Leah Verier-Dunn sits down with the Director of the ESOL, Migrant, and Dual Language Program for Manatee County Schools, Deb Estes, to discuss how Manatee County has established systems to foster widespread support and programming for families in need of resources. 

Timestamps

• 00:30 Intro ​
• 01:13 Debra dives into her history and her work.
• 03:18 Debra explains “Two-way Immersion.”
• 06:25 Debra breaks down how students get identified to be in the program and how they establish services for those families.
• 12:55 Debra talks about how the communication between the district, the school, and the families works.
• 18:20 Debra Talks about some of the difficulties immigrant and migrant families face regarding schooling and what they are doing to help.
• 19:56 Debra shares whether or not immigration status affects a child’s ability to register for school.
• 20:58 Debra discusses some of the barriers families face in gaining access to public education.
• 24:33 Debra talks about what they do to help connect families with the resources available.
• 26:23 Debra discusses The Patterson Foundation’s ESOL & ELL Ecosystem
• 30:31 Big Picture Small Steps
• 30:50 Debra shares her hopes for the dual language program in the next 5 years and beyond.
• 32:46 Debra explains what families can do now to connect with community resources and other simple steps families can take to help their children succeed in school.

Links to Learn More 

• Dual Language Program Manatee County Facebook 
• Manatee County ESOL
• Blog: Learning Made Accessible Through ESOL, Migrant, and Dual Language Programs

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