Kylie A. Kenner, George C. Bunch, Benjamin James
Abstract Research has increasingly focused on the importance of college preparation and career and technical education (CTE) for multilingual learners (MLs), many of them classified as “English Learners,” in K‐12 schools. Less attention, however, has been paid to the collegiate and professional aspirations of another significant population of MLs in the United States: those studying ESL in adult education programs. This paper examines how structural and systemic barriers impede access to opportunities for college and career readiness (CCR) for students enrolled in adult ESL programs in community colleges, how personnel at one large urban community college district understood and attempted to counter those barriers, and how institutional habitus and doxa (taken‐for‐granted assumptions and practices) shaped those attempts. Analyzing interviews with students, faculty, staff, and administrators, we discuss systemic challenges facing MLs and highlight three initiatives that attempt to bolster their success. We conclude by discussing remaining challenges and offering implications for researchers and practitioners committed to expanding opportunities for CCR for students in adult ESL programs and challenging institutional status quos.