Illinois: English Language Learner (ELL) Resources
Illinois schools were home to more than 207,000 English Language Learners (ELLs), as of the 2013-2014 school year, as per the Migration Policy Institute in 2015. Currently, there are five most common spoken languages by ELLs in Illinois – Spanish, Polish, Chinese, Urdu, and Arabic.
State of Illinois ELL Resources
State Agency: Illinois State Board of Education
ELL Website: English Language Learning
ELP Standards & Assessment
ELP Standards: WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards
ELP Assessment: WIDA-ACCESS – ACCESS for ELLs
Statewide Standards-Based Assessment
Assessment: Illinois Assessment Website
Parent Communication: Documents for ELL Parents
Additional Information
Illinois Title III: Title III
National Clearing House for English Language Acquisition (NCELA): Title III Information
WIDA: Illinois Contact Information
Early Childhood: Preschool for ELLs
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.
Illinois TESOL-BE
Illinois TESOL-Be is a non-profit organization comprised of people from different sectors such as legislation, government issues, professional development, and special interest groups. These individuals strive to teach English speakers of other languages and bilingual education.
Illinois: Seal of Biliteracy
In 2013, Illinois 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.
Illinois Education Association – NEA
Illinois Education Association – NEA is a National Education Association State Affiliate. This organization lobbies legislators for the resources schools need, campaign for higher professional teaching standards, and file legal actions to protect the rights of school professionals and academic freedom.
Illinois Family Resource Center on Disabilities
The Illinois Family Resource Center on Disabilities (PIRC) offers parents of children with disabilities a variety of programs, resources, and information to increase parent involvement and improve the student success rate.
Latinos Progresando
Latinos Progresando is a registered nonprofit organization based in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The organization assists clients with applying for immigration benefits and conducts community education and outreach. Latinos Progresando also advocates and organizes around policies that fair and just to immigrants.
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