Implementing Evidence-Based Systems and Instruction in Support of Multilingual English Learners

High-quality instruction is only one part of supporting multilingual English learners (MELs) to thrive in schools. As student populations continue to diversify, educators, administrators, and district leaders must work together in systems of continuous improvement to ensure the success of MELs and their families. In this blog, we look at the process, tools, and results from a REL West collaborative project with Tooele County School District (TCSD) in Utah. The collaboration sought to strengthen the capacity of district and school leaders and the systems for supporting the academic growth and well-being of MEL students in the district.

Many initiatives targeting the needs of MEL students have concentrated solely on teaching practices, suggesting that disparities in achievement are merely a result of instructional strategies rather than a structural issue.^1,2 School leaders play a crucial role in driving structural transformation, as they are capable of implementing substantial policy reforms and shifting school culture such as adopting more asset-based and inclusive attitudes towards MEL students and their language(s).^3,4 Recognizing the pivotal role of school leaders in enacting systemic change, the collaboration between TCSD and REL West supported leaders to develop their own knowledge and capacity for improving the academic success and well-being of MEL students through evidence-based practices.

The project built on an existing Leadership Framework to guide TCSD leaders and educators through three interconnected evidence-based practices to support MEL students: using data for student advocacy, empowering shared leaders, and implementing instructional leadership. To guide the work, REL West and TCSD utilized tools and processes from the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide, Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School⁵ and the complementary REL West resource, Supporting Integrated English Learner Student Instruction: A Guide to Assess Professional Learning Needs Based on the Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School Practice Guide.⁶

To realize their shared goal, the TCSD/REL West collaboration moved beyond the current district models of isolated professional learning toward implementing systemic collaboration in service of a unified goal. Rooted in mutual trust, school leaders, educators, and specialists were positioned by REL West staff as expert professionals with deep knowledge of their students and communities. This approach ensured that the content and activities were not only grounded in theory but also tailored to meet the unique needs of the educational community being served. One TCSD Area Leader captured the essence of the collaborative efforts--where personalized professional learning and a human-centered approach lay the groundwork for a transformative professional learning experience:

"The REL West team were willing to tailor their professional learning to meet our needs. The human approach taken by the REL West team garnered the respect of our employees and thus created a sense of community and ownership for building leaders to make the change necessary to see all students succeed."

Conditions for Success: What conditions existed in TCSD that bolstered their success?
The collaborative project was amplified by pre-existing conditions in the district that were conducive to shared goals. Prior to the collaboration, TCSD had established a framework of shared leadership and capacity-building structures, which included a dedicated team of specialists and teacher advocates at each school site, as well as an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement program for teachers. REL West staff Sandra Leu Bonanno remarked on the synergy between these foundational elements and the project's objectives, "The systems that district leaders set up prior to our collaboration really align with the evidence-based recommendations in the WWC practice guide and allowed for our efforts to mutually reinforce each other."

TCSD also had a culture of collaboration and strong rapport among school leaders, multilingual learner specialists, and teachers. REL West staff Christine Snyder recalled, "I sensed a lot of goodwill and camaraderie between the members of the Tooele team. They had clearly developed trust and rapport. Principals had respectful relationships with the leaders and teachers. They all seemed invested in the work. I was especially struck that the principals--whose days are filled with so many different challenges and stressors--seemed to genuinely appreciate taking the time to sit with their staff and dive into the resources together."

With TCSD's robust culture of collaboration and the clear rapport among educational leaders, specialists, and teachers, the stage was set to delve into the intentional process of professional learning guided by the Leadership Framework, evidence-based recommendations from the WWC practice guide5 and the complementary tools from the REL West professional learning guide.6

Process: What was the REL West technical assistance process and how was it received by TCSD participants?
Over six professional learning sessions, REL West staff guided TCSD school leaders and specialists to develop a comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs of MEL students, enhance their knowledge of evidence-based, integrated content and language instruction, and build the capacity of staff for incorporating the four recommendations from the WWC practice guide into their instruction.

"I was able to participate in multiple training sessions around our district where the four recommendations [from the WWC practice guide] were taught. As the recommendations were taught, I felt the teachers' excitement at the prospect of having specific targets that they could work toward that would help improve the language abilities of our MEL students."

- Amory Mableson, Multilingual Learner Specialist

Beyond improving instructional practice, school leaders, specialists, and teachers collected, analyzed, and reflected on instructional data using the tools from the REL West professional learning guide, including the Teacher Self-Reflection and Classroom Observation tools. REL West coached TCSD leaders and specialists to increase their capacity for noticing integrated content and language instruction and to use teacher self-reflection and observational data to define specific instructional goals. These data ultimately informed professional development plans and sustainable systems to improve outcomes for MEL students, using strategies from the WWC practice guide.

