Emergent Bilinguals: A Review of Education Policy in Missouri

Emergent Bilinguals (EBs), or students with a home language other than English, are a diverse group of students who bring additional linguistic assets to the classroom. Drawing on six decades of federal legislation and landmark court cases, the brief outlines the evolution of protections for EBs and examines how Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) implements these policies through identification, instruction, and assessment practices. The report also highlights ongoing challenges, including reduced federal funding and limited teacher preparation in English Language Development. We conclude with recommendations for community members, educators, and educational policy makers