Libia Gil, assistant deputy secretary and director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition, will deliver the keynote address to the Oregon Leadership Network's (OLN) Fall Leadership Institute at 8:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday, Dec. 10 in Portland, Oregon.
Gil will be speaking to a group of education leaders and school staff from OLN member districts and representatives of organizations dedicated to equitable and successful outcomes for students across Oregon. Her remarks will cover the need for equity in education, access to rigorous content for English learner students, parent and family engagement, the advantages of bi-literacy skills, and what school leaders can do to help English learners meet college and career ready standards.
Gil is the principal adviser to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on all matters related to the education of English learners, now estimated to be about 10 percent of the total K-12 enrollment nationwide. The Office of English Language Acquisition provides national leadership to help ensure that English learners and immigrant students attain English proficiency and achieve academically.
The Obama Administration strongly believes that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and education is crucial to the economic strength and security of our nation and communities. The Department of Education’s work is focused on ensuring all students receive an education that prepares them for success in life and their career, through programs including Race to the Top, ConnectED, School Improvement Grants, as well as the Department’s work to expand access to preschool and make college more affordable.