The Voice for MLs
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The National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA) serves as the voice of multilingual learners (MLs), representing State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across the United States. We are small enough to hear individual voices, yet powerful enough to be heard as a whole. The organization provides its members with direct contact to the change agents in each state and at the Federal level. With two-way communication between the council and the decision makers, our voice can be heard. Join today and be part of the voice!
The National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA) serves as the voice of multilingual learners (MLs), representing State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across the United States. We are small enough to hear individual voices, yet powerful enough to be heard as a whole. The organization provides its members with direct contact to the change agents in each state and at the Federal level. With two-way communication between the council and the decision makers, our voice can be heard. Join today and be part of the voice!
Dr. Merica Clinkenbeard, NAELPA President 2025-26
President's Message
The New Normal
“The new normal.” That’s a phrase I learned to lean on during COVID, and one I’ve found myself using again lately, but this time for a much more personal reason.
This holiday season hit differently. Two of my three sons are now married, with full lives, jobs, and schedules of their own. I caught myself slipping into the holiday blues, lamenting that traditions weren’t the same anymore. They’ve lost all meaning, I told myself.
But like any good educator, I eventually brought myself back to the objective. Why did I work so hard to build those traditions in the first place? The answer was simple: love and togetherness. And once I named that objective, the lesson became clear. Those outcomes are still possible, even when the structure changes.
That reflection feels especially relevant to our work right now.
In a profession that often feels defined by loss of stability, resources, clarity, or certainty, we must keep returning to the objective. NAELPA has long said we are the voice of English Learners. The more important question may be: What voice do they need right now?
Across webinars, books, research, Capitol Hill, classrooms, universities, state departments, consulting spaces, and publishing tables, I hear you. I hear resolve. I hear courage. I hear educators refusing to let language, identity, or opportunity be compromised.
As my term as president enters its final months, my commitment is to help ensure that NAELPA continues to amplify the voices that matter most, clearly, collectively, and without losing sight of the objective.
Love. Belonging. Opportunity.
The structure may shift. The mission does not.
New from NAELPA:
As recent executive actions reduce federal oversight and support for multilingual learners (MLs), talking points developed by NAELPA’s Advancing Multilingual Policy and Practice Committee are intended to help educators, administrators, and advocates communicate why federal resources have been so important and what states can do to fill gaps. While many states are strongly equity-focused, these talking points target policymakers in state legislatures and education agencies who are less informed about ML education. Topics include civil rights, funding, data, and accountability.
This document, developed by NAELPA’s Local Education Agency (LEA) committee, is intended to support LEA leaders by providing objective data and evidence-based information to advocate for ML and multilingual family education and support programs. It may be especially useful when addressing resistance from stakeholders—such as school board members, finance committees, parents, policymakers, taxpayers, and other community leaders—who may question or challenge the allocation of funding for these initiatives and the importance of promoting multilingualism in our schools.
NAELPA Statement on Support for Assets-Based Terminology
NAELPA Statement on Support for Assets-Based Terminology
It is important to NAELPA to use asset-based terminology when referring to our work and the population of students we serve. We acknowledge that the current name of this organization, The National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA), uses English Learner (EL), which is considered deficit based. With current federal legislation using English Learners (ELs) to identify this population the NAELPA board will continue with this usage for clarity purposes in the short term. The term NAELPA prefers is Multilingual Learner (ML), which the organization views as a more asset-based term. NAELPA will take an active role in advocating for the wider use of assets-based nomenclature and helping to make it more standardized in our field and beyond.
For a more detailed description, check out the full NAELPA Asset-Based Terminology statement.
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