Meeting the Needs of English Learners with and without Disabilities: Brief 3, English Learners With Significant Disabilities: Recommendations for Practice

The Office of Special Education Programs (U.S. Department of Education) funded three model demonstration projects to improve outcomes for English Learners (ELs) with or at risk of disabilities in grades three through five using a framework for multitiered instruction. The projects describe their work in a series of five briefs that are designed for school leaders, educators, and other stakeholders who implement or support effective instructional practices for ELs with and without disabilities. Throughout the series, the briefs discuss multitiered system of supports (MTSS) components in depth and describe exemplars from participating schools to demonstrate research-to-practice avenues. When implemented effectively, multitiered instructional frameworks support educators in providing high-quality culturally and linguistically responsive instruction for ELs, including those in need of supplemental instruction in language and literacy. Further, when a multitiered system of supports includes assessment procedures that are linguistically aligned (i.e., the language of intervention matches the language of core instruction) and informed by educators' knowledge of the language-acquisition process, students with disabilities are accurately identified. This third brief in the series features the work of three model demonstration projects that support the language and literacy needs ELs with and without reading-related disabilities in grades 3 to 5. This brief focuses on a culturally and linguistically responsive MTSS framework, with an emphasis on effective interventions and decision-making for ELs with significant learning difficulties or disabilities. It provides support in the following: Identification of ELs who need Tier 3 intervention Design and delivery of Tier 3 language and reading interventions for ELs Special education referral decisions Culturally and linguistically responsive special education services.