Two Purdue University researchers have been awarded nearly $4 million in federal grants intended to address Indiana's shortage of teachers with an expertise in English language learning and bilingual education.
The funding from the U.S. Department of Education is expected to allow the researchers to help more than 400 teachers, administrators and other educators hone their ability to teach English as a second language.
Officials with Purdue's College of Education say those efforts should help address Indiana's lack of adequately trained English language learning teachers and bilingual educators.
The Purdue researchers will train and license elementary teachers in literacy and English language learning and K-12 teachers in bilingual education. Their efforts will be focused on students enrolled in school districts in Lafayette, Frankfort, Goshen, Logansport and Indianapolis' Lawrence Township.