Since 2022 PON’s For English Learner Success (4ELS) program has equipped families with multilingual students classified as English learners how to better monitor academic progress and advocate for their children’s education. Each program consists of six 2-hour sessions where parents increase their knowledge about English language development (ELD), reclassification requirements, and their children’s current academic standing.

Once parents become aware of the children’s standing and understand the implications of becoming a Long-Term English Learner, they:

• Monitor their child’s learning progress regularly. 
• Request meetings with teachers, EL Coordinators, or counselors to discuss ELD programs and reclassification. Parents’ questions to educators change from “How is my child doing?” to “My child is performing at this level. What can you and I do to support my child in this area?”
• Advocate for their child. These inquiries help students, teachers, and administrators prioritize ELD work and ultimately lead to students reclassifying or receiving additional services to support their learning.
• Become leaders on school and/or district committees to improve ELs services and outcomes. 

Since Spring 2022 we have reached or collaborated with:

370 Parents

20 Programs

14 schools, 6 nonprofits

6 Districts



• Buena Park
• Los Angeles
• Long Beach
• Lywnood
• Norwalk-La Mirada
• Pomona

7 Partners



• CSULB, GEAR UP
• Gente Organizada
• Latinos in Action California
• Lynwood SOS
• Mamás con Poder
• Promesa Boyle Heights
• PROedu

Legislative Study Group on EL Reclassification

Earlier this month, PON was invited to present to a study group convened by the California Assembly’s Education Committee. The group, which includes staff and consultants from the legislature, the California Department of Education, the State Board of Education, researchers, and advocates has been meeting to explore how the state’s current EL reclassification system is functioning.

PON’s presentation was grounded in our 5 Key Learnings from Working with Parents of English Learners since 2021, drawing on experience working with and listening to 370 parents. We lifted parent concerns, shared real examples of reclassification challenges and offered policy recommendations that aim to simplify criteria, reduce barriers, and improve communication between families and schools.

Although the discussions and results of a legislative study group do not have to be made public, ideally, this effort will lead to legislation being introduced that improves the reclassification process and criteria to better serve students. 

PON’s Policy Recommendations on EL Reclassification

• Simplify Criteria: Reduce reclassification to a single criterion, passing one of multiple testing options such as SBAC, ELPAC, or Lexile/reading scores.

• Remove Symbolic Requirements: Eliminate teacher evaluation and parent consultation as formal criteria. The current requirements look like engagement, but evaluations and consultations once the student passes two tests create unnecessary hurdles for students to reclassify. For example, given the wide variation in how teachers evaluate ELs, this requirement is sometimes replaced with another test or review process students must pass. In some cases, students have not been reclassified because a parent was not reached for consultation, despite meeting all the other criteria. Furthermore, these engagement opportunities are not meaningful for students who need support most, because they do not ever become candidates for reclassification.

• Enhance Parent-Teacher Collaboration Throughout the ELD Journey: Require two parent-teacher conferences per year at the beginning of each semester to review ELD data (i.e., ELPAC scores, language domains, reading level) and progress toward reclassification. Fall: Identify ELD areas of growth and need. Develop a plan to continuously improve and share strategies to support learning at home. Spring: Review progress, testing, and strategies. These meetings promote shared understanding and can address broader learning challenges.

• Automate Reclassification: Streamline the process to reduce dependence on individual school or district staff capacity.

"It takes a check box on a home language survey and one standardized test to get into the program, and the scores are indisputable. But it takes two standardized tests, a teacher evaluation, and a consultation with a parent to get out?! 

The current system design does not allow many students to exit the program and they are becoming Long-Term English learners. Most other states require only one test to get in and another to get out. But we created this system, and we can change it!” -Araceli Simeón

Ongoing Policy Engagement

In addition to the study group, last December the United States Senator Alex Padilla’s office requested a meeting with PON regarding federal Title III policy and the need for increased support for English Learners and their families. During the meeting our advocacy emphasized:

• Family engagement as a core component of EL success, including supporting parent leaders in advisory committees to monitor their children's individual progress toward reclassification
• Streamlined, transparent reclassification systems
• The importance of valuing bilingualism and biliteracy
• Increased Title III funding

Looking Ahead

We are proud that our network is helping to shape both state and federal conversations about equity and opportunity for multilingual learners. While there is no immediate call to action, we will continue to monitor developments closely and stay engaged with legislative staff, consultants, and partners.



We are thankful the study group included PON in their review process and appreciate the thoughtful, deliberate pace at which they are approaching this issue.