The U.S. Department of Education plans to dissolve the office that supports the country鈥檚 five million English learners.
The move comes as the Trump administration has called to dismantle the Department of Education and stop funding English language acquisition programs in the federal budget. The country鈥檚 English learner student population includes U.S. citizen children of immigrant parents as well as authorized and undocumented immigrant children.
The Office of English Language Acquisition was already hit hard by early rounds of layoffs. Last August, the Department of Education rescinded guidance that many states and school districts rely on to protect the rights of immigrant students.
Department of Education officials said dissolving the Office of English Language Acquisition and assigning its work to offices doing related work would be better for English learners. In an emailed statement, Assistant Education Secretary Kirsten Baesler said the changes would align work across teams within the Department of Education, reduce administrative burden, and 鈥渆mpower states to design integrated supports.鈥
鈥淓nglish learners should never be treated as a siloed program, set aside as an afterthought,鈥 Baesler said. 鈥淲hen English language acquisition is embedded across core priorities like literacy, academic content, educator preparation, and accountability, it receives the seriousness and sustained focus it deserves.鈥
The Department of Education informed Congress of the changes in a February letter. According to the letter, distribution of federal Title III money that helps states educate English learners will be handled by the same office that distributes other large federal programs.
Training programs for teachers who work with English learners will move to the Office of Effective Educator Development Programs, the letter said. Language programs for Native American and Alaska Native children will move to the Office of Indian Education.
Chalkbeat (4/15/26) By Erica Meltzer