California Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities

The diverse languages and cultures that California’s students bring to the classroom are assets on which to build. This guide emphasizes the importance of respecting and being responsive to student and family culture and language when developing programs, services, and instruction for ELs in the state who may have a disability that impacts their ability to learn. Children, including children with disabilities, can successfully learn two or more languages, and multilingualism has linguistic, social, cognitive, academic, economic, and cultural benefits.

Since each child’s background experiences, language proficiency (in both their primary language and in English), and academic needs vary widely, this guide presents a variety of methods to assist practitioners in providing the highest quality, most culturally and linguistically responsive educational program to all students.

Specifically, this guide provides information on:

• identification of ELs, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and pre-referral interventions;
• pre-referral and referral, assessment, and individualized education program processes;
• educational programs and instructional strategies;
• proposing exit from special education services; and
• reclassification from English learner status.