Interview by Marlin Navarro
At Skyrocket Education, we’ve long believed that every student deserves access to rigorous and relevant instruction. But what does it look like to design a curriculum that truly centers the lived experiences of long-term English learners (LTELs)? We sat down with Dawn Steele, Senior Manager of the Diverse Learners Department at Skyrocket, to unpack the intentional design, implementation, and future of Skyrocket’s new Academic Language Development (ALD) curriculum.
From shaping content with a lens on equity to ensuring usability for teachers and impact for students, Dawn shares how this curriculum was built with every learner — and every teacher — in mind.
Marlin Navarro: You’re in a new role at Skyrocket. Can you tell us what that is and what you’re focused on?
Dawn Steele: I recently stepped into the role of Senior Manager of our Diverse Learners Department. While we continue to focus on English learners — particularly grades 8 through 12 — our scope has expanded to include support for special education students, foster and homeless youth, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. These students often face multiple, intersecting barriers to accessing education. If we only focus on one aspect — like language acquisition — we miss the opportunity to help students truly thrive. My role is about helping schools create the wraparound support students need to succeed both in and beyond the classroom.
Marlin Navarro: You’ve been instrumental in the development of Skyrocket’s new EL curriculum. What is it, and who is it for?
Dawn Steele: We’re thrilled to introduce our Academic Language Development (ALD) curriculum, specifically designed for long-term English learners — students who’ve been classified as ELs for six years or more. These students often speak English socially but struggle with the academic language required to succeed in high school and beyond.
Many of these students have interrupted education, frequent school changes, or gaps in quality instruction. Traditional EL programs often don’t meet their needs — the materials are too basic, and students feel unchallenged. Our ALD curriculum bridges that gap by focusing on academic vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and higher-order thinking skills, preparing students not just to reclassify, but to participate fully in content area classes and graduate college- and career-ready.
Marlin Navarro: What was your role in shaping this curriculum?
Dawn Steele: I partnered with an experienced EL teacher and curriculum writer to co-design the course from the ground up. From the very beginning, we centered the student perspective. One of the first lessons asks: Why am I here? Many students don’t even know why they’re classified as English learners, let alone long-term ones. So we start by building purpose and self-awareness. Then we layer in real-world relevance — researching colleges, careers, and identifying the language skills required to succeed in those fields. This makes the curriculum feel personal, relevant, and empowering.
Marlin Navarro: What makes the ALD curriculum different from what’s already out there?
Dawn Steele: First, it's designed to be flexible and student-centered. Students can work independently, at their own pace, but it’s also adaptable for small groups or whole-class instruction. Teachers can build lessons, create slide decks, and foster collaborative projects using the materials. It's not a static workbook; it’s a dynamic foundation for real learning.
Second, the curriculum doesn’t stop at language. We also teach foundational academic skills like organizing ideas, researching, and analyzing complex texts. These are the same skills students will use in college, careers, and real-life settings.
And finally, we intentionally included texts and tasks from multiple content areas — science, history, even poetry — to prepare students for the academic demands of all their classes, not just English.
Marlin Navarro: How did you ensure the curriculum would work for both new and veteran teachers?
Dawn Steele: We were very intentional in making this curriculum teacher-friendly. It includes clear instructor guides, built-in scaffolds like graphic organizers and sentence frames, and explicit instructions that teachers can adapt. Veteran teachers can make it their own. Newer teachers have a strong foundation to build from. It works in push-in, pull-out, and independent study models — all with the goal of meeting students where they are and helping them move forward.
Marlin Navarro: California’s updated LCAP now requires districts to show how they’re supporting LTELs specifically. How does the ALD curriculum fit in?
Dawn Steele: California has finally acknowledged that not all EL students are the same, and that LTELs need differentiated instruction. Our ALD curriculum helps schools meet those compliance requirements while also doing what’s right for students. It doesn’t replace English classes; it supplements them, giving students the tools to succeed in all content areas. We’ve even made the decision not to seek A-G approval for this course — not because it’s not rigorous, but because we want to protect the student experience. We don’t want this curriculum to be misused as a replacement for core ELA. Students need both.
Marlin Navarro: What kind of support do teachers and schools get when they adopt this curriculum?
Dawn Steele: We offer personalized consultation to help schools implement it effectively — whether that’s one-on-one with a teacher or in collaboration with a district team. We help schools understand their instructional model and support them in using the curriculum as a complement, not a substitute, for core classes. We’ve seen implementation missteps in the past, and we built safeguards to avoid that. We want this curriculum to have a real, lasting impact.
Marlin Navarro: What feedback have you heard from schools using the curriculum so far?
Dawn Steele: Teachers love that it strikes the right balance — challenging but accessible. Students can do a lot on their own, but they still need and value teacher support. One of the most powerful outcomes we’ve seen is an increase in attendance — students are choosing to show up, because they see themselves in the curriculum and understand the value of what they’re learning.
We’re also seeing improved language proficiency scores, reclassification rates, and a genuine shift in classroom engagement. Teachers are building creative extensions of the lessons, and students are using the skills immediately, in other classes and even beyond school.
Marlin Navarro: What’s next for the curriculum?
Dawn Steele: The next frontier is digital literacy. Our students are digital natives, but many don’t know how to write a professional email, conduct credible research, or use AI tools ethically. We want to embed more digital skills into the curriculum so students are not just linguistically proficient but digitally fluent, too. The world is changing, and our curriculum has to evolve with it.
Marlin Navarro: What are you most proud of?
Dawn Steele: I’m proud that this curriculum is for the student who often gets overlooked — the one quietly navigating school, passing classes, but never fully participating or feeling confident. These students often blend in, but struggle academically. This curriculum gives them a voice. It helps them feel seen, heard, and prepared. At the heart of it all, every student wants to be heard — and this curriculum gives them the tools to speak up with confidence.
Conclusion
Dawn Steele’s deep expertise and passionate leadership have led to a curriculum that is not only research-based and standards-aligned, but also deeply human-centered. The ALD curriculum is more than just a new product — it’s a new way of thinking about how we support long-term English learners with dignity, rigor, and care.
If your school is ready to reimagine what’s possible for LTELs, Skyrocket’s ALD curriculum — and the support that comes with it — is a powerful place to start.