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Meyer v. Nebraska
This court case determined that states could choose the language of instruction in public schools; parents have the right to organize extra-curricular language classes -
Brown v. Board of Education
This court case determined that states are required provide English learners with equal educational opportunities. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
This Act aimed to provide educational equity for vulnerable students from lower income families. It was the largest source of funding for elementary and secondary education, and it was reauthorized 8 times. -
Title VII: The Bilingual Education Act
This Act was the first federal policy for English Language Learners. It was reauthorized 6 times. By providing grants, this Act recognized the benefits of bilingual education. -
Lau v. Nichols
This court case emphasized the right of English learners to get meaningful education. The result of this case was the Lau Remedies. -
Castaneda v. Pickard
This court case introduced the Castañeda Standard, which is a three-pronged test, used to determine if schools appropriately address the educational needs of ELLs. -
No Child Left Behind Act
This Act replaced Title VII. This Act included accountability for high-stakes testing, including for ELLs. There were consequences for schools that did not attain Annual Yearly Progress for English Language Learners. -
WIDA - World-class Instructional Design and Assessment
WIDA aimed to develop common English language proficiency standards & assessments to comply with Title III. -
Race to the Top
Under President Obama, this federal education act aimed to reform education in the areas of assessment, data collection, intervention and high quality teachers and administrators. -
Common Core State Standards
The state-led effort was launched in 2009 by state leaders to recognize the value of consistent, real-world learning goals to ensure all students, regardless of where they live, are graduating high school prepared for college, career, and life. -
ESSA - Every Student Succeeds Act
This Act supports school accountability in order to receive federal funds. Academic growth rather than end-of-the-year testing is valued.