ERA Office Hours: Join us for information, support, and guidance related to nominating a distinguished ESL teacher for the ELD Recognition Award. Thursday, February 19, 10:30-11 am Thursday, February 26, 10:30-11 am Thursday, March 5, 10:30-11 am Thursday, March 12, 10:30-11 am Or by appointment
English Language Development Recognition Award The ERA Award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of ML/ESL teachers who work every day with ML students. You may know someone whose tireless work deserves recognition. Nominations open: February 16, 2026 How to nominate: Contact your district's or school's ESL/ML Department or school principal. Let them know who you would like to nominate and why. The district/school lead will contact the exemplary ESL teacher and work with them to assemble a portfolio to submit to NCDPI. Portfolio Guidelines Portfolio Rubric Guidance for LEAs
	Honoring Excellence: NCDPI State Board Recognizes ELD Award Recipient At the October meeting of the NCDPI State Board of Education, members proudly honored this year’s English Language Development (ELD) Recognition Award (ERA) recipient, Ms. Elsie R. Maurice, teacher and department chair at South Academy of International Languages (SAIL) in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Ms. Maurice has been recognized not only for her unwavering dedication to academic excellence but also for her remarkable leadership that strengthens the entire school community. Together with the NC SBE, the ML/Title III Team celebrates Ms. Maurice’s well-deserved recognition and thanks the NC State Board of Education for uplifting the critical role of ESL educators in building bright futures for multilingual learners across the state. The celebration was made even more special as Ms. Maurice was joined by her family members, and CMS Executive Director, Charlotte “Nadja” Trez, who were all present to share in the moment. Their presence highlighted the powerful ripple effect of her work—touching not only students and colleagues, but also family, community, and the broader educational field. *Congratulations to Elsie Maurice!*

Previous Winners 23-24 Winner
	Paola DeAvila, Head of the ESL Department at Southern Lee High School in Lee County, was awarded the English Language Development (ELD) Recognition Award (ERA) at the 2024 Growing Success for MLs Summer Conference. She was recognized at the NC State Board of Education meeting on Thursday, September 5, 2024 for her contributions as a North Carolina ESL teachers who has demonstrated excellence in her practice. Paola advocates for Latino students, drawing from her journey as an immigrant from Colombia. She has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with concentration in Crime Scene Investigations, a Master of Science in Project Management, Lateral Entry through NCTeach, and will start working towards her doctorate degree in Fall 2024. She is a 2023 Kenan Fellow and 2024 Teacher of the Year for Southern Lee High School. “Mrs. De Avila possesses a combination of qualities that enables her to effectively teach English to non-native speakers and create a supportive learning environment. She is culturally sensitive, has patience and empathy while creating a rigorous classroom environment that holds students accountable,” said a Lee County colleague. “She is great at encouraging and motivating students to become the best they can be.” The NCDPI ML/Title III Team is proud to celebrate educators like Paola, who serve as leaders and exemplars for all of us. We look forward to next year's application and award process to honor another amazing ML educator!