This interview was originally published in EdTech Digest in April 2025.

A self-described lifelong educator, over the last 30 years, Richard Carranza has been a public school teacher, the superintendent of the Houston Independent and San Francisco Unified School Districts, and the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education where he was responsible for 1.1 million students in 1,800 schools in the largest school district in America. And throughout his entire career, the experience of being a multilingual learner (MLL) has been a powerful influence.

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Richard grew up in a home where they spoke Spanish. “I still vividly recall the feeling of being a kindergartener struggling to understand my teacher and classmates,” he says. “That early experience fundamentally shaped my perspective as an educator and fueled my commitment to creating a public school system that meets the needs of all students.”

That’s why in 2021, he joined IXL Learning, as the Chief of Strategy and Global Development, “to help the company fulfill its mission of providing equitable, high-quality, personalized learning experiences,” says Richard. In this EdTech Digest exclusive, Richard shares how his experience shaped his current approach, his thoughts on effective tools for helping millions of students of various linguistic backgrounds, and his take on AI and the future of learning.

How has your experience shaped your perspective of the challenges students face?

My experience as an MLL has made me more compassionate toward students navigating the same challenges. I understand how it feels to have a completely different academic experience than your classmates—always wanting to do well, but sometimes feeling lost and needing to play catch-up. I’ve carried that with me throughout my career, using that empathy to lead school systems and inform my decision-making.

For example, as superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District, I prioritized renaming our English Language Learning department to the ‘Multilingual Learning’ department.

The conversation about developing English proficiency often focuses on what students lack, overlooking the rich language capabilities they already possess. By reframing our perspective, we shifted our focus to how we could build upon their existing skills rather than substitute one language for another. Small changes like this significantly impact how seen and supported multilingual students feel.

Your company recently announced an expanded translation offering. Tell us more about that update and how it’s used in the classroom.

Right now, about one in 10 public school students is still learning English. That means more than 5.3 million children are sitting in a classroom where they have trouble understanding the lesson plan. Can you imagine how frustrating that must be?

Multilingual learners are the fastest-growing student population in the U.S., and language should not be a barrier to learning for them. We’re proud to have recently made IXL’s content available in over 90 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, and more. By making learning materials more accessible for millions of students in their native language, learners of all backgrounds can make meaningful progress in essential skills, even if they are still building their English proficiency.

With so many students from various linguistic backgrounds, what strategies can teachers use to give students—including non-English speakers—the best possible learning experience?

The most crucial first step is for teachers to commit to understanding their students’ unique backgrounds and academic needs. MLLs are an incredibly diverse group, ranging from migrants to children who have lived in the U.S. their entire lives. They enter the classroom speaking various languages and functioning at different grade levels, so taking a one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t work.

Schools must prioritize personalized learning and utilize tools that will help them uncover what multilingual students already know and how to best support them moving forward. Once educators see where learners stand, they can differentiate instruction and ultimately boost academic achievement.

I would also encourage districts to invest in specialized training for their teachers as well as more culturally responsive materials. Additionally, it is important for teachers to build relationships with the families of MLLs to better understand their backgrounds and foster a sense of community.

What approach is particularly helpful with multilingual students, and what are some effective tools for both teachers and students?

Individualizing learning for multilingual students is crucial because they come from different cultural and academic backgrounds than many of their classmates. Embracing personalized learning ensures that everyone in class has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their circumstances.

One of the best ways to do this is through adaptive assessments. When administered throughout the year, they act as academic check-ups, providing educators with real insights into areas of strength and where learners are struggling. This data empowers teachers to develop targeted, personalized plans focusing on the exact material each multilingual student must master to fill specific knowledge gaps.

Other support tools, such as on-demand audio and text translations, language toggling features, and video captions, offer additional scaffolding for multilingual students to engage with grade-level content in their native language. One-on-one tutoring is also beneficial for MLLs as it addresses their individual learning needs at the pace best suited for them, while also helping to accelerate their English acquisition.

A high-quality curriculum is also essential, especially for dual language immersion programs that are becoming more prevalent in MLL education nationwide. That’s why we are releasing IXL Spanish Language Arts—a new subject in IXL’s curriculum—later this year, which will provide Spanish-speaking MLLs the skills they need to progress academically in their native language while they work to gain proficiency in English.

From your unique perspective, what are your thoughts on the role of technology in learning, and the role of AI in particular?

When implemented strategically, AI will do wonders for learning and teaching. However, it’s only effective if schools first ask themselves, “What is our end goal?”

AI can do many impactful things, like creating quizzes, customizing lesson plans, and automating grading. It could even help personalize learning by creating individualized education plans (IEPs) for every student, freeing up time for educators to focus on engaging more with their class. With that said, it is not a one-stop solution for all academic problems, and it will never be able to understand each student’s needs in the same way a teacher can. So, to get the most out of the technology and not overly rely on it, schools must first define their why.

Once expectations and guidelines are set, schools should start small, regularly evaluate the impact of AI, and then scale up.

What are your thoughts on the impact of AI in education, and the future of learning?

While we don’t know for certain what role technology and AI will play in education down the road, we know one thing: It’s here to stay. However, by no means should we look to technology to replace passionate, well-trained, caring teachers. Instead, let’s focus on putting great technology into smart, compassionate and capable educators’ hands so they can continue empowering students.