, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman issued a directive (U.S.

Department of Homeland Security, 2025) that ICE agents would not have to abide by the sensitive or protected areas policy. With this move, ICE agents may now apprehend and arrest “criminal aliens . . . who have illegally come into [the] country” directly on school campuses, from elementary and secondary education institutions to adult and higher education institutions, including vocational schools. The U.S.

Department of Justice released guidance to federal agencies on July 14 on how to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order from March declaring English the nation’s official language. While experts on English-learner education saw no immediate effects for K-12 schools, they say the new guidance, alongside several recent federal policy changes this year affecting English learners, raises concerns about the executive order’s... “The [Department of Justice] will lead a coordinated effort to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure compliance with legal obligations through targeted measures where necessary,” said Attorney... The department advises agencies, where legally permitted, to determine which of their programs, grants, and policies could be better served by operating exclusively in English. Meanwhile, $890 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education intended to support K-12 students’ acquisition of the English language, known as the Title III-A program, were among the billions the Trump administration withheld from schools in early July.

The Education Department said the guidance micro-managed states. The U.S. Education Department has rescinded critical guidance to schools regarding how they provide English language learning services for roughly 5 million students in U.S. schools. The Education Department on Tuesday rescinded a 2015 Dear Colleague letter on its website, which served as a guide for school districts that are serving English learners to ensure they're providing adequate resources to... In a statement to ABC News, the Education Department said the document was "overly prescriptive" and that it micro-managed states.

"States have vastly different needs for this important population of students and are best equipped to determine how best to educate these students while following all applicable federal laws," the department said in the... ESEA Title III: Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR 76-99 Early Actions for States in Response to Recent Changes Note: This memo is part of a Bellwether series designed to help education advocates and state leaders — including those in governors’ offices, state education agencies and boards, and state legislatures — respond to...

This memo reflects federal policy developments through May 6, 2025. The first months of the Trump administration have seen a flurry of policy and legal actions — including executive orders, staffing changes, proposed budget cuts, and shifts in enforcement priorities — that affect how... While few of these actions explicitly name English learners, the broader shifts in federal education policies and priorities are likely to have significant implications for the more than 5.3 million English learners in the... K-12 public education system and the schools that support them.1 The changes at the federal level come at a time when the education system is already grappling with persistent challenges in serving and supporting English learners — including stretched teacher capacity,2 insufficient professional development,3... Amid policy uncertainty at the federal level, state leaders, including those in governors’ offices, state education agencies and boards, and state legislatures, can take concrete steps to protect and support students who are classified...

This memo outlines the historical role of the federal government in the education of English learners and how that role is expected to be affected by the Trump administration’s actions. It then outlines actions state leaders can take as well as strategic questions they should consider as they seek to develop, implement, and sustain policies that support English learners. Recommendations include: This resource page includes updates related to federal policy and funding for the education of English language learners (ELLs). For additional information related to your setting, you may wish to check in with administrators at the school and district level. For more information on the federal regulations related to ELLs, see our resource guide below.

These updates relate to recent staff cuts at the U.S. Department of Education; the cuts included a large cohort of staffers from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Here is a helpful page from Understood with updates and a Q&A for families: Note: ELLs with special education needs are legally entitled to both sets of services. Learn more in our Special Education and ELLs: Resource Gallery. Sign up for Chalkbeat’s free weekly newsletter to keep up with how education is changing across the U.S.

The Trump administration has quietly rescinded guidance spelling out the educational rights of the nation’s more than 5 million English learners that educators say was crucial to serving children from immigrant families. In recent weeks, a Dear Colleague letter issued in 2015 by the Education Department and Department of Justice was stamped with a red message saying the document had been formally rescinded. Neither agency issued a public notice explaining the rationale for the change as they usually do when they roll back federal guidance. The rescission comes after the Trump administration laid off nearly every staffer in the Education Department responsible for serving English learners and looks to wind down a federal website that provides toolkits for helping... The administration has also proposed zeroing out dedicated Title III funding for English learners and issued an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States. Trump officials also cleared the way for immigration agents to make arrests at or near schools, child care centers, and after-school programs, undoing a longstanding precedent to treat those places as sensitive locations.

The administration’s mass deportation campaign has left many school communities shaken and lowered student attendance in some parts of the country. Council books, journals, meetings, and Web resources help provide professional support throughout the many stages of your teaching career. The NCTE James R. Squire Office of Policy Research in English Language Arts publishes policy briefs that explore key issues impacting literacy educators and their students and articulate student-centered policy recommendations. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad, University of Illinois, Chicago Nicole Mirra, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Michael Macaluso, University of Notre Dame Jodene Morrell, University of Notre Dame Lisa Scherff, South Fort Myers High School

Robert Jean LeBlanc, University of Lethbridge Earl Aguilera, CSU-Fresno Sarah Burriss, Vanderbilt University Roberto de Roock, UC-Santa Cruz Will Fassbender, Montana State University Bethany Monea, George Mason University T. Philip Nichols, Baylor University Jessica Zacher Pandya, CSU-Dominguez Hills Brad Robinson, Texas State University Anna Smith, Illinois State University Amy Stornaiuolo, University of Pennsylvania WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with... "As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

"The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division." "President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.” While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services... Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.

President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.

U S Policy Updates What English Language Educators Need To Know

People Also Search

KEEPING ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFESSIONALS CONNECTED 2025 Began With A Dramatic

The Protected Area Policy1, Which Exempts Schools, Hospitals, And Places

Department Of Homeland Security, 2025) That ICE Agents Would Not

Department Of Justice Released Guidance To Federal Agencies On July

The Education Department Said The Guidance Micro-managed States. The U.S.