Teachers engage in language policy work not only in their own classrooms but also within the local context of school and district layers through interaction with school and district players (Levinson & Sutton, 2001). In this way, local policy players in classrooms, schools and districts act and interact to interpret and implement language policy in practice to mediate the education of English learners (ELs; Hornberger & Johnson, 2007; Johnson & Freeman, 2010). Building out from the focus on the English Language Development (ELD) classroom teachers, this chapter delves further into language policy in practice in Greenwood, Arizona. Seeking to understand the complex actions and interactions in local communities, I explore the themes emergent from my investigation of micro-level layers and players using the metaphorical onion of language policy in practice. I first ‘peel the onion’ to individually describe the language policy players on school and district layers. I then ‘slice the onion’ to investigate the interpretation and implementation of one cross-cutting issue within the local policy context – teacher placement, support and retention. Finally, I ‘stir the onion’ to consider the negotiation and appropriation across layers and players (García & Menken, 2010; Hornberger & Johnson, 2007). I close with a discussion of the findings within and across the local context of the Jackson Elementary School District (JESD).

Language Policy in the Jackson Elementary School District

Situated in leadership positions and charged with authority over and guidance of classroom teachers, school and district leaders influenced the practice of ELD teachers and therefore the education of ELs in Greenwood. Three school-level leaders participated in this study, representing a sample from the district: (a) Heather, principal at Jones School; (b) James, principal at Advance School; and (c) Rick, principal at Mountainside School. Leaders worked at three PK-8 schools, strategically selected within the community of downtown Greenwood, rather than at schools situated in more recently developed areas of the city further from the Phoenix metropolitan area and with less linguistic diversity within the student and general population.