Transforming Schools for English Learners: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders

"Every school that has English learners should invest in this book. Because Zacarian has worked in the field of language minority education for more than 20 years, the policies, practices, and structures she recommends are solid."
―Christian Faltis, Professor
School of Education, University of California at Davis

"This book addresses issues that school administrators new to EL instruction need to know. Each chapter contains useful tools that deal with student assessment, placement, and monitoring."
―Margarita Calderón, Professor Emeritus
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

"School administrators, resource facilitators, and classroom teachers will find a wealth of strategies and research-based, comprehensive solutions for teaching ELs. Whether a school district has a large population of English learners or is faced with designing an individualized program for just a few, this is a useful toolkit, at once theoretical and practical."
―Lynne T. Díaz-Rico, Professor of Education
California State University, San Bernardino

"I love this book! It is a much-needed practical guide. The scenarios are excellent! They are realistic, pertinent, and capture a range of students′ and educators′ experiences. The text provides a wealth of timely, accurate information, useful suggestions, and many forms, checklists, and examples."
―Janette Klingner, Professor, School of Education
University of Colorado at Boulder

Position your school to successfully teach English learners

Whether you are just beginning to work with or trying to improve the outcomes of English learners, this book provides a comprehensive framework for educating a growing population of public school English learners. Each chapter focuses on a key element of EL education programming as it relates to the entire school. The author uses research-based principles and practices to address such critical topics as:

• Selecting the appropriate program model for your school
• Managing time appropriately for English language development and content learning
• Making data-driven decisions using effective measures of student performance
• Effectively using Response to Intervention (RTI)

The author summarizes the key Supreme Court cases that led to the federal regulations for educating ELs. Also included is a framework for designing and delivering high quality instruction, enhancing parental engagement, and creating a learning environment and whole-school community where ELs flourish.

Dr. Debbie Zacarian, founder of Zacarian & Associates, provides professional development, strategic planning, and technical assistance for K-16 educators of culturally and linguistically diverse populations. She has served as an expert consultant for school districts, universities, associations, and organizations including the Massachusetts Parent Information Resource Center and Federation for Children with Special Needs.

Debbie has worked with numerous state and local education agencies and written the language assistance programming policies for many rural, suburban, and urban districts.  Debbie served on the faculty of University of Massachusetts-Amherst where she co-wrote and was the co-principal investigator of a National Professional Development grant initiative supporting the professional preparation of educators of multilingual learners.  Debbie also designed and taught courses for pre- and in-service administrators and teachers on culturally responsive teaching and supervision practices, multilingual development, and ethnographic research.  In addition, she served as a program director at the Collaborative for Educational Services where she provided professional development for thousands of educators of multilingual students and partnered with Fitchburg State University in co-writing and enacting a National Professional Development initiative that supported STEM education. Debbie also directed the Amherst Public Schools bilingual and English learner programming where she and the district received state and national honors. 

The author of more than 100 publications, her most recent professional books include: Beyond Crises: Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Inequities in Communities. Schools and Classrooms; Responsive Schooling for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students; Teaching to Empower: taking action to foster student agency, self-confidence, and collaboration; and Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic Stress.