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
As I begin my term as President of NAELPA, I am filled with both hope and determination.
Across the country, leaders who serve multilingual learners are navigating an increasingly complex landscape—shifting Title III funding, evolving immigration policies, and mounting pressures on schools and systems already stretched thin. These are real challenges, and we cannot ignore them.
But more powerful than these challenges is the strength of our collective voice.
NAELPA exists for moments like this. It is a space where administrators, advocates, and educators come together—not just to discuss what’s wrong, but to amplify what works. It’s a community where we remind one another that we are not alone in this work, and where we grow stronger by learning from each other.
In this organization, I’ve found connection. I’ve found encouragement. And I’ve found hope—not as an abstract idea, but as action. Hope lives in the conversations we have, the policies we influence, and the students we champion through our advocacy.
If you’ve ever felt the weight of this work—if the barriers seem too great or change feels too slow—I invite you to lean in. Join a committee. Attend a webinar or a coffee chat. Come to our annual conference—not just for the learning, but for the fellowship.
Because when we come together as NAELPA, we are more than the sum of our roles. We are a force for equity. We are a voice for multilingual learners. And we are a community that grows stronger with every member who says, “I’m in.”
As we begin this new chapter together, let’s stay focused, stay connected, and stay bold. We are building something powerful—and I am honored to serve alongside you in this work.
With gratitude,
Dr. Merica Clinkenbeard
President, NAELPA
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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