COVID-19 English Learner Resources
This page provides resources, webinars, newsletters, and guidance regarding English learner, immigrant, newcomer, and migratory students related to COVID-19.The resources below from the California Department of Education (CDE) Multilingual Support Division are available to local educational agencies as they support English learner, immigrant, newcomer, and migratory students during the return to in-person learning. This collection of resources will be updated as new guidance and information is available and includes links to CDE resources as well as outside resources.
Resources
Local Educational Agency (LEA) Resources | Parent and Family Resources | Newcomer Resources | Migrant Education Resources | Social-Emotional Wellbeing Resources | Physical Health and Wellness Resources
LEA Resources:
The CDE English Language Development (ELD) Video Series: Administrator's Guide for Facilitating Remote Professional Learning (DOCX) provides guidance and resources for facilitating remote professional learning using the CDE ELD Video Series.
The CDE document, Teaching Multilingual Learners Online in the California Context: Guidance on Embracing and Supporting Multilingual Learners During Distance Learning (DOCX), takes the English Learner (EL) Roadmap principles one and two and provides practical steps that educators can take to enact each of these principles’ elements in the independent study environment. Each step is accompanied by resources, examples, tech tools, guidance, and/or webinars that can support teachers to enact this element.
The CDE Independent Study web page provides key information and resources on independent study programs, including frequently asked questions and guidance for the provision of services.
The CDE Guide to Independent Study web page provides an overview of independent study describing the types of programs, key legal requirements, independent study agreements, local board policy, and attendance.
The CDE Independent Study Directory web page provides contact information and links to the key offices and resources within the CDE with responsibility for specific areas of independent study implementation, guidance, and support.
The CDE Title III County Office of Education EL Specialists web page includes information, calendars, agendas, training presentations, and technical assistance resources. The EL Specialists provide technical assistance to LEAs within each of the 11 county superintendent regions.
The CDE Guidance on Diagnostic and Formative Assessments web page offers many tools and strategies for taking a snapshot of students' learning, but none of the assessments are required. This document describes how LEAs can use California's approved assessments to evaluate where students are academically at the start of and throughout the school year. In addition to providing summative assessments for English language arts, mathematics, science, and English language proficiency, the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, assessment programs also provide important resource tools for teachers that are aligned with California standards.
The CCEE Continuity of Learning - Resources to Support California Schools Reduce Risk and Accelerate Learning
offers four playbooks to assist LEA leaders: the Playbook for Accelerating Learning, the Health and Safety Guidebook, the Field Guide, and the Leading Forward Conference.
The Californians Together English Learner Roadmap Implementation for Systemic Excellence (EL RISE!) Tools web page
includes tools that Californians Together and its Educator Workforce Investment Grant (EWIG) partners developed to support EL Roadmap Policy implementation. These tools include the EL RISE! Reflection and Planning Tool for Administrators, the EL RISE! Best Practices EL Roadmap to Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Template, and the EL RISE LCAP Opportunities to Address EL Needs.
The California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Multilingual California web page
includes tools that CABE and its EWIG partners developed to support EL Roadmap Policy implementation. These tools include LCAP and dual language resources.
The Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL) Return to School (RTS) Toolkits
are based on the Teaching Tolerance Standards, the History/Social Science Standards and Frameworks, the English Language Arts/ELD Standards and Frameworks, the Health and Education Standards, as well as the International Society for Technology in Education Standards. The SEAL RTS Toolkits include resources on social and emotional learning, family partnerships, and return to school units and are organized by audience with information for teachers, administrators, and coaches.
Parent and Family Resources:
Parent Engagement Modules Series
The Parent Engagement Modules Series presents information and strategies for parents to develop their capacity to support their children at school and at home.
The CDE Getting Internet Access: Available Plans web page provides information about internet access. The California Emerging Technology Fund has provided access to affordable offers. This information as well as a table of offers from various internet providers is available on this page.
The CDE CA Meals for Kids Mobile Application web page provides links to download the CA Meals for Kids Mobile Application that allows parents to locate nearby California Afterschool, Summer Meal Program, and Emergency Meal sites.
