The National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA) has the focus of providing networking and professional learning opportunities for Multilingual Learner (ML) program administrators and others working in ML programs at the state and local (district) level.
Upcoming and Recent Events & Information!
Registration Now Open! NAELPA 2023 Annual Conference
NAELPA 2023 Annual National Conference
NAELPA will host its 2023 NAELPA Annual Conference as a Hybrid Conference, which will include at least two virtual pre-conference sessions in the weeks leading up to the conference on February 21-22, 2022. Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities are now available. Register now!
NAELPA Position Statement Regarding Dual Language Learners Now Available
The National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA) has written this position statement to identify needs for Dual Language Learners (DLLs) and highlight areas for growth in the services and supports provided for this growing group of children. The term DLL includes young children from homes where a language other than English is spoken. While DLL can include children ages 0 to 8, the NAELPA position statement focuses on DLLs enrolled in public pre-Kindergarten programs. For more information and to access the position statement, please visit the Committees Webpage.
Newcomer Letter from USED
NAELPA participated in a convening of multiple organizations and individuals related to the needs of newcomer students. One of the results of the convening was a letter that was drafted and sent to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) on August 31, 2022 and a response from USED received on October 21, 2022. Check out the letter on NAELPA's Resources for Newcomer Multilingual Learners webpage.
2022-2023 Quarterly Webinars
NAELPA's next quarterly webinar is Thursday, Jan. 19th from 4 PM to 5:30 PM Eastern and is sponsored by TransACT Communications' ParentNotices. In this free Webinar - Transforming Schools for Multilingual Learners: A comprehensive guide for educators - Dr. Debbie Zacarian will look closely at:
- Changing trends in leadership and student empowerment for collaboratively designing and enacting successful language assistance programs
- Federal and State policies and their impact on Multilingual Learners (MLs) and their families
- Strategies for moving from a deficit-based to an asset-based approach; and
- Steps for building long-lasting family-school partnerships
Check Out the NAELPA Networking Coffee Chats
The NAELPA Membership Committee has launched a networking opportunity for NAELPA members called Networking Coffee Chats. NAELPA members can access these monthly NAELPA Networking Coffee Chats through their NAELPA Connect Space membership accounts. Coffee Chats are currently paused for the Summer but will resume in the fall. Stay tuned.
Membership Update
Membership Year Change
NAELPA has updated its By-Laws and changed the membership year to align with the calendar year. The current membership year now extends from January 1st until December 31st each calendar year. The NAELPA Executive Board Year hasn't changed. Nominations and elections for new board members will still take place in May and June each year, with the board year starting on July 1st.
Not a Member - If you are interested in membership, go to the Membership page and click on the "Become a NAELPA Member or Renew Your Membership" orange button.
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.
Check Out the NAELPA Resources Page
NAELPA is committed to providing resources that are helpful to educators of multilingual learners. NAELPA has created a Resources For Educating MLs Online which provides links to resources on a separate page under the Resources page of this website. The NAELPA Executive Board and membership are committed to doing all we can to assist in the education of MLs during this unprecedented time in the history of education in our country. With that in mind, we have also written a short white paper to help educators understand the Coronavirus relief funding for education, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. With nearly $200 billion in funding, this white paper is helpful for educators to know how these funds can be used to support the education of MLs. For more information, read the white paper on Using ESSER, ESSER II, and ESSER III Funds to Support ML Education.
UCLA/CRESST Sponsored Resource
ASSETS: The Podcast
Episode: Push Back, Politics, and Pobrecita Syndrome: Advocating for ELs In Our Present Day
Guest: Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa
NAELPA Committees
Advocating for MLs
The NAELPA assists and supports State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) by providing educational activities and information that help SEAs and LEAs guide MLs to success.
Communication
The NAELPA organizes and hosts, and develops meetings, webinars, email communications, and other messages to disseminate information important to ML program administrators. Read about it in our Newsletter.
Professional Learning
The NAELPA provides training and up-to-date information for SEAs and LEAs through webinars and national conference presentations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of ML educators.
Standards, Assessment, and Policy
The NAELPA reviews updates, research and new information on standards and assessment through this committee. The committee also updates members on the English Language Proficiency Assessment peer review process and outcomes.
Membership
Membership in the NAELPA is key to maintaining a healthy organization. The membership committee is organized to assist the membership coordinator, communicate to members, and encourage others to join.
