For a long time, immigrant and refugee students have been negatively impacted by inequities in our education system. And in 2018, under the current political climate, the basic human rights of many immigrant and refugee communities are under attack. With the rise of detrimental federal policies—such as the Muslim travel ban, a surge in deportations, the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, attempts to restrict public benefits for immigrants, and family separation at the U.S. border—now, more than ever, it is vital that schools are a place where diverse communities feel welcomed and valued. It is imperative that all educators, district leaders, and policymakers work together to support EL student success.
This 2018 report by OneAmerica and the English Language Learner Work Group aims to: provide an overview of current multilingual student demographics in the South King County and South Seattle region, showcase achievements of our efforts to advance change for EL students, and present policy solutions to support bilingual education in our region and state.