Conclusion

The pandemic has disrupted the education of millions of students, with ELs and their families disproportionately exposed to the risk of being left behind. Because we have a history of exclusionary and deficit-based policies, we need to do more to ensure these students have access to equitable educational opportunities. Fortunately, incoming Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona is well versed in the challenges of going through the K–12 system as an EL—an experience that will undoubtedly aid in championing the issues set forth in this paper.¹ We hope that the recommendations outlined here will help guide a robust and asset-oriented policy agenda for English learners.