English Language Development
Students learn English at different speeds. How fast a student learns depends on many things, like how much school they had in their home country, if they already knew some English, and the support they get in their current school in the U.S
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Research shows that most students can learn to speak and understand everyday English quickly, but it usually takes 3 to 7 years to master the "academic" English needed for complex school subjects.
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Students grow their language skills best when they have:
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A welcoming space where they feel safe and proud of who they are.
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Group work where they can talk and learn with classmates.
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Support tools like sentence starters, pictures, and charts to help them write and speak.
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Translanguaging (using their home language) to help them understand new ideas in English.
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Clear goals where teachers help them learn the subject, like Math or Science, and English at the same time.
In addition to classroom strategies, research highlights the importance of sustained, coherent programming across grade levels. Students benefit when schools align language development supports with content instruction, ensuring that language objectives are explicitly taught alongside academic standards. Teachers who collaborate across departments, share student progress data, and co-plan lessons create more consistent opportunities for English development.
​DESE English Learner Education, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Â
General information on English Learner programs in Massachusetts.
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English Learner Education Series, Massachusetts Statewide Family Engagement Center (a program of the Federation for Children with Special Needs), developed in collaboration with Massachusetts DESE
A set of one-pagers and companion videos for families new to the EL identification process, covering what a notification letter means, what to expect if a language other than English is spoken at home, program placement options, steps families can take, and a glossary of EL terms. Designed to be shared alongside a district's notification letter, they're available in English, Spanish, Portuguese,
Types of English Learner Programs
In Massachusetts, school districts offer different ways for students to learn English and their school subjects. When you enroll your child, ask the school which of these programs they have.
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Sheltered English Immersion (SEI): Students are taught primarily in English, but teachers use strategies like visual supports and structured vocabulary instruction to make content more accessible. Students also receive targeted English language development instruction alongside their core subjects.
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Dual Language Education (DLE): These programs teach students in two languages (for example, Spanish and English). The goal is for students to become fully bilingual and biliterate.
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Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE): Students start by learning subjects like Math and Science in their home language while they begin to learn English. As their English gets stronger, they spend more and more time learning in English until they are ready for classrooms taught fully in English.
How Support is Delivered
Depending on the school, English language support might happen inside the regular classroom or outside in a separate space.
Push-In Support: An EL teacher works inside the regular classroom alongside the content teacher. They provide direct support to English learners during the main academic lesson, helping them participate in activities with their peers.
Pull-Out Support: Students leave their regular classroom for a set amount of time to work with an EL teacher in a small group. This provides a focused environment to practice specific English speaking, reading, and writing skills tailored to their proficiency level.
For School Staff: The LOOK Act & Parent Rights
​Under the 2017 LOOK Act, Massachusetts districts have more flexibility to create programs that meet their students' specific needs.
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Requesting New Programs: If a group of parents of 20 or more students (across the district or in a single grade) requests a specific type of program, such as a Dual Language or Transitional Bilingual program, the school district must consider it.
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Response Timeline: The district must provide a written response to the request within 90 days.
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Parent Advisory Councils (ELPAC): Districts with more than 100 English learners (or where ELs are 5% of the student body) are required to have an English Learner Parent Advisory Council. This group helps advise the school on how to improve programs and supports for immigrant families.
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Tip for Families: You have a right to choose between the programs offered by your district. If you feel a different program model would better serve your child, start by speaking with your school's EL Director or joining the ELPAC.
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WIDA Screener: When a student first joins a school and the Home Language Survey shows they speak another language, they take this short test. This test helps the school decide if the student needs English Learner (EL) services and what EL classes to place students in, depending on how much English they know.
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WIDA ACCESS Test: This test is given every year in January and February to all students who are learning English. It tracks their progress in English language development from year to year.
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Understanding the WIDA ACCESS Scores: Students receive a score that shows their level of English. In Massachusetts, when a student reaches a high enough score (usually an overall score of 4.2 and a literacy score of 3.9), they may be "reclassified." This means they have reached a level of English where they may no longer need extra English classes, though the school will continue to monitor their progress for 4 years to ensure they are doing well.
​Understanding WIDA ACCESS tests, WIDA
The official annual English language proficiency test given to English learners in kindergarten through grade 12. It measures listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills to track student progress and inform decisions about placement, instruction, and reclassification.The official annual English language proficiency test given to English learners in kindergarten through grade 12. It measures listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills to track student progress and inform decisions about placement, instruction, and reclassification.
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Information about the WIDA ACCESS test, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationÂ
Massachusetts' official state page for administering the WIDA ACCESS test, including screener assessments used to identify English learners at enrollment. It provides testing procedures, participation guidelines, and resources for districts administering both ACCESS and MCAS to English learners.
The Seal of BiliteracyÂ
Massachusetts celebrates students who are multiliterate—meaning they can speak, read, and write well in both English and other languages.
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The State Seal of Biliteracy is an award given to high school graduates who have reached a high level of proficiency in two or more languages. This award is a special seal placed on the student’s high school diploma and is noted on their academic school transcript.
Why is the Seal of Biliteracy helpful?
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College: Many universities give college credit to students who have the Seal.
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Jobs: It shows future employers that the student has valuable language skills.
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Pride: It honors a student's hard work in maintaining their home language while mastering English or developing proficiency in another language.Â
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To earn the Seal, students must show their skills in English (through the Grade 10 MCAS or WIDA ACCESS) and take a language test in their other languages during high school. Students and families should ask their school's guidance counselor or lead EL teacher about how to apply.
Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
The official state page explaining eligibility, benefits, and how districts enroll students in the Seal of Biliteracy program. It also lists participating colleges that offer credit or advanced placement to students who earn the Seal.
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Guidance for Implementing the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
Detailed guidance outlining the criteria students must meet to earn the Seal of Biliteracy or the Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction, including approved English and world language assessments and proficiency levels required for each award.
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603 CMR 31.00: Massachusetts Certificate of Mastery and State Seal of Biliteracy, Massachusetts Law and Regulations
The official state regulation establishing the Seal of Biliteracy, including graduation and proficiency requirements, district reporting obligations, and rules for awarding the seal at no cost to low-income students.
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Language Opportunity Coalition (LOC), MaFLA/MABE/MATSOL
A coalition of Massachusetts language education organizations that helped shape the Seal of Biliteracy criteria and now supports districts with implementation guidance and a community forum for troubleshooting.
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Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy, Seal of Biliteracy (national organization)
A national tracker confirming Massachusetts as an approved Seal of Biliteracy state, with a link to DESE's guidance and state contact information. Best used as a quick reference point rather than a primary resource, since program details are more current on the DESE pages.
Assessing Language Progress: The WIDA ACCESS Test
To make sure EL students are getting the right English language support, Massachusetts uses a set of tests called WIDA. These tests help teachers understand how well a student can listen, speak, read, and write in English.​
