The Education Department has quietly rolled back key rules requiring schools to support students learning English, a move that has raised concerns among advocates for the nation's roughly 5 million school-aged English learners, the Washington Post reports. The department confirmed Tuesday that the guidance, originally established in 2015, was rescinded because it "is not in line with Administration policy." This action follows President Trump's executive order making English the country's "official language" and is part of a broader governmental push to reduce multilingual services across federal agencies, the Independent reports.
Since March, the Education Department has significantly downsized its Office of English Language Acquisition and requested that Congress cut funding for programs for English learners. The Justice Department also issued a memo instructing agencies to drop guidance related to English-language learners, signaling a shift away from the decades-old interpretation that failure to provide English-language services constitutes discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
Advocates and former officials warn that the lack of federal oversight could prompt some financially strained school districts to scale back services for non-English speakers, reversing longstanding policies established by landmark Supreme Court decisions and federal law. Critics of the change say it could lead to weaker instruction and create uncertainty for students and schools, while supporters argue that prioritizing English will foster assimilation and reduce costs.
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The Justice Department says new guidance will be issued by mid-January to clarify when multilingual assistance is required. Until then, education policy observers are watching how districts respond, especially those previously monitored by the federal government for compliance.
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