One in three young children in the United States is a Dual Language Learner (DLL), yet early childhood systems often struggle to consistently identify preschool DLLs due to the fragmented nature of the mixed-delivery system, including center-based child-care providers, schools, family child-care homes, and Head Start-funded programs. This identification gap can have serious future consequences—research shows that supporting children’s literacy and content knowledge in their home language facilitates English language acquisition and overall school readiness.

On this webinar, experts from Illinois will describe how they expanded the use of Home Language Surveys (HLS) beyond preschool programs in public schools and into a broader range of early childhood education & care (ECEC) settings to address this crucial issue. Speakers will also focus on overcoming challenges related to improving HLS data collection, developing common identification policies and procedures, and preparing the workforce for HLS implementation. 

This session is part of a series, offered by MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, designed to explore actions state and local systems can take to improve ECEC program quality for DLLs amid unfolding federal budget and policy changes. Two sessions will explore adoption and implementation of HLSs in preschool settings, with Illinois’s efforts featured in June, and California’s efforts the focus of a session in late July. Each session will explore real-world challenges and offer practical insights for states or localities interested in undertaking similar initiatives. More information on the topic can be found in this report: Taking Stock of Dual Language Learner Identification and Strengthening Procedures and Policies.