"The opportunity to observe classroom instruction and debrief together was an incredible opportunity to have a discussion with school and district leaders. I appreciated the role play activity where REL West staff guided the principal and [me] in learning how to provide effective feedback and have a discussion with teachers following an observation."

- Melissa Jacobs, TCSD Multilingual Learner Specialist

Outcomes: What impact did the REL West and TCSD collaboration have on district outcomes? During and after the first cohort, schools participating in the project have begun to demonstrate encouraging progress towards their initial goals including systemic improvements in instruction, improved systems for data-informed decision-making, and increased collaboration and shared leadership.

Systems for Improving Culturally Responsive, Integrated Content and Language Instruction. Beyond individual capacity building, the REL West and TCSD collaboration created the catalyst for leaders to have crucial conversations and strategically plan to support teachers, and ultimately MEL students, to continuously improve. A TCSD Multilingual Learner Specialist, reflected on this collaborative growth, noting, "The experience helped to open doors of communication and created a common understanding regarding the needs of teachers and [MEL] students within the school. The in-person training, zoom calls, and classroom observations/debrief developed background knowledge and provided a foundation to build upon."

Ultimately, school leaders and multilingual learner specialists noticed a lot of value in creating the systems for collaboration and continuous improvement, such as finding opportunities to reflect on data and create a strategic plan for capacity building based on that data. Stephanie Rowley, TCSD's Title III Director, encapsulates this collaborative spirit by sharing, "Our MEL team coined this one, 'We are one, big, smart, and working together.' I feel like this is what our journey has been in building our systems of support. Whether it's district-wide, school-wide supports or within our classroom, all of these parts come together to support our kids."

Systems for Data-Informed Decision Making. The collaboration utilized evidence-based tools from the REL West professional learning guide to create a more holistic picture of the strengths and needs at each site for serving MEL students. All participants had access to and reflected on data about the academic progress of MEL students and data about integrated content and language instruction. Implementing the Teacher Self-Reflection ensured that teachers had time to reflect on their practice in relation to the four instructional recommendations in the WWC practice guide. As another Multilingual Learner Lead Specialist, noted, "I appreciated that they took a dive into their teacher strengths and saw where there were some gaps and then they set some goals. We've had some successes with those goals."

Use of data for multilingual learner student advocacy drives instructional decisions. However, to sustain efforts, data can also be used to celebrate collective effort and create shared efficacy. REL West's Sandra Leu Bonanno recalled, "We concluded the year by convening all the school leaders and multilingual learner specialists together to reflect on their multilingual learner student achievement data, share successes, and reflect together on next steps. Transparency and sharing data are not just for identifying needs but to celebrate successes goes a long way in fostering sustainable change."

Increased Collaboration and Shared Leadership. While participants underwent the same professional learning in collaboration with REL West, each site chose the specific recommendations from the WWC practice guide they wanted to focus on based on the readiness and capacity of their staff. They adapted their process based on their site structures and culture. One TCSD school leader reflected on the implementation at their site, "Our [multilingual] reps selected [the WWC practice guide] strategies initially. We had teachers choose the strategies toward the end of the year so that there was more buy-in and ownership and then had feedback in each monthly meeting for teachers to share [evidence of implementation]. That persistent structure of teachers bringing evidence not only highlights the great work that's happening in classrooms but really ensures implementation."

Strategic opportunities for cross-site collaboration also afforded the time for school leaders and specialists to share promising practices or deliberate over potentially shared barriers. Another TCSD Area Leader reflected on the impact of these collaborative efforts, stating, "The time provided for collaboration among the MEL specialists, district administration, and school teams fosters a sense of community which has led to more organic collaboration. It was evident that our structures existed; however, the isolation of those structures were impeding our ability to move forward and the REL West team facilitated many opportunities for us to collaboratively move forward."

Conclusion
Overall, the project fostered noticeable shifts in the asset-based approaches, capacity to implement evidence-based instruction for multilingual English learners, and sustainable systems to make data-informed decisions. Another Multilingual Learner Specialist, observed these changes firsthand, expressing, "I have noticed an increase in my administrator's awareness of who their MEL students are and [they] seem to be more aware of their student's WIDA levels.⁷ They are realizing that the [WWC practice guide] recommendations can help our students to progress with their language acquisition. I would like to highlight that both of my schools are doing well in supporting their MEL students and have a bigger awareness of effective tools for teaching MEL students. I can't wait to see what they accomplish next."

TCSD also celebrated a meaningful rise in the language proficiency and academic achievement of multilingual learners. The schools engaged in the collaborative project saw the highest average student growth in language proficiency in the district according to WIDA data, signaling the effectiveness of the strategies implemented.

As TCSD looks forward to the 2024-2025 school year and the initiation of a new cohort of schools they plan to support, the process, tools, and results of this collaboration hold promise not only for the continuation of these encouraging trends but also the potential for even greater achievements in leadership to support MEL students in TCSD and beyond.