Our co-host for this episode, Carrie Parker, has worked for more than 20 years with states and districts to improve programs for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, leading both quantitative and qualitative research studies on topics including identifying disabilities among multilingual learners, understanding patterns in reclassification of English proficiency status, and identifying strategies for high quality instructional practices. Parker is the director of SRI’s Multilingual Learner Program Area, which works to ensure equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for multilingual learners from birth to post-college. 

Carrie will be sharing reflections from work she has  done over the last five years to better understand how teachers in grades K-3 identify disabilities among multilingual learners. She conducted research in three districts, speaking with both teachers and administrators. She will also share about connections she makes from that work to research conducted by her colleagues with multilingual learners with disabilities, as well as to broader conversations about race, language and disability.