Author | Lightnews

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 18h

🚨ICE is creating fear for immigrant families. Early care & education sites need to be ready.

ALL IN for Safe Schools’ new one-pager gives providers clear steps to protect children & families during immigration enforcement encounters.

📄 Download: tinyurl.com/ALLINSafeSpace

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 18h

Every #literacy policy should be a #biliteracy policy. #Biliteracy ensures #MultilingualLearners can build community bonds and thrive in the global #workforce. #FamilyLiteracyMonth

Hear from teachers about their experiences implementing misaligned policy: californianstogether.org/resource/voi...

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 1d

CA awarded 75,000+ State Seals of Biliteracy in 87 languages — its highest number ever! 🌎

Participation and English learner representation are both up. Explore the data or learn how to get involved at the CDE State Seal of Biliteracy page: www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ml/sealof...

#Biliteracy #Education #CA

State Seal of Biliteracy - Multilingual Learners (CA Dept of Education)

Information about the California State Seal of Biliteracy program and its requirements for students, parents, and educators.

www.cde.ca.gov

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 2d

Multilingualism = strength. So why is our curriculum still built like it’s a weakness?
Research shows multilingual students gain stronger cognitive flexibility & problem-solving skills. www.laschoolreport.com/multilingual...

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 3d

Multilingualism is an asset that students bring to the classroom every day. A new piece from @edweek.org highlights how one Texas district is embracing #MultilingualLearners and their language gifts. #Literacy

Read more:

How One District Approaches the 'Science of Reading' With English Learners

Leaders shared three guiding principles in a recent Education Week virtual event.

www.edweek.org

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 4d

🚀Just two weeks before early bird ticket pricing closes!

Secure your spot today so you can take part in powerful discussions on equity, policy, and practice with passionate advocates and researchers from across the country.

Register today: buff.ly/g4rtBnM

#LiteracySummit #EducationEquity

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 5d

Happy Halloween! 🎃

Here’s to creativity, connection, and celebrating every voice — in every language.

#HappyHalloween #Multilingualism

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 7d

Preserve the language, preserve the culture. The story of Cantonese in the Bay Area asks:

Can this heritage language survive the next generation?

“Cantonese is not only a language, but also a history… If Cantonese is lost, the culture is lost.”
www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/c...
#LanguageEquity

It’s the language of S.F.’s first Chinese immigrants. Can it survive another generation?

As Mandarin becomes increasingly favored both in China and the Bay Area, Cantonese defenders are grappling with threats to the language.

www.sfchronicle.com

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 8d

CA will screen all K–2 students for reading challenges starting 2025–26. Shelly Spiegel-Coleman: “Getting a full profile of the student before deciding if they have any reading difficulty is essential.” 🔗 edsource.org/2025/dyslexi... #CAEd #Equity

Can early screening help more California kids learn to read? Teachers are finding out

The screenings give teachers and parents early indications of areas that can help children learn to read and could point to a need for further evaluation.

edsource.org

Reposted by Californians Together

Families In Schools @familiesinschools.bsky.social · 13d

This week, we attended @caltog.bsky.social’s Coalition Retreat, a gathering of statewide education leaders dedicated to advancing equity for CA’s 1.1 million English learners. 🏫 The retreat celebrated achievements & shaped a new Strategic Plan—FIS was happy to contribute as a decade-long member!

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 9d

NEW: Minding the Gap shows most California districts still miss the mark on #LCAP #equity for #EnglishLearners. @afabc.bsky.social

Only 4% of plans were rated exemplary—and just 1 included goals for long-term English learners.
.
Read the report: californianstogether.org/resource/min...

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 14d

Power in coalition.

Grateful for an energizing retreat with our coalition members — celebrating wins and recharging our shared mission for English learners. 🌟

#CoalitionPower #EducationEquity

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 15d

🏫 New: ALL IN for Safe Schools releases guidance to help preschools & daycares protect immigrant & LGBTQ+ communities.

Tips cover data privacy, immigration agent protocols, & student safety.

