Californians Together

‘She Gave Us a Way In’: A Teacher’s Defense of Lucy Calkins (Opinion) Every decade, a new savior for literacy emerges: Phonics! Whole language! Balanced reading! Phonics, again!

"I adjusted things. That's what good teachers do."

Not all students learn in the same way. When it comes to #literacy, #EnglishLeaners benefit from dedicated teachers who work to meet their unique needs.

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What works for supporting #newcomer students? Join the California Department of Education and California Department of Social Services for a webinar on October 16th exploring best practices.

Register now: buff.ly/soAQ4zM

Californians Together is headed to #SXSWEdu 2026!

👉 Learn more about our session: bit.ly/LAResponds

How the 'Science of Reading' Can Support English Learners English learners are sometimes an afterthought in 'science of reading' policies. Some educators want to change that.

Phonics is just one aspect of literacy instruction that can help students learn to read. #EnglishLearners need a comprehensive approach.

More from @edweek.org:

📢 The NCEL Virtual Literacy Summit is January 21, 2026!

Literacy and equity advocates from across the country will convene for a day of advocacy for an integrated approach to literacy for all.

Register today to lock in Early Bird pricing.

Register: buff.ly/8jowcvM

#NCELSummit #LiteracySummit

One in every four children in the U.S. is Hispanic/Latino, many of whom are #EnglishLearners, but the contributions of these communities are underrepresented in media and schools.

Learn why #HispanicHeritageMonth matters via the Smithsonian Institution: latino.si.edu/learn/teachi...

Webinar (Sept 23, 12–1 PM PT): Strengthening California’s UPK Workforce for Multilingual Children.

Hear state actions, Central Valley COE practices, and key findings from a CalTog & EL-WIN report.

Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Our statement on last week's #SCOTUS ruling on immigration stops.

Read the statement on our blog: buff.ly/mrtPYs7

Storytelling is a powerful tool for shining a light on the policies & practices to create truly welcoming and safe environments for all. This #WelcomingWeek2025, we invite you to share your stories about welcoming #newcomers.

🔗 welcomingweek.org
#WelcomingWeek #EdEquity #Newcomers #SafeSchools

While the federal government rolled back guidance on how to educate #EnglishLearners, California is reminding schools and districts of their obligation to serve these students.

More from @edsource.org: buff.ly/TQK5sY7

This #newreport highlights what’s at risk for 5.7 million English Learners as federal proposals threaten to eliminate #TitleIII. Showing how cuts would reduce resources for students when research proves they thrive when properly supported.

Learn more: cep.asu.edu/resources/Pr...

What proactive steps can districts take to support #immigrant students? From clarifying existing policies to partnering with legal orgs, #districts have many tools at their disposal for keeping all #students safe and ready to learn.

More from @edpolicyinca.org : buff.ly/OepbOw7

Jessica Kang of @stopaapihate.org joined Emily Fung (@caasanfrancisco.bsky.social) to author a guest blog post for CalTog in which they go deep on hate & language discrimination, and why education is such a powerful tool for creating safer environments for all.

Read more: buff.ly/uCbqFaY

Illinois Set to Expand Dual-Language Education Illinois House Bill 3026, led in the House by State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, has passed the Senate and is now poised to establish statewide guidance for dual language instruction to ensure c...

Though the federal government has rolled back guidance on supporting #EnglishLearners, Illinois state legislators passed a bill that provides guidance and support for expanding valuable dual language programs.

More in Language Magazine: languagemagazine.com/2025/06/20/i...

July 2025 Legislative Update - Californians Together We are encouraged by the progress reflected in this year’s budget—particularly the inclusion of funding for the English Learner Roadmap and the English learner regional leads. With the everchanging fe...

The state legislature recently reconvened from summer recess. What's the state of play for bills that impact #EnglishLearners?

Learn more on the Californians Together blog: californianstogether.org/july-2025-le...

From strengthening brain development to opening up economic opportunities, speaking more than one language has clear benefits.

A new article from Getting Smart goes deep into these benefits, and assesses the potential risks AI poses for language learning.

