On March 1, 2025, the President issued the Executive Order Designating English as the Official Language of the United States. The order designates English as the official language of the United States and revokes Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, issued in 2000.

AZTESOL is concerned about the implications of this policy for multilingual learners, families, educators, and communities. As a professional organization committed to English language teaching and multilingual education, AZTESOL supports policies and practices that promote equitable access to education and recognize linguistic diversity as an asset.

AZTESOL Statement

As an organization committed to supporting multilingual learners and the educators who serve them, we are concerned about policies that may create barriers to equitable access, diminish the value of linguistic diversity, or negatively affect multilingual individuals and communities.

AZTESOL affirms the importance of inclusive educational practices that support English language development while recognizing and valuing the languages, cultures, and experiences learners bring to our schools and communities.

Why This Matters

Language policy can influence access to education, public services, civic participation, and the ways multilingualism is understood and valued within our communities. AZTESOL is particularly concerned about policies or practices that may:

• create barriers to information, services, or educational opportunities for multilingual individuals and families;
• contribute to the marginalization of languages and the people who speak them;
• diminish recognition of multilingualism as an educational, cultural, and community asset; or
• make it more difficult for educators and institutions to respond effectively to the needs of multilingual learners.

AZTESOL will continue to support educators, share research and professional resources, and advocate for policies and practices that promote equitable opportunities for multilingual learners throughout Arizona.