The English Language Learner Outreach Project aims to reach and enroll underserved and vulnerable children through school-based outreach targeted at English Language Learners (ELL).

English Language Learner: an individual not born in the United States whose native language is other than English; who comes from a home environment where a language other than English is spoken; or where a language other than English has had a significant impact on his or her level of English language proficiency. Florida is third in the nation, in the percentage of public school students identified as ELLs.

Outreach Strategies

Outreach efforts focus on geographic areas with diverse populations and high rates of uninsured children who may qualify for Florida KidCare. Notably, the counties with the highest ELL membership are correlated with the highest rates of uninsured children. The top 10 counties, respectively, are Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach, Duval, Pinellas, Polk, Lee, and Brevard.

The ELL Outreach Project aims to improve enrollment and retention among children of low-income ELL families with a targeted focus on utilizing the following school-based outreach strategies:

• Increase knowledge of Florida KidCare benefits and the enrollment and renewal process among teachers, staff, and school-based paraprofessionals that work with families of Limited English Proficiency 
• Provide technical assistance and materials for school programs serving immigrant and refugee children 
• Improve outreach to parents of ELL children in the form of parent workshops, letters home, and multilingual FKC materials available to teachers 
• Organize school events and trainings with bilingual paraprofessionals and parent volunteers
  
  

School Partners

As part of this initiative, Florida Covering Kids & Families will engage the following key partners in these outreach efforts:

Department of Education Refugee School Impact Grant (RSIG) programs
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, teachers, and paraprofessionals
Rural and migrant early education and charter school programs
Refugee Youth & Family Programs

Apply for Florida KidCare

We remind organizations and families that the fastest way to apply for Florida KidCare is ONLINE at: www.floridakidcare.org School partners are reminded to enter the Florida Covering Kids & Families outreach code (CK30) at the end of the online application.

For more information, assistance, or to request a presentation, contact our ELL Outreach Project Coordinator, Joel Velasco by email at jvelasc1@health.usf.edu. .