schools in the united states have a legal obligation to new arrivals to the country, including undocumented students. the landmark supreme court ruling plyler v. doe (1982) grants all children, no matter their legal status, the right to a free education. this ruling suggests that as a country we acknowledge that we have a population of students with specific needs that differ from those of native speakers. additionally specifically in regards to ell's the supreme court ruling lau v. nichols (1974) stated that equal treatment in school did not mean equal educational opportunity. thus if a school teaches a lesson in a language that students do not understand then they are effectively worthless. this ruling is also supported by english language development services provided in schools, but unfortunately, these rulings do not require the individuals that teach and provide services to have any specific training nor is licensing different from a typical teacher or services provider.