ASSETS

In this episode of the ASSETS Podcast, host Dr. Jobi Lawrence sits down with Sam Finn, Director of Newcomer Policy and Practice at Californians Together and a leader with the California Newcomer Network (CANN). Sam shares insights from his work supporting educators who serve immigrant and newcomer students, discussing how policy, research, and practice intersect to create more equitable learning environments.  Together, they explore what defines a "newcomer" student, the challenges these students face entering U.S. schools, and the policies that most impact their educational experience. Sam also highlights how the California Newcomer Network empowers teachers with tools, strategies, and advocacy to ensure every student feels seen, supported, and successful. 

In this episode of the ASSETS Podcast, host Dr. Jobi Lawrence welcomes Sam Singer, founder of the Volunteer State Seal of Biliteracy (VSSB) and veteran educator. Sam shares her journey from teaching in New York City and Nashville to creating Tennessee's first Seal of Biliteracy program in 2015. She discusses the importance of biliteracy, how the Seal supports multilingual learners, and what it takes to implement this recognition at the state and district level successfully.

In this episode of the ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Jobi Lawrence sits down with Lara Evangelista, Executive Director at Internationals Network for Public Schools. Lara is a passionate advocate for multilingual learners and newcomer education, with years of experience as a principal and district leader in New York City. They discuss what it takes to create welcoming, culturally responsive school environments that help newcomer students thrive academically and socially. Lara also shares practical strategies for engaging families, lessons learned from implementing newcomer programs, and her personal journey as an educator dedicated to equity and inclusion.   

In this episode of The ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Jobi Lawrence welcomes back Montserrat Garibay, former Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) under the Biden-Harris administration.  Together, they explore the State Seal of Biliteracy and its impact in recognizing multilingual proficiency, as well as the role of programs like BESO in supporting and uplifting multilingual learners. From her beginnings as an undocumented immigrant to her leadership in education and labor, Montserrat's story is one of resilience, advocacy, and transformation.  This conversation highlights the importance of linguistic equity, educational policy, and celebrating diverse voices in our schools. 

In this episode of the ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Jobi Lawrence welcomes Arthur Chou, social entrepreneur, passionate advocate, and widely regarded as the "father" of the State Seal of Biliteracy. Arthur shares his journey, from launching national multilingual advocacy efforts to helping over 40 states establish their own seals. Learn how his work with Academic Learning Company, DualLanguageSchools.org, and Velázquez Press has shaped educational equity and empowered multilingual students and communities across the U.S. 

How do policy and practice work together to support English and multilingual learners in America's classrooms? In this episode, host Dr. Jobi Lawrence is joined by Dr. Megan Hopkins, professor at UC San Diego, and Dr. Hayley Weddle, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Foundations, Organizations, and Policy at the University of Pittsburgh, to discuss the evolving landscape of educational policy. Together, they unpack how state leaders engage with the CCSSO English Learner Collaborative, the influence of federal shifts, and how research is shaping more inclusive systems. Tune in to hear how these experts are driving impact from the top down—and the ground up. 

In this episode, we sit with Dr. Julie Sugarman, Associate Director for K-12 Education Research at the Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy. Dr. Sugarman helps stakeholders make sense of the complex research and policy issues impacting English and multilingual learners. Together, we explore the rapidly changing policy landscape, the challenges facing schools and educators, and what brought Dr. Sugarman to the policy arena. 

Concluding our four-part series on student voice- A journey that's taken us through the transformative stories of young leaders who helped shape the Iowa Student Learning Institute and amplify the voices of multilingual learners. To close out the series, we welcome Dr. Byron Darnall, the co-lead of the Student Voice Initiative. Dr. Darnall has over two decades of experience in education. Follow along as we share the impact of the student leadership initiative and Dr. Darnall's perspective on the legacy of this work. 

This month on ASSETS, Dr. Lawrence welcomes you to the third of an exceptional four-part series where we hear from the voices of our students. Dr. Lawrence sits down with former student Ian Coon, who served on the Iowa Student Learning Institute's ELL Leadership Team at the Iowa Department of Education. Follow along as Ian shares his unique perspective from unawareness and privilege to partnership and advocacy.  In this episode, Ian takes us on his journey in social justice and advocating for underserved populations, the impact of his work on the student leadership team, and how his journey shaped his personal and professional story.  

This month on ASSETS, Dr. Lawrence welcomes you to the second of an exceptional four-part series where we hear from the voices of our students. Follow along as Dr. Lawrence sits down with former student Monica Figueroa, who served on the Iowa Student Learning Institute's ELL Leadership Team at the Iowa Department of Education. As a former English learner, she has firsthand experience navigating the challenges of mastering a new language while excelling academically. In this episode, Monica joins us to reflect on her life journey, the impact of her work on the student leadership team, and how it shaped her personal and professional story.

This month on ASSETS, Dr. Lawrence welcomes you to the first of an exceptional four-part series where we hear from the voices of our students. Follow along as Dr. Lawrence sits down with former students who served on the Iowa Student Learning Institute's ELL Leadership Team at the Iowa Department of Education. Together, they share their mission to revolutionize Iowa's approach to education through the power of student voice.

This month on ASSETS, Dr. Lawrence welcomes Ernesto Mejia, a Dean of Students who epitomizes the American dream.  Follow along as Ernesto shares what it was like growing up with Mexican immigrant parents, his experience working with ELs in higher education, and how the American dream can look different for everyone. Learn more about how to help our students identify their passion and chase their American Dream.  