Read via El Observador ⤵️
🔗 el-observador.com/2025/10/17/a...

#SafeSchools

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 16d

When it comes to #literacy legislation, where are #MultilingualLearners?

A new report from Center for Applied Linguistics provides a comparative analysis of literacy bills from across the country.

Read the report:

Legislating Literacy Instruction: Where are Multilingual Learners? - Center for Applied Linguistics

With the strong and increasing presence of Multilingual Learners in U.S. public schools, multilingual educators are vital to ensuring academic excellence and promoting multilingualism and…

buff.ly

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 19d

📢 Don’t miss this! CEEL, with support from CalTog + HQIM-LPC partners, is leading a webinar on formative assessment in dual language math. Register here: tinyurl.com/DLMath25

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Formative Assessment in Dual Language Mathematics: From Equity to Evidence. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

This webinar will highlight how formative assessment fuels both mathematics learning and language development in dual language classrooms. Drawing on guidance from the California Mathematics…

tinyurl.com

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 20d

As schools work to ensure practice is aligned with policies like the California #EnglishLearner Roadmap, we celebrate principals for leading the way. #NationalPrincipalsMonth

Learn more about the roadmap: californianstogether.org/what-we-do/p...

#NationalPrincipalsDay #EnglishLearner

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 20d

A new @calbudgetcenter.org brief makes the case that more funding is required to ensure California's educator workforce is prepared to meet the needs of the state's dual language learners.

Read the brief:

Dual Language Learners Make Up Half of Preschoolers: What That Means for California

Nearly half of California’s preschoolers are dual language learners, yet inconsistent and short-term funding limits statewide support.

buff.ly

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 21d

Balanced bilinguals don’t just communicate across cultures—they thrive in the economy.

Studies show they’re more likely to be employed full-time and earn $2,000–$3,200 more annually than English-only peers.

Bilingualism is both cultural and economic capital.

#BilingualAdvantage

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 22d

NEW from @edsource.org: Martha Hernandez sets the record straight on #AB1454.

"The bill has been described in the media as California’s new #ScienceOfReading bill, but this shorthand fails to accurately reflect the legislation’s comprehensive scope and intention."

Read more: buff.ly/rgkRR7L

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 22d

In the absence of federal funding and support, how are schools and districts stepping up to support #EnglishLearners?

@chalkbeat.org National Editor @ericameltzer.bsky.social talks to @wbur.org about the changing landscape.

🎧 Listen:

As federal resources for English learners disappear, schools are stepping up

The Trump administration is rolling back support for English language learners by removing federal guidance and resources.

buff.ly

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 26d

Yesterday, @governor.ca.gov signed a critical piece of #literacy legislation into law. Californians Together Executive Director Martha Hernandez was on hand to celebrate & explain why #AB1454 is such a monumental victory for #EnglishLearners.

🔗 Watch the signing and press briefing: buff.ly/uEIjCzB

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · 29d

"I adjusted things. That's what good teachers do."

Not all students learn in the same way. When it comes to #literacy, #EnglishLeaners benefit from dedicated teachers who work to meet their unique needs.

More from @edweek.org:

‘She Gave Us a Way In’: A Teacher’s Defense of Lucy Calkins (Opinion)

Every decade, a new savior for literacy emerges: Phonics! Whole language! Balanced reading! Phonics, again!

buff.ly

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · Oct 6

What works for supporting #newcomer students? Join the California Department of Education and California Department of Social Services for a webinar on October 16th exploring best practices.

Register now: buff.ly/soAQ4zM

Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom…

buff.ly

Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · Oct 2

Californians Together is headed to #SXSWEdu 2026!

👉 Learn more about our session: bit.ly/LAResponds

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Californians Together @caltog.bsky.social · Oct 1

Phonics is just one aspect of literacy instruction that can help students learn to read. #EnglishLearners need a comprehensive approach.

More from @edweek.org:

How the 'Science of Reading' Can Support English Learners

English learners are sometimes an afterthought in 'science of reading' policies. Some educators want to change that.

www.edweek.org

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