The US Department of Education Institute of Educational Sciences Regional Educational Laboratory Program Supporting Young English Learners at Home Family and Caregiver Activities web page
includes activity sheets in English and Spanish to support language development at home.
The First 5 California COVID-19 Resources web page
provides information on parenting during COVID-19; at home learning activities and resources; and activities for babies, toddlers, and preschools. This information is available in Spanish by selecting “español” in the upper right corner.
The Early Edge California Coronavirus Resources for Families web page
includes information for families about vaccines, resources for parents and caregivers, and home educational activities.
The Haskins Global Resources Hub Resource Library
is a compilation of high-quality resources for parents and teachers addressing the literacy needs of preschoolers to adolescents across all proficiency levels.
Newcomer Resources:
The CDE Newcomer web page includes information and resources to support local educational agencies serving newcomer students and their families.
The WestEd Archived Webinar Communicating with Families of Newcomer English Learners During Distance Learning web page
includes a link to the webinar recorded on May 20, 2020.
Migrant Education Resources:
The Migrant Education Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provides responses to FAQs regarding the Migrant Education Program.
The Mexican government Coronavirus web page
includes information, resources, FAQs, and more in Spanish.
The National Center for Farmworker Health Resources on Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 web page
contains a collection of COVID-19 resources for agricultural workers and employers that are available in a variety of languages including Spanish and indigenous languages.
Social-Emotional Wellbeing Resources:
The CDE Social and Emotional Support in Distance Learning web page provides guidance and resources for educators, educational leaders, and families/guardians in kindergarten through grade 12 schools, to provide social and emotional supports during distance learning.
The First 5 California Care, Cope, Connect web page
highlights the Care, Cope, Connect resource, created by Sesame Street in Communities in collaboration with the First 5 Association of California. This resource helps parents cope with stress and provide safety and security for their children. This resource includes information on immigration and trauma and is available in multiple languages.
The National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments website
offers information and technical assistance to states, districts, schools, institutions of higher education, and communities focused on improving school climate and conditions for learning. This website includes information about responding to the coronavirus.
Physical Health and Wellness Resources:
The Feeding America Find Your Local Food Bank web page
offers a search tool that can be used to find food banks nationwide.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Masks web page
information about facemasks and a link to find free N95 masks near you. To change the language on this web page, click “languages” at the top of the page and select your preferred language.
Webinars
The CDE Coronavirus (COVID-19) Webinars web page contains links to all CDE COVID-19 webinars including webinars focused on English learners, English language development, and dual language immersion.
The Californians Together English Learner Roadmap Implementation for Systemic Excellence (EL RISE!) Webinars web page
includes links to upcoming and past recorded webinars that Californians Together and its partners developed as part of the Educator Workforce Investment Grant (EWIG) for English Learner (EL) Roadmap Policy implementation.
The California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Multilingual California Video Archives and Resources web page
includes links to past recorded webinars that CABE and its EWIG partners developed to support EL Roadmap Policy implementation.
Newsletters
The CDE Multilingual Updates Newsletters web page contains links to two newsletters:
The Multilingual Updates Newsletter provides updates, information, and resources to local educational agencies focusing topics related to English learners, multilingual learners, immigrant students, and migratory students. This newsletter is currently published quarterly.
Guidance
The links below provide guidance to local educational agencies during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDE Coronavirus Response and School Reopening Guidance web page includes information and resources regarding CDE's COVID-19 response efforts, including the guidance document for safely reopening schools.
The California Safe Schools for All Hub
includes information and guidance on testing, vaccinations, ventilation, child care, mental health, and more.
Learning Acceleration: Supporting English Learners
The CDE Learning Acceleration: Supporting English Learners web page provides guidance and resources to support English learners by leveraging all fiscal resources to accelerate student learning.
The web page includes:
- Leveraging Fiscal Resources
- English Learner Learning Acceleration Resources
- Family Engagement for Learning Acceleration
The Council of the Great City Schools Addressing Unfinished Learning After COVID-19 School Closures guide
(PDF) provides recommendations and resources for learning acceleration when students return to in-person instruction after distance and hybrid learning.