Based on ongoing needs in Alabama, REL Southeast has formed a partnership with the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) and 13 districts to build on their current work to improve English learner student outcomes in the state. In the first part of this project (July 2022-April 2023), the REL Southeast project trained 12 ALSDE regional English learner (EL) specialists and 13 district site facilitators on four evidence-based instructional recommendations found in the What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle Schools. REL Southeast used the companion document, The Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) Facilitator’s Guide, as a professional development delivery model and tool to support implementation. Between these monthly trainings, the regional EL specialists and district site facilitators co-planned and co-delivered the trainings to 13 partnering school PLCs consisting of three teachers and an instructional specialist or administrator.

In the second part of this project (May 2023-February 2024), REL Southeast is providing virtual coaching and implementation support to a partnering school that is holding PLCs on the Practice Guide recommendations with a second cohort of K-8 teachers at their school. REL Southeast is also providing coaching to another one of those 13 partner districts to identify research evidence on best instructional practices specifically targeting teachers serving ELs in grades 6 through 8.

In mid-2022, the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) requested REL Southeast’s assistance in understanding whether the recently developed High-Quality Instruction and Assessment (HQIA) for English Learners Protocol is a promising tool for Alabama teachers to improve their instructional practices and the outcomes of English learner students (ELs). HQIA, which outlines and describes five evidence-based instructional criteria and indicators for implementing each criterion, was developed with support from the Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC) to provide Alabama educators with evidence-based instructional practices to support ELs in achieving academic success. REL Southeast will study and provide feedback on the implementation of, and outcomes associated with HQIA—describing how HQIA is implemented, how fidelity influences student outcomes, and the influence of HQIA on teacher practice and student outcomes compared to teachers and students in non-HQIA schools. This study relates to the work of the partnership through its focus on preparing more knowledgeable coaches and teachers (short-term goal), better teaching practices implemented in the classroom (medium-term goal), and ultimately increased academic achievement for ELs in the state (long-term goal).