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About this CAL Publication
This research brief summarizes findings from a qualitative study examining how Title III coordinators in rural and low-incidence districts support multilingual learners (MLs) in resource-limited settings. Through interviews and EL program handbook analysis, the study identified seven leadership strategies organized within the Bless Your Heart (BYH) Leadership framework, a contextually responsive and equity-focused model grounded in care, compliance-informed advocacy, and place-based problem-solving. While the study was conducted in Virginia, the conditions described and leadership practices reflect national trends in rural and new destination districts experiencing increased linguistic diversity. The brief outlines key findings, policy implications, and stakeholder recommendations to strengthen funding structures, program capacity, language access, and leadership preparation for districts serving small and dispersed multilingual learner populations.
About the Author
Dr. Kia Johnson is the Senior Director of PreK-12 Professional Development and Evaluations at the Center for Applied Linguistics, where she leads national initiatives focused on multilingual learner instruction, literacy, and systemwide capacity building. She has extensive experience supporting school districts through professional learning, program evaluation, and leadership development. Before joining CAL, Dr. Johnson served as the English Learner Assessment and Title III Specialist at the Virginia Department of Education, overseeing statewide implementation of WIDA assessments and providing guidance to all 133 school divisions. Her research centers on equity for multilingual learners in rural and low-incidence districts, with a focus on contextually responsive leadership and distributive justice. Dr. Johnson holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. She is dedicated to helping educators and leaders create inclusive, culturally responsive, and high-quality learning environments for all students.
About the Publisher
The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1959. Headquartered in Washington, DC, CAL has earned an international reputation for its contributions to the fields of bilingual and dual-language education, English as a second language, world languages education, language policy, assessment, immigrant and refugee integration, literacy, dialect studies, and the education of linguistically and culturally diverse adults and children. CAL’s mission is to promote language learning and cultural understanding by serving as a trusted resource for research, services, and policy analysis. Through its work, CAL seeks solutions to issues involving language and culture as they relate to access and equity in education and society around the globe.
Contact CAL
Contact the Center for Applied Linguistics at communications@cal.org.
Suggested Citation
Johnson, K. (2026). “Bless Your Heart” leadership: Advancing equity in rural and low-incidence EL programs [CAL Research Brief]. Center for Applied Linguistics. https://www.cal.org/publications/bless-your-heart-leadership-advancing-equity-in-rural-and-low-incidence-el-programs/
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