As the number of English learners in American schools continues to rise, it is not just students that are going to need more help.Parents and families that do not speak English also need support, say school officials.Parents need to feel like they can be actively involved in their child's schooling, regardless of any language barriers.And it is "on us as a district to create that space" for families to be involved, said Leonor Vargas.She is an administrator with the Austin Independent School District in Texas, where almost 30 percent of the student population are English learners.She and Principal Janet Huger-Johnson of the East New York Elementary School of Excellence shared their experiences last week in an online discussion with the news organization EducationWeek.It is important for parents and families to be able to communicate in their desired language.Johnson said her school, for example, uses a phone app that permits teachers and administrators to send messages in English that will translate to the parent's language.And when the parent responds, the message is translated back into English.She added that sometimes the school will need to hire people in the community to help with translation.
