Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL)

CEEL's Diversity Equity and Inclusion Impact Model - A melding of Equity Focused and Asset Based Approach, Reciprocal Accountability, Research- based Programs, Policies, and Practices, and Collaborative Inquiry and Action leading to Transformation  and Capacity Building for Multilingual Teaching and Learning

Mission: The Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL) ensures equity and excellence in English Learner and Multilingual education by transforming educational systems and practices as leaders who collaborate in research, professional learning, and policy to positively impact generations of students and communities. 

Vision: English Learner and Multilingual education is research- and evidence-based and fully integrated into the U.S. education system. Language, literacy, and all content instruction for English Learner and Multilingual students is assets-based, equitable, and just. English Learner and Multilingual students and their families are valued and engaged as partners in the education process.

Strategic Plan: Following a comprehensive and inclusive process that engaged CEEL’s many stakeholders, the team created a five-year plan that charts a course through 2028. The plan builds on CEEL’s more than 16 years of steady growth and innovation and positions it for a future of growth and increased impact, as well as heightened visibility as a critical partner in English Learner and Multilingual Student education.


CEEL Research - Annotated Bibliography

The Center for Equity for English Learners announces its newest publication, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy and Practice. Comprised of 350 annotations of both recent and seminal literature, this annotated bibliography supersedes a previous version and serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs.

Our goal was to provide a comprehensive selection of works focused on theory, research, and practice. The annotations are a result of purposeful searches of 23 topics in empirical and theoretical articles from peer-reviewed journals, books, book chapters, and reports from leading scholars in the field. Among the topics addressed relevant to EL education are broad areas such as bilingual teacher preparation, teaching and professional development, university and district partnerships, digital learning for ELs, social-emotional development, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and English Language Development (ELD) for elementary and secondary level students. The Integrated ELD (content instruction) topic is subcategorized according to specific disciplines including English language arts, history, mathematics, science, visual & performing arts, and STEM.

Please see our Research & Evaluation page for more CEEL research.

CEEL Publications - English Learner Master Plan Playbook

The areas of focus for the EL Master Plan laid out in a circle. Equity driven processes, accountability, family-community engagement, and equitable systems.

The Center for Equity for English Learners is proud to announce the publication of our ENGLISH LEARNER MASTER PLAN PLAYBOOK: Developing Equitable Local Education Policies for Multilingual and English Learner Students. The playbook provides tools for educators, families, and community members to engage in policy dialogues and development processes to support the creation of a local policy document - the English Learner Master Plan.

CEEL offers interactive sessions and technical assistance to help LEA teams create a plan to develop a district-wide English Learner Master Plan that is aligned to the research-based CA English Learner Roadmap policy and focuses on visionary policies, programs, and services that ensure equitable opportunities and outcomes for English Learners. Participants engage with the resources included in the CEEL English Learner Master Plan Playbook to develop a strategy for beginning or refining their approach to writing components of their EL Master Plan.

Please visit our English Learner Master Plan page for more information.

CEEL Highlights

CEEL Featured Programs

CEEL Research

CEEL engages in top-of-the-line research projects to inform key decisions and policy making.

Dialogic Reading

Collaborate with teachers, students, and families to create meaningful STEAM language and literacy development opportunities for Dual Language Learners!

EL Master Plan

CEEL helps LEA teams create a plan to develop a district-wide English Learner Master Plan that is aligned with the research-based CA English Learner Roadmap policy.

Featured Speakers

The Center for Equity for English Learners regularly hosts events where visiting scholars can present on a variety of topics to LMU's educational community.

Journalism for English Learners

Introduces teams dealing with Grades 3-5 to a project-based journalism curriculum specially designed for students at risk of becoming Long Term English Learners.

OPAL Institute

The OPAL is a research-based and validated classroom observation tool designed specifically to support teachers of English Learners.