When I was in 3rd grade, I was held back a year because I didn’t understand English. I know firsthand what it means to be an English Language Learner (ELL) who attends an underfunded school and ends up stuck in the system.

As a part of the Stand for Children Indiana spotlight series, watch my video to learn why I spoke up during the legislative session and how advocates like me are making a positive change:

I had never spoken to legislators before, and due to working until 6 A.M., I had not gotten much sleep. While I am generally a very private person, I showed up and waited my turn to speak because I knew my story was worth sharing. I knew there were other students like me in Indiana, who had been held back and stuck in the system. I wanted to make sure they received more support that provided them with the environment to graduate on time and excel in school.

Today, I am glad I shared my story. Not only will ELL students see some additional funding, but the experience taught me that my voice matters and can make a difference.

If you have a story to tell, I encourage you to join Stand for Children Indiana’s email list and share by emailing [email protected].

Being an ELL teacher has been the most heartbreaking and rewarding profession imaginable. It’s heartbreaking because so many of my students are misunderstood and often called lazy, but they are undoubtedly the hardest working people I know.

I have been teaching for about 10 years now. I have taught at several charter schools and all the work I have done has been with English Language Learning (ELL) students.

I decided to testify on behalf of more funding this legislative session because as a teacher I know our charter schools often serve a higher percentage of low-income students and diverse students, but they receive much less funding from the state. I also know the lack of support and resources for ELL programming often translates to more students being stuck in the system. Students (like Lizzie) who don’t need to be.

As a part of the Stand for Children Indiana spotlight series, watch my video to learn why I shared my story and how advocates like me are making a difference:

Through Stand for Children Indiana, I have learned not only how to use my voice, but how to effectively use it for positive change. We all have a story to share that can make a difference. If you have a story to tell, I encourage you to join Stand for Children Indiana’s email list and share by emailing [email protected].

Watch my testimony to the School Funding Subcommittee from March 16 in the video below. After you watch, join me and take action today by emailing key legislative leaders.

Watch my testimony to the School Funding Subcommittee from March 16 in the video below. After you watch, join me and take action today by emailing key legislative leaders.

Watch my testimony to the School Funding Subcommittee from March 16 in the video below. After you watch, join me and take action today by emailing key legislative leaders.

Watch my testimony to the School Funding Subcommittee from March 16 in the video below. After you watch, join me and take action today by emailing key legislative leaders.

I am a senior at GEO next generation which is a charter school on the East side of Indianapolis. I am also an English Language Learning (ELL) student and I hope to see funding for ELL students like me increased this year during the budget session. ACT NOW.

When I was in 3^rd grade, I was held back a year due to not knowing English. There was not a lot of ELL help for me during this time and my parents didn’t know a lot of English so I didn’t have any help.

To learn English, I had to learn it slowly. If I would have had extra help, perhaps I wouldn’t have been held back and I would have already graduated. This would make my life now so much easier because I am not just an ELL student but also a full-time employee working twelve-hour shifts to pay rent and help my family keep our home. 

My mom, sister, and I are alone here in Indiana, and we have gone through many hard times, especially during COVID because my mom got very sick and lost her job. I had to drop out of school for a while so that I could work three jobs because we were kicked out of our house.

I am one example, but many ELL students I know are juggling more than just their education and we don’t always have enough resources and support in our schools.

This year, I do have an amazing ELL teacher, Ms. B, and I am grateful for her. She truly believes in me and has taught me about passing the WIDA test and how important it is for me to advocate for not only myself but all students that are like me. I wish I would have met Ms. B when I was in 3^rd grade. Our community needs more teachers like her. Which is why we need to be able to pay for quality teachers like her. Yet, Indiana is still underfunding SPED, ELL and low-income students.

I plan to both email key lawmakers and go to the statehouse to share my story. I hope my efforts will result in more funding for students who are learning English, students who are in special education and students who come from low-income households.

It would mean a lot if you’d join me and send an email to key lawmakers today!

I hope that one day, schools are funded in a way that allows students like me to get the supports we need and have teachers like Ms. B. I don’t want my little sister or any other student to face being held back and go through what I have.

My English is not perfect, but I have been trying hard to learn so I can support my kids that are English Language Learners (ELL)  and go to a charter school.

Because my children attend a charter school in Indianapolis, I am advocating for schools like the one they attend to be funded fairly. Children in public charter schools in Indianapolis receive nearly $7,000 less per student than nearby district-run schools. That funding gap per child for charter schools statewide is nearly $4,000.

I would like our lawmakers to close the gap in funding for charter schools. The most important thing about a school is not the school type, but that families feel safe and see their kids do good –and they need adequate funding to do that.

You can join me in asking our lawmakers to close the funding gap for charter schools by sending an email today on this page.