Educational policy for schooling linguistically diverse students, including immigrants and children of immigrants, will be explored at a symposium titled “Language, Policy and Education” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 12 at DePaul University’s Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 120, Chicago. The symposium is free and open to the public.

Keynote speakers are Sonia Nieto, professor emeritus of language, literacy and culture in the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts, and the 2007 DePaul University School of Education commencement speaker; and James Crawford, founder and president of the Maryland-based Institute for Language and Education Policy, who is this year’s School of Education commencement speaker.

Participants at this symposium will gain further insight into the complexities and multilayered dimensions of educating linguistically diverse students, which extend far beyond the classroom. In their talks, Crawford and Nieto will offer their perspectives and candid appraisal of the current policy and state of education. In addition, the opportunity to hear two prominent scholars interact with each other and the audience during the panel discussion will provide a rare experience.

The symposium will explore how the steady increase in the number of non-English-proficient students enrolled in Chicago metropolitan area schools poses critical challenges for educators and policymakers. Nieto believes that tackling this challenge is not the responsibility of educators alone. “Although for over a century, our nation has advanced the ideal that a high-quality and excellent public education is the birthright of all children, our schools cannot fulfill this ambitious and noble purpose unless all of us – parents, policymakers and the general public – commit ourselves to sustaining education as a public trust and a promise to future generations,” Nieto said.

Effective responses to these challenges must be examined within the social, cultural, linguistic, economic and political contexts from which minority children come, in turn resulting in inclusive and socially responsible policies that directly address better ways of facilitating their academic success, said Sonia Soltero, associate professor and director of the Bilingual-Bicultural Education Program in DePaul’s School of Education.

Crawford maintains that “at the core of today’s debates over school accountability lies a contentious question: ‘Does the No Child Left Behind Act represent a historic advance for civil rights, or a giant step backward for the children it purports to help?’ This argument has divided the civil rights community itself, along with its traditional allies in Congress.”

Over the past 20 years, Crawford has specialized in research-based advocacy for English- and heritage-language learners as an independent writer, lecturer and consultant. His latest book is “Advocating for English Learners: Selected Essays” (2008).  He served as executive director of the National Association for Bilingual Education from 2004 to 2006 and is the founder and president of the Institute for Language and Educational Policy, a nonprofit organization that promotes research-based advocacy for English- and heritage-language learners.

A researcher, teacher, lecturer and writer, Nieto serves on several national advisory boards that focus on educational equity and social justice. Nieto’s most well-known book is “Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education” (2008).

“Language, Policy and Education” is the second annual language and education symposium sponsored by the School of Education. Last year’s symposium, which explored language, identity and education, attracted about 100 attendees, and this year’s symposium is expected to attract even more people. For more information about the symposium, contact Soltero at (773) 325-4788 or ssoltero@depaul.edu.

DePaul has one of the largest schools of education in the Chicago area, offering degree programs in early childhood education; elementary and secondary education and physical education; special education; bilingual-bicultural education; curriculum studies; educational leadership; human services and counseling; and language, literacy and specialized instruction.