Since January 2025, educators and advocates for English learners and immigrant students have raised concerns about support for these populations, even as schools’ federal obligations to them remain intact.
Most recently, the U.S. Department of Education notified key members of Congress about its plans to move all federal English-learner programs and duties to other agencies, thereby dissolving a stand-alone office of English language acquisition, or OELA.
While English-learner programs—such as the Title III funding program providing states and districts with supplemental dollars—will continue, advocates worry the transition could weaken oversight and expertise. The new agencies expected to take on these duties may be understaffed and lack the years of expertise of former OELA staffers, said Montserrat Garibay, the former OELA director under President Joe Biden.