Texas : English Language Learner (ELL) Resources
Texas schools were home to more than 773,000 English Language Learners (ELLs), as of the 2012-2013 school year. That indicates a 24% increase from the 2002-2003 school year, as per the Migration Policy Institute in 2015. Currently, there are five most common spoken languages by ELLs in Texas – Spanish, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic.
State of Texas ELL Resources
State Agency: Texas Education Agency
ELL Website: Bilingual Education in Texas
English Language Learners (ELL) Web Portal
ELP Standards & Assessment
ELP Standards: TELPAS
ELP Assessment: Information on State Assessments for ELLs
English Language Arts Materials: CDE Website
Statewide Standards-Based Assessment
Assessment: State Testing Website
Statewide Resources
Lectura Books
Lectura Books is the go to source for bilingual books and culturally relevant family reading programs.
The Latino Literacy Project
The Latino Family Literacy Project is known for its award-winning parent involvement programs for Spanish speaking parents.
Hidalgo Early College Toolkit
Hidalgo Early College Toolkit is organized by Hidalgo Early College District is a very small, rural school district located in South Texas. This district ensures that every student earns college credits before graduating from high school.
Mi Escuelita
Mi Escuelita is an early childhood program located in Texas that is dedicated to teaching English to at-risk children of all cultures. Additionally, they teach learning skills that will help prepare them for a successful experience.
Texas TESOL
TexTESOL is an affiliate TESOL member. Its mission is to develop and maintain professional expertise in English language learning and teaching for speakers of other languages worldwide.
Texas: Seal of Biliteracy
In 2013, Texas adopted the Seal of Biliteracy to promote bilingual pride. The Seal of Biliteracy encourages students to be biliterate and aid schools in promoting bilingualism by granting seals and medals. The organization has an award, which recognizes students who have studied and reached proficiency in two or more languages by the time they graduate high school.
Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE)
The Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE) pursues the implementation of educational policies and effective bilingual-bicultural programs through research, professional development, and public education. The association promotes equal education opportunity and strives for academic excellence for ESL/bilingual students.
Texas State Teachers Association
The Texas Teachers Association is part of the National Education Association state affiliate program. This national program lobbies legislators for resources needed in schools. Additionally, they campaign for higher professional teacher standards and file legal actions to protect academic freedom and school employee rights.
Additional Information
National Clearing House for English Language Acquisition (NCELA): Title III Information
Note: Regulations change from time to time. These resources and guidelines were complied in July 2018. If you see that something needs to be updated, please send an email to _____. For more detailed information regarding ELL guidelines and policies at the state and federal levels, please refer to the following:
Federal Regulations Regarding English Language Learners (ELLs)
Migration Policy Institute: ELL Information Center