Boston Reaches Final Deal On Educating English Language Learners

Boston Public Schools has reached a final agreement over how to improve instruction for the district's English Language Learner (ELL) students.

Under the agreement (PDF) with the U.S. Education and Justice departments, Boston schools will focus on identifying and placing ELL students, providing specifically designed services to ELL students, and training teachers.

The deal replaces an interim settlement, reached Oct. 1, 2010, after an investigation "determined that Boston schools violated the civil rights of thousands of students who speak limited English by failing to provide specialized instruction," as The Boston Globe reported.

That investigation found that the district had not properly served ELLs since 2003.

“We have worked hand in hand with our federal partners to find where there were weaknesses in our organization," said Superintendent Carol Johnson in a statement. "As a result, we have made dramatic changes in the way we serve students learning English."

Eileen de los Reyes, the district's assistant superintendent for ELLs, told our Newscast unit that today's agreement is the "final piece" for changes the district has been making.

"This is the foundation to the work," she said. "Now we need to continue training teachers."