Stories of Promising Practice - All Means All (English Language Development)

Storyline

Douglas County School District has a relatively low percentage of English language learners with 4.7 percent of the district's total population, but those who are in the program benefit from the district's emphasis on inclusion. Approximately 3,400 English Learners attend school in Douglas County in grades K-12, and 97 languages are represented. Language specialists provide English language instruction as co-teachers in the general education classroom, allowing English learners to have access to grade-level content in the general education classroom. The district has a balanced approach, providing targeted and intensive support for students who need more language instruction while also giving them support in general education classrooms with English language specialists who co-teach. 

Remy Rummel is the coordinator of English Language Development for the Douglas County School District. In this interview, she talks about how equity guides the district in how it instructs English language learners. The district tries to include English learners in the general education classroom, teaching them grade-level content, while supporting their language development with supports and individualized instruction.