MSG Joined OELA for English Learner Family Engagement Webinar
February 26, 2019

BETHESDA, MD – Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) joined the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) for a “Family Engagement” Webinar for educators who work with English learners (ELs). OELA provides national leadership to help ensure that English learners and immigrant students attain English proficiency and achieve academic success. The Family Engagement webinar provided key research and strategies for fostering family engagement and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements related to EL family engagement.

Webinar presenters included OELA’s José A. Viana, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director; Melissa Escalante, Management and Program Analyst; and Anthony Sepulveda, Communications Liaison; and SupportEd, LLC President Diane Staehr Fenner.

“The Family Engagement webinar provided a key opportunity to share strategies with educators that will help open the lines of communication between school representatives and families of ELs. Educators can disseminate this important information about schools in the U.S. to parents of ELs, who may not always feel comfortable engaging with their child’s teacher and school,” said Patricia Garcia-Arena, Ph.D., MSG’s Associate Director of English Language Learning and Early Learners.

OELA leadership and staff also highlighted information about the recently released EL Family Toolkit, including how school personnel can assist in increasing EL family engagement and agency. “The toolkit is very practical, with actual suggested questions that parents can ask school staff. Parents are also made aware of their rights in relation to their child’s education,” said Garcia-Arena.

The EL Family Toolkit is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.

About Manhattan Strategy Group

Founded in 2001, Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) is a social sciences and management consulting firm that brings professional services, approaches, and innovative solutions to the areas of education, workforce development, and human services. MSG specializes in research and evaluation, technical assistance, and information and technology. For more information, please visit www.manhattanstrategy.com.