Read more: buff.ly/Tq5pf2X

New report out on multilingual learner work—worth a look! 📘👀 Looking for ways to support capacity building in this space? #MultilingualEducation #Education #Researchystuff

What does it mean to build a #UniversalPreK workforce that is ready for #MultilingualLearners? Our new report provides key insights from practitioners & advocates dedicated to creating an early education system that works for all.

Read the report: buff.ly/CeXoLAY

Today is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. In CA, Native communities are reclaiming and revitalizing their ancestral languages—from Northern Pomo to Yurok, Paiute, and Oaxacan. Language is identity, power & possibility.
Read more: californianstogether.org/celebrating-...

📣 Literacy and Dual Language Learners in ECE

Join a webinar featuring researchers exploring how biliteracy and bilingual development shape early literacy—and what today’s policies mean for DLLs. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#DLL #Biliteracy #EarlyChildhood #BilingualEd #EduLeadership

SENIOR POLICY ASSOCIATE - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SENIOR POLICY ASSOCIATE - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Status: Full-Time; Exempt Location: CA-Based Location Flexible (Remote with travel within California) Salary Range:$80,000 - $92,000 Reports to:…

Californians Together is hiring!

We’re looking for a Senior Policy Associate in Early Childhood Education to lead advocacy efforts for Dual Language Learners & English Learners across California.

📍 Remote (CA-based w/ in-state travel) | 📅 Apply by 8/28

Apply here →

Adopting Math Curriculum with Multilingual Learners in Mind: Guidance for California

Are you adopting new math materials? Act now for equity! Join the #EnglishLearner Success Forum's free webinar on Aug 21 at 4 PM PT to learn about the MLL Math Curriculum Adoption Toolkit & RFP language to ensure ed equity.

Register now! #EdEquity #MLL www.elsuccessforum.org/events/adopt...

Nearly half of #AAPI Californians reporting experiencing hate last year. This powerful data dive shines a light on hate and discrimination, and it is critically important for understanding what it takes to keep communities safe.

More from @stopaapihate.org : buff.ly/LcGKhN8

Supporting home languages leads to stronger schools.

Multilingual education improves outcomes and engagement across communities. Our toolkit offers practical guidance for educators and district leaders.

📘 Download: bit.ly/MLL_Toolkit
#LanguageAccess #MultilingualLearners #EducationLeadership

What is the state of the 25-26 California budget and how does #multilingual education fare? Our Senior Legislative Advocate Cristina Salazar breaks it all down.

Read more: buff.ly/nRvdQTn

Choosing English-Plus, Not English-Only: What’s Wrong with the Administration’s New Language Access Guidance Several years ago, a new analysis of public data showed that in recent decades, Mexican-American students made strong academic progress in U.S. K–12

DOJ’s new guidance promotes English-only services, cutting multilingual supports.

TCF urges an English-plus approach that protects access for 28M LEP individuals.

🔗 Learn more.

📚✨ Bilingual education strengthens brains: students who learn in two languages handle conflict & focus tasks better.

Investing in bilingual programs means investing in lifelong cognitive advantages. (Costa et al., Cognition, 2008)

#BilingualEducation #EdPolicy #BrainDevelopment

As of July 25, 2025, the Trump administration has released the remaining $5 billion in federal K‑12 grants that had been withheld since July 1, impacting English‑learner programs, migrant support, teacher training, and after‑school services.
buff.ly/JDncJJg

Federal Policy Pulse Our new weekly newsletter for federal education updates impacting multilingual learners.

📰 Announcing: Federal Policy Pulse from Californians Together

Get clear, reliable updates on federal education policy changes that impact English learners.

📩 Sign up here: mailchi.mp/caltog/stay-...

#EducationPolicy #MultilingualLearners #EdEquity #TitleIII

Teacher PD, Jobs on the Chopping Block as Trump's Funding Freeze Continues In a new survey, superintendents detail the tradeoffs they expect to make if billions in federal funds don't arrive.

Teacher PD & jobs are at risk 😞

Education Week reports districts are poised to cut professional development—and lay off staff—if $6.8 B in federal education grants remains frozen.

🗣️ Time to urge lawmakers to distribute the funding.