In the 1974 Lau versus Nichols case, the Supreme Court ruled that schools have an obligation to provide specialized instruction to students whose limited English proficiency prevents them from full participation in the classroom. The Juneau School District English Learner (EL) Program supports schools in delivering equal education opportunities for students who speak a language or languages other than English, or who have a language other than English in their home, and are academically achieving below grade level. 

The Juneau School District EL Program provides essential resources to support high-quality instruction to help EL students meet the same challenging performance standards expected of all Alaska's students. The program supports a variety of activities related to English language acquisition, language enhancement, and academic achievement.

The Juneau School District is committed to the delivery of programs and services to EL students that build upon the strengths of their cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The goal is to provide an educational program to EL students that not only enables them to attain English proficiency but, also prepares them to succeed academically.

The Juneau School District is further committed to ensuring that its teachers and administrators work together to provide the opportunity for all students to achieve the established content and performance standards. The District recognizes that students' primary languages, their heritage, culture, and experiences, all contribute to their learning and to the learning of their classmates. EL students will gain competencies in English, while they are learning the skills and information they need to live and successfully compete in the world of tomorrow.