Presented Jointly by Grantmakers for Education, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees and Philanthropy New York

One in ten K-12 students is an English Language Learner (ELL), and limited English proficient students are the most rapidly growing population in U.S. elementary schools. While states like New York, California and Texas continue to serve the largest numbers of ELL students, the fastest increases in ELL populations—growing at rates over 250%—are occurring in states such as South Carolina, Kentucky, and Delaware, where school systems have not previously served many ELL students. How can education grantmakers ensure that all schools and communities implement successful strategies to promote the success of these young people?

Framed with an understanding that engaging the families of ELL learners is critical to driving school success, this member briefing will address a range of issues related to early learning, K-12 systems, and out-of-school time. Sessions will explore strategies for making ELL a priority for local and national funders and for policy makers, as well as showcasing innovative approaches to address the opportunities and challenges facing ELL learners.

Learning Outcomes

• Highlight the importance of education grantmakers’ efforts to address the needs of ELL students while exploring successful strategies for making ELL investments a priority within grantmaking organizations;


• Identify and offer a continuum of strategies - from programmatic investments to policy engagement – grantmakers can use to improve educational outcomes and opportunities for ELL students within the context of their families and communities;


• Examine opportunities and strategies for using public policy and communications to ensure ELL issues can be addressed at scale;


• Encourage grantmakers to discover common goals and consider collaborative funding efforts across different areas of interest; and


• Explore the level of interest in an on-going ELL learning community focused on improving education outcomes and opportunities.

Background reading materials

• Agenda
• Glossary of terms
• Reading resources
• Foundations, Inc. powerpoint presentation
• Montgomery County Schools powerpoint presentation
• Queens Library powerpoint presentation

Presenters

• Lori Bezahler, The Edward W. Hazen Foundation
• Ken Doane, S.H. Cowell Foundation
• Eugene Garcia, Arizona State University
• Andrés Henríquez, Carnegie Corporation of New York
• Pedro Noguera, Metropolitan Center for Urban Education at New York University
• Delia Pompa, National Council of La Raza
• Ruby Takanishi, Foundation for Child Development
• Claudia Weissburd, Foundations, Inc.
• Diana Worthen Gonzales, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation

(List of presenters only includes confirmed speakers.)

Location

The member briefing will be held at the Le Parker Meridien, located at 119 W 56th Street in New York City.

Hotel

A room block has been reserved at Le Parker Meridien. You can make a reservation by using their online form or by calling 212.245.5000. Please reference, "Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees" to receive the discounted rate of $239 per night, exclusive of taxes for both single and double rooms.

The deadline for the discounted rate is May 21, 2010. Reservations received after this date, or after the room block is filled, will be accepted based on space and rate availability. Please note that registering for the convening does not automatically reserve a room at the hotel.

Support

GFE appreciates the generous support for this briefingi provided by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Planning Committee

We appreciated the advice of the following grantmakers in designing this program.

• Annette Chin, Foundation for Child Development
• Andrés Henríquez, Carnegie Corporation of New York
• Irene Lee, The Annie E. Casey Foundation
• Laurie Olsen, Sobrato Family Foundation
• Daranee Petsod, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
• Katherine Souchet-Moura, The Clowes Fund, Inc.
• Lauren Wolkov, Central Valley Foundation
• Huilan Yang Krenn, W.K. Kellogg Foundation