ESL Growth Spurt

As schools strive to inspire more students to pursue teaching careers, the shortage is hitting ESL classrooms hardest. The growth of immigrant student enrollment is outpacing the supply of qualified educators, creating significant challenges for districts.

What does this mean for schools? “ESL teachers are stretched very thin,” said Kelly Noyes, Ed.D., director of Educational Support Services at the AIU. “Teachers must take more kids because there simply is no one else to do it. Right now, I think it’s common that ESL teachers have more students than ever before.”

But this rapid growth brings a number of challenges beyond staffing needs. “Districts post positions frequently and do the best they can with the staff they have,” Noyes said. “It becomes everything from classroom space, to resources, to the need to support parents in their language through translation and interpretation.”

In the face of these challenges, AIU member districts are finding creative ways to meet the needs of their English learners.

Read on to discover how they are rising to the occasion in these demanding times:

• Shared Words, Shared Worlds: The Language of Belonging

• AIU Leads Path to English Proficiency for 30+ Years

• The Power of Belonging: Avonworth's Inclusive Approach

• Meeting the Moment: Woodland Hills Tackles Growing ESL Enrollment

• Steel Valley Navigates Growing Demand for ESL Services

• Training New ESL Program Specialists: Real-World Experience and Mentorship in Action