You don't want to miss this episode of ASSETS! This month, Dr. Lawrence welcomes a dear friend, retired Lieutenant Colonel Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, a 20-year U.S. Army Veteran. Follow along as Lt. Col. Kickbusch shares her remarkable story of overcoming the challenges of poverty and being a daughter of immigrants, from discrimination and illiteracy to becoming rich in culture, tradition, values, and faith. 

This time on ASSETS the podcast, we turn the spotlight inward with a very special "Meet the Host" episode. Our host and creator, Dr. Jobi Lawrence, shares the personal journey that led her to pursue a career in education, specifically with bilingual/multilingual learners. From early inspirations and challenges to the pivotal moments that shaped her career, this episode will give a deeper understanding of who Dr. Lawrence is and why she is so passionate about the topics discussed on ASSETS the podcast. From living below the poverty line during the farm crisis of the 1980s to being a first-generation college graduate, Dr. Lawrence relates her experiences to the lives of many of our multilingual learners.

Back by popular demand, we welcome Dr. Nooshan Ashtari for a very special Part 2  episode on the ASSETS Podcast. Join us as we discuss questions and topics provided by our listeners and take a deeper dive into technology and language education research studies.   Dr. Ashtari is involved in virtual reality (VR) in teacher training, reading in Second Language Acquisition, accents and multilingualism, linguistic racism, and is a heritage language development researcher.  English Learner (EL) Avatars for Pre-Service Teachers VR Avatars and Language Acquisition Using a Mixed-Reality Classroom Environment Including English Learners: The Perceptions of Teacher Candidates Examining the Impact of a Simulation Classroom Experience on Teacher Candidates' Sense of Efficacy in Communicating with English Learners Mixed Reality Environments in Teaching and Learning English Book Chapter Virtual Reality and Language Education Virtual Environments: The Past, Present, and Future Technology, Toucan, and Language Education Toucan: A New Tool in Our Teaching Toolbox Computer Science Innovations and Language Acquisition Languages, Tech Design, and the 21st Century: Meeting People Where They Are Optimal Input The Optimal Input Hypothesis: Not All Comprehensible Input is of Equal Value Dr. Noam Chomsky, Dr. Stephen Krashen, Dr. Nooshan Ashtari on Issues in Modern Linguistics  

This month, Dr. Lawrence welcomes Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan to discuss universal screening and literacy best practices for English and ​multilingual ​learners. Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan is a bilingual speech and language pathologist, certified dyslexia specialist, certified academic language specialist, qualified instructor, and ​President of the Valley Speech Language and Learning Center in Brownsville, Texas. ​She​ has spent the last 24 years working on national research projects sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, and the Office of Special Education Programs.   Follow along as Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan discuss universal screening​ measures​ and ​their​ impact on literacy achievement for English and multilingual learners and Dr. Hagen's path to working with multilingual learners.    

This month on the ASSETS Podcast, Dr. Lawrence welcomes Mr. Steve Gill to discuss the identification of English learners with disabilities/dually identified English learners. Listen in as Mr. Gill shares his journey from being a school psychologist in a district with a high EL population to creating the ELL Critical Data Process, used by over 21,000 educators across 2,000 districts in multiple states and at least 12 countries worldwide. Dr. Lawrence and Mr. Gill also discuss technology and how it is being used to enhance language education. You don't want to miss this conversation! 

This month on ASSETS, we welcome a special guest from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Monique Dixon.   Ms. Dixon was appointed in February 2021 by the Biden-Harris Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy for the Office for Civil Rights. In this role, she manages the program's legal group, which develops policy guidance, fact sheets, regulations, and technical assistance materials to ensure pre-K through 12 schools and colleges comply with the legal obligations that OCR enforces.   Follow along as Dr. Lawrence and Ms. Dixon dive into the opportunities and challenges related to meeting the legal obligations of supporting our multilingual learners and their families.  Resources mentioned during the podcast: Equal Education Opportunities for English Learners; Civil Rights Data | U.S. Department of Education; and File a Complaint: Foreign Language Discrimination Forms | U.S. Department of Education

This month, Dr. Lawrence welcomes the Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) at the U.S. Department of Education, Montserrat Garibay. Follow along as Ms. Garibay shares her journey from being an undocumented immigrant from Mexico City to becoming a U.S. citizen, National Board-Certified teacher, with a Master of Education from the University of Texas-Austin. She has proudly served as a bilingual pre-kindergarten teacher. Dr. Lawrence and Ms. Garibay dive into some key opportunities, as well as, critical challenges that English/multilingual learners face in the U.S. education system and how OELA and the U.S. Department of Education are working together to address those challenges and leverage opportunities for collaboration

In January, the ASSETS Podcast released its first episode of a TWO-PART series to reflect on the 50th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols, a landmark legal case affecting English learners and educators. Follow along as Dr. Lawrence and Mr. Edward Steinman, the attorney who successfully argued the Lau v. Nichols case, continue to reflect on the ruling that helped pave the way for the passing of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 in Congress, which required that school districts take action to remove barriers to the equal participation of all students, increased funding to the Bilingual Education Act, and effectively made additional English language development instruction mandatory in public schools across the U.S.