Dr. Soyoung Park, an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Texas at Austin, is a collaborator in our ODE/OSU partnership and national expert in supporting English learners with disabilities. Through the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), she and colleagues published a report that calls for additional research and policy guidance for supporting English language learners with disabilities.

The report explains that little research exists regarding best practices for this population. This gap is troubling in light of the growing number of dually identified students who struggle academically, and the fact that teachers require more focused training to support these learners. Dr. Park and colleagues recommend that the federal government and state and local education agencies collaborate to conduct research and develop guidance on the following: 1) identification, assessment, and eligibility determination for English learners with disabilities; 2) special education and targeted intervention to meet these students’ needs; 3) policies for appropriately exiting these students from ELL and special education services; 4) recommendations for effective family engagement.

At the March 2018 State English Learners Alliance Conference hosted by the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, Dr. Park presented a draft of guidelines for exiting English learners with disabilities. You can access her Power Point presentation here: Park_ExitingELSWD_PreConference_3.